Web3 CMO Stories Walk & Talk in Sintra with Sweatcoin's founder | S5 E25
Imagine getting paid real cryptocurrency simply for walking. This isn't science fiction. It's the revolutionary model created by Sweat Economy that's bringing the next billion users into Web3 through something everyone already does daily.
Walking through the breathtaking hills of Sintra, Portugal, Oleg Fomenko shares Sweat Economy's remarkable journey from their early days as Sweatcoin in 2014 to becoming one of the world's most downloaded fitness apps. Initially constrained by blockchain limitations, they operated centrally until 2022, when technology finally caught up with their vision. Now, through their Sweat token and non-custodial wallet, they've created a seamless experience that addresses the three critical barriers keeping mainstream users from embracing crypto: complicated products, poor user experience, and prohibitive entry costs.
What makes their approach particularly refreshing is their focus on active users rather than Total Value Locked (TVL). While much of the crypto industry chases capital from whales, Sweat Economy builds for real people with real needs. "We want to bring the next billion people into Web3 and do it in an easy to understand, easy to use, and no barriers way," Oleg explains while demonstrating their model in real-time during our walking podcast.
Their tokenomics incorporate clever mechanisms like requiring more steps for each additional token (similar to Bitcoin halving but happening continuously), and they've created innovative utility including activity-based staking—walk 10,000 steps today, earn 10% APY tomorrow—and an upcoming universal gas token feature letting users "pay fees with their feet" across multiple blockchains.
Comparing crypto's current state to the internet around 2000, Oleg paints an exciting picture of what's next: "We're on the cusp of switching to consumer crypto... That gave us Google in 2003, Facebook in 2007. And that's where bulk of the returns and money on the internet were made." This shift from infrastructure to consumer applications is where Sweat Economy is positioning itself at the forefront.
This episode was recorded during a walk in Sintra on June 12, 2025. Check the video footage, read the blog article and show notes here: https://webdrie.net/walk-talk-in-sintra-with-sweatcoins-founder/
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