From Zero to Millions: The Journey Behind TokenUnlocks -a crypto data startup and Our Rebrand to Tokenomist

Today, I’m excited to announce our second major rebrand—TokenUnlocks is now becoming Tokenomist. This new chapter reflects how far we’ve come and where we’re headed, expanding from tracking token unlocks to providing comprehensive data about digital assets, known as tokenomics.

But before I dive into what’s next, I want to share the story to reflect on how we built TokenUnlocks from zero users to serving millions of users —and the lessons we learned along the way.

The Early Days: Starting Small and Hitting Roadblocks

When we started back in 2022, we didn’t have a grand vision or a polished product. As a small hackathon team called DaoSurv, we launched several experiments, including DAOAlert and DAOPoll—both were Twitter bots aimed at solving problems for DAOs (decentralized autonomous organization). But neither gained much traction then conviction to the product was low so we stopped them both. We didn't know what should we do next, but we were super determined to build something valuable that people uses.

Then we launched again, now a web app called DAOVest, hoping to solve what seemed like a straightforward problem: tracking when crypto tokens become available for trade or use. (token vesting schedule). Normally, we track them in Excel. But, after launches, like our previous projects, it didn’t go as planned. The product wasn’t perfect, almost no one used it, and we hit a roadblock early on again.

Right Solution + Clear Product Value Prop + Go-to-Market Strategy = Organic Growth for Underserved Market

Instead of giving up, we trusted our instincts and kept iterating. We realized that token unlock data—scattered and difficult to access—was a major pain point for many users. With our team’s expertise in data analytics, crypto, and product development, we believe we already have the right product solution. But one question remained: Why wasn’t the product growing?

After brainstorming and analyzing, we realized that our product was too complex for Coldstart and the branding wasn’t resonating. DAOVest was difficult to understand, and we lacked the visibility to stand out. That’s when we decided to rebrand the entire product to TokenUnlocks. We gave it a bold, pinkish-red identity—a color rarely seen in data products a great simple hack that made us stand out—and simplified the UX to make it more user-friendly and approachable.

But the rebrand alone wasn’t enough. Our go-to-market strategy played a crucial role. Users were consistently requesting more tokens to be added to the platform, so we set ambitious goals to meet those demands. We added tokens quickly, created content around each update, and shared it with the communities of those tokens. This approach created a flywheel effect—with the right branding, rapid product improvements, and active user engagement, word-of-mouth started driving our growth.

As a result, TokenUnlocks began growing organically, and fast. By addressing an underserved but widespread pain point, simplifying the product, and responding to users’ needs, we quickly gained traction. In the first month, we hit 10K visits, which grew to 100K visits by the next month. Soon, we were seeing millions of visitors monthly, all without a marketing budget.

A major turning point came about 2-3 months into this growth when SCB 10X joined as our early investor. Their belief in us at this critical stage gave us the resources and confidence to scale even faster. We’re deeply grateful for their flexibility and support, which played a significant role in the rapid expansion of TokenUnlocks.

Evolving to Tokenomist: Expanding Our Vision

As we grew, we realized that token unlocks were just one part of the bigger picture. In the broader complex world of digital assets, people need more than just unlock data. They need a full understanding of tokenomics—how tokens are distributed, how supply changes over time, and the factors driving demand.

That’s why we’re rebranding to Tokenomist. We’re evolving from our focus on unlock schedules to providing the complete picture of token supply, allocation, and distribution—critical data that helps researchers, analysts, and investors make better decisions.

So, what is a Tokenomist? Just like an economist analyzes financial systems, a Tokenomist is an expert in understanding token data. Our mission is to bring that expertise to the crypto world, making it easier for everyone to grasp the complexities of token-based projects.

My Key Lessons from TokenUnlocks Journey

We’re going to miss the TokenUnlocks journey—it’s been a huge part of our growth and success. But this rebrand marks a new milestone for us as we take on bigger challenges and expand our impact.

Here’s what we’ve learned:

1. Start small—solving a specific, niche problem can lead to big opportunities. identify the problem that you can solve.

2. Embrace imperfection—shipping fast and learning on the go with users and the market works better than waiting for perfection.

3. Stay flexible—roadblocks aren’t failures; they’re chances for you to learn, to pivot, and to adapt.

If you’re a founder, I hope these insights resonate with you. Building something from scratch isn’t easy, and I’m always open to sharing what I’ve learned and eager to learn from others too—feel free to reach out if you’d like to chat.

As we embark on this new chapter with Tokenomist, I’d love for you to follow our journey at x.com/Tokenomist_ai. We’re also growing our team and are looking for passionate people in UX/UI design, business operations, software engineering, and crypto analyst. If you’re excited about solving meaningful problems and contributing to the future of tokenomics data, let’s connect.

Tokenomist is the future of tokenomics data, and this rebrand is just the beginning of our new journey. Stay tuned!

Tanawat C.

Founder CEO - Tokenomist