Comparing the track-level opportunities of the two cycles: The AI hurricane will not re-reflect the L1 wave

This article comes from: 0xJeff

Compilé par Odaily Planet Daily ( @OdailyChina )

Traduit par Azuma ( @azuma_eth )

Remember the Layer 1/Layer 2 hype cycle in 2022-2023?

The best investments at the time were to buy tokens of top decentralized exchanges (DEXs), lending protocols, EVM-compatible networks, LST, yield-optimizing protocols, etc. Everyone was chasing mining, airdrops, or pouring TVL into projects like Blast to accumulate points.

It was chaotic, but it worked (at least for a few months). Today , the same level of dynamism is back in the market — but this time, the rules have completely changed.  

The AI Agent ecosystem is reshaping everything we know about the market, with a structure that is completely different from anything we have seen before.

1. No VC Dominance

In the Layer 1/Layer 2 era, token distribution always uses the same formula:

• The team gets 15-30%;

• Investors and KOLs receive 10-30%;

• The rest is used for airdrops or incentives.

The new cycle is different. In the AI Agent ecosystem, tokens are often 100% owned by the community. After the team launches the token, they may grab 5% for subsequent rewards, but the rest will be left to the market.

what does that mean?

Everyone has equal opportunity to buy. There are no concerns about VC unlocking or insider trading. All users who want to buy will bear the same market risk as everyone else.

You may ask, what about over-the-counter transactions for KOLs?

Some projects do offer discounted OTC deals, but they tend to:

• There are strict size restrictions;

• Only available to DAOs or KOLs who actively support the ecosystem.

This is not a “VCs set the game, retail investors take over” model. This is a fairer and more streamlined system where power remains in the hands of the community.

2. No endless forks

At least it’s not like DeFi, where there are dozens of forked products from Uniswap to Liquity, and there is almost no innovation in the forked products.

In the new cycle, it’s all about innovation. Builders are no longer just replicating existing projects, but launching new agents and use cases at a pace that’s hard to keep up with.

Why? Because AI applications are developing faster:

• You don’t need months of review time;

• Most Agents can be launched in weeks rather than months;

• The field is full of energy, experimentation, and creativity.

There are exciting new things emerging every week. As AI technology develops, Web3 AI Agents are also evolving.

3. New Customer Acquisition Funnel

In previous DeFi markets, users had to first find the project website; then spend time understanding the product; and then perhaps choose to interact with it.

AI Agents are completely different. They can present products directly to users.

Take aixbt (@aixbt_agent) for example, which provides various alpha insights directly on X in real time.

Users can immediately see the value and become interested; they can then learn more; and eventually they may choose to acquire tokens to unlock full functionality.

This new customer acquisition funnel of engage first, trade later is more efficient. With the development of on-chain transaction AI Agent and DeFi AI Agent, this model will dominate by 2025.

4. Highly integrated ecosystem

In the new cycle, the ecosystem will be more integrated, and there will no longer be thousands of scattered Layer 1/Layer 2 and DApps:

Virtuals (Base), ai16z (Solana), daos.world (Base), daos.fun (Solana)… What makes them different is that builders are not attracted by subsidies or incentives, but are attracted naturally.

A fair token economics model, a passionate community, the opportunity to experiment and innovate in an exciting space… this is what a fair launch combined with constant innovation will bring. Builders, investors, and the community will drive growth together.

How to plan in the new cycle?

The current market is like the early stages of Layer 1, but it is developing much faster. As early as 2020-2021, many Layer 1 projects reached a peak valuation of $100 billion. Now the AI track also has the same potential.

If you want to deploy efficiently, please pay attention to these new Agent Layer 1:

• VIRTUEL

• AI16Z

• ZEREBRO

• GRIFFAIN

• BULLY

• ARC

Dont just chase the current hot spots, look for those underestimated projects that are not affected by current events, those teams that interact quickly, have exciting narratives, and know how to build consensus.

You can refer to my previous article How to Position Yourself in This Agentic Cycle .

Welcome to the New World

The AI Agent Ecosystem is more than just a new Layer 1. It’s a fundamentally different market structure — faster, leaner, and more community-oriented than anything we’ve seen before.

We are entering a cycle that could reshape the way Web3 innovation works, and a $10 billion valuation is just the beginning.

This article is sourced from the internet: Comparing the track-level opportunities of the two cycles: The AI hurricane will not re-reflect the L1 wave

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