Astar, Startale Labs, Soneium and the state of our ecosystem pt2

[Audiarmis]

This conversation and the debate it has sparked feel truly necessary.

Even though I haven’t been actively participating in the forum for long, I’d like to respectfully share my perspective, based on the experience I’ve been building.

I discovered Astar in 2023 during an event where I had the chance to meet @juminstock, but it wasn’t until March 2024 that I decided to join the ambassador program. And while I do have some observations about the program—as with any evolving experience—I can say I genuinely like the project and feel excited about its vision.

Since then, I’ve been looking for ways to communicate what I’ve learned through my networks: articles, videos, and useful content. And I agree with you on something important: I’m surprised more people aren’t jumping in to explore the ecosystem. But I also believe this is a common reality across Web3 communities: adoption is not immediate—it requires consistency, patience, and lots of creativity.

It’s understandable that some people feel adoption levels affect token price, but I’ve seen firsthand how much community effort is happening daily in Astar. There’s always something new: proposals, spaces, ideas… and that deserves recognition too.

Maybe we could channel the energy from these kinds of debates into concrete actions that strengthen the brand and the community. I also agree with @you425 that some internal conversations can’t be made public without compromising certain agreements—this requires careful judgment and responsibility.

I’ve really appreciated this collective kind of catharsis. These conversations help—especially when paired with proposals, strategies, and practical advice. Everyone contributes in their own way, and that matters too.

What has genuinely concerned me is seeing how the responsibility for bringing in “real users” seems to be placed directly on ambassadors. That’s a complex and deep issue. Because if conversion is one of the main metrics, why not consider an affiliate system or something similar?

And here’s a question I’d like to leave open:
If my way of contributing doesn’t bring in instantly “measurable” users, does that mean my time and dedication have no value?

We all know Astar is going through a key financial moment. But as you mentioned earlier, maybe this is the time to unite and think collectively about a broader community-level strategy—maybe a marketing one—to help elevate the ecosystem. Ambassador rewards could be part of that conversation, but the main goal should be getting the message out and letting Astar shine.

For instance, we could push dApp staking campaigns more strongly, with a collaborative focus—like satellite events that happen simultaneously across different communities. That would be a powerful display of collective effort and decentralized commitment.

Let’s use this space to take the conversation further—into action. I think it’s necessary to share our perspectives on how things can improve.

However, promoting a Web3 brand in a Web2 environment requires much more than just what ambassadors can deliver—especially considering that ambassadors are not direct employees of the brand, but representatives. And that distinction matters.

I don’t intend to wait passively for change. I choose to work from the present, using my skills to create strategies that can drive adoption in my region.

[Marroz]

@Audiarmis hi, I’m glad to read your input in this thread—it’s the perfect time to discuss various aspects, and I’d like to clarify my thoughts with you as well. In particular, I’d like to address your concern about seeing the responsibility for attracting real users directly attributed to ambassadors. I don’t see it that way at all: attracting users and utilizers is a team effort that starts with the overall strategy, not just the ambassadors.In my view, the primary major issue is poor communication—a point I’ve raised multiple times. For example, ask any non-holder of ASTR about the relationship between Astar and Soneium, and you’ll notice they’ll struggle to answer. That alone speaks volumes. The responsibility you might have sensed in my words likely stems from two specific points. First, in @juminstock
’s response, where the main ambassador activities are listed: three out of five key points fundamentally focus on brand promotion. You can see for yourself that if this task is explicitly stated, it’s hard to opt out of it. The solutions you suggest, like an affiliate system, are intriguing—please feel free to elaborate on them and share them with us.The second point is that, while I recognize that when things go wrong, the blame isn’t on one person but on everyone, similarly, when things go well, the credit isn’t due to an individual but to the team. As of now, the situation is what it is: we can talk about all the improvements, the hours spent discovering daily novelties, but we’re in a technological and financial field. Just open a chart or an official ranking, and you’ll see how much ground we’ve lost. This ties back to your question: does your work have no value? Absolutely not. And honestly, it seems inappropriate to suggest that anyone has thought so. It appears that a decent amount of ASTR, which, by the way, has steadily increased over the past few months due to the constant loss in value, is still being recognized for you. However, in any work one chooses to undertake—even if driven by the most virtuous passion—results must emerge. At the moment, due to everyone’s fault (meaning each of us bears some responsibility), those results are disappointing.Please don’t take these words of mine, which may seem too harsh: I’m no master of communication, nor am I particularly attentive to form. Certainly, in your message, I noticed that, beyond the questions I felt compelled to address, you’ve hit the nail on the head… making Astar shine. That matters more than any disputes or diverging ideas. The community is full of smart and capable people, and I’m sure they have ideas to propose for improving the situation. That’s the right spirit.I invite others to share their ideas on this and the other topics raised. I look forward to your thoughts and those of the community

[Audiarmis]

Thank you for taking the time to share your perspective. There are several points where we don’t fully agree, but I truly value reading all opinions with respect and trying to understand each point of view.

I just want to clarify something important: to this day, I haven’t received a single ASTR beyond the ones I personally bought to stake. I’m not an ambassador. Everything I’ve done has been voluntary and self-funded.
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I do understand the concerns about the market, but these are precisely the moments when the community needs to grow even stronger. That said, I truly hope we all keep contributing and moving forward together.

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[Marroz]

Ah perfect, I hadn’t noticed that there’s no “system agent” label next to your name… we’re on the same boat then! Very good, at this point I need to rephrase my response about the usefulness of your work… No, your work is very useful, like all those who spend energy and money without getting anything in return. In this case, results, immediate or not, shouldn’t be required.

[Marroz]

Dear @Maarten
Thank you for your response, though it took three posts to get one. I believe it’s necessary to discuss this matter openly, and it’s better to do so here rather than cluttering the voting thread.Let’s start with the point you mentioned: you confirm that Astar “worked closely with Neemo but didn’t receive sufficient information” to investigate the admin key compromise. Doesn’t this mean that, in fact, you weren’t able to shed light on what happened? I don’t see how the user’s statement can be called incorrect. Don’t you find it odd that, despite the lack of clarity on what actually happened, the Foundation is leaving the management of the voting and reimbursement process to Neemo? This raises doubts about transparency and accountability.I understand that Astar cannot take responsibility for every mistake made by third-party projects, and you’re right: it’s not sustainable. But yours is the classic case of the right choice at the wrong time. This isn’t just any case. Seven months ago, this narrative didn’t exist; we’re at the beginning of a journey that could define trust in the ecosystem. The community has fought hard to support ASTR despite the challenges, and comparing this incident to a “healthy newborn falling” isn’t an exaggeration: an early mistake can cause permanent damage.My question is: how can Neemo still have the Foundation’s trust when they haven’t provided the necessary details to understand how the key was compromised? How can anyone trust a team that caused a disaster that could have been catastrophic and doesn’t explain in detail what happened? I don’t want to believe you’re that naive, or am I wrong? And, above all, how can such a project remain in dApp staking, with the ability to manage reimbursements, when the community’s trust is already compromised? It’s not just about protecting assets over the weekend – an action that benefited everyone, not just us – but about making a decision that shows responsibility toward the community.I urge you to think long-term: a bold choice now could strengthen the community’s cohesion, rather than fueling fears of “what happens if it happens again?” Consider the pros and cons, not just to avoid setting precedents, but to build a stronger and more reliable ecosystem.