Key Highlights
- Kaito is sunsetting Yaps and open incentive leaderboards, citing persistent spam and declining signal quality.
- The new Kaito Studio will adopt a tier-based model focused on analytics, creator relevance, and brand alignment.
- The shift follows broader changes on X, which has moved to restrict InfoFi-style apps that reward posting activity.
Kaito, a crypto-focused analytics and marketing platform, said it will shut down Yaps, its token-based engagement and rewards feature, and retire incentivized leaderboards as it shifts toward a new product called Kaito Studio, a creator–brand collaboration platform. The decision, announced this week, marks a move away from open reward models as the company repositions its broader strategy.
According to Kaito, the transition reflects lessons learned from operating Yaps and the growing difficulty of sustaining permissionless, reward-driven posting systems, prompting the company to pursue a more selective and analytics-focused approach with Kaito Studio.
From Yaps to Kaito Studio
Yaps was built to reward users and creators for driving brand attention through open participation, using tokenized scores and public leaderboards. Kaito later said the model reflected early Web3 ideals around open access and merit-based rewards.
Over time, however, the company said efforts to improve quality through tighter eligibility rules, higher thresholds, and social and on-chain filters did not fully resolve issues related to spam and low-quality content. Similar challenges emerged across the broader crypto ecosystem as other InfoFi projects launched with minimal restrictions, while changes to X’s ranking and visibility systems further reduced the effectiveness of open incentive models.
Kaito Studio will replace this approach with a more selective framework. Kaito Studio is designed to operate more like a traditional creator marketing platform, pairing vetted creators with brands using cross-platform analytics.
Market and platform impact
The move comes as X tightens its stance on apps that pay users to post, revoking API access in an effort to curb spam and AI-generated content. The changes have quickly rippled through InfoFi-linked projects.
After the restrictions were announced, Kaito’s token fell sharply and related NFT collections also slid. The reaction underscored how closely some crypto projects remain tied to the policies of major social platforms, and how fast market sentiment can turn.
Kaito said the transition away from Yaps does not affect its other products, including Kaito Pro, the Kaito API, Kaito Launchpad, or the planned Kaito Markets. The company added that the KAITO token will continue to play a role within Kaito Studio, with further details to be shared later.
Why it matters
The shift mirrors a wider rethink across crypto and creator platforms, as open incentive models give way to more targeted, data-driven approaches.
For Kaito, ending Yaps signals a move toward relevance and analytics over volume, as crypto tools increasingly intersect with mainstream finance and digital media.
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