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What 300+ days studying fintech marketing taught me about human behavior

The best protocol rarely wins. The best story usually does.

Author

Will Leatherman
January 29, 2025

Everyone in Web3 is racing to build infrastructure—but they’re missing the biggest bridge of all: human trust.

We see projects touting “trustless” systems and massive metrics. Yet, like Visa’s $1.4 quadrillion tokenization bet, it’s the story that truly connects the dots.

Numbers alone don’t make us care—narratives do.

Where Web3 Marketing Falls Short:

  • Data Maximalists: Impressive metrics buried under endless GitHub commits

  • Hype Machines: Loud promises but zero specifics

  • Tell human-centric stories behind the tech

  • Blend numbers with narrative to show real-world impact

  • Show why it matters, not just how it works

Case in Point:

  • Ethereum sold a vision of a “world computer,” not just smart contracts

  • Uniswap championed financial accessibility, not just liquidity pools

Keeping it simple doesn’t mean dumbing it down—it means forging actual connections. That’s how you move beyond “tokenomics spreadsheets” and build trust at scale.

Welcome to Catalyst—your bi-weekly insights on emerging fintech and Web3 trends, a behind-the-scenes look at some of the top players in the space, and actionable strategies you can implement today. No fluff. No basic takes. Just clear insights on what's actually happening in fintech. 💻

Ready to convert complex concepts into content that resonates? Let’s connect.

Will’s Picks

A few things I’ve loved reading this week—

The Web3 Marketing Paradox

Most Web3 founders obsess over metrics. Transaction volume. TVL. Token velocity.

But here's what I've learned building marketing strategies for blockchain platforms: the projects that win don't just have the best metrics—they tell the best stories.

Check out my full 2025 FinTech <> Crypto Report here

The Data Paradox

Web3 founders pride themselves on data-driven decisions. This makes sense—we're building trustless systems powered by mathematical certainty.

But this creates a blind spot.

Looking at Visa's recent $1.4 quadrillion tokenization announcement, the numbers are staggering:

  • $7T in currency markets

  • $277T in government bonds

  • $89.5T in stock markets

  • $280.6T in real estate

  • $6,667.1T in derivatives

This is massive, but instead of digging into the why and how and what does this mean, Web3 founders are still tweeting 'gm' into a void.

We need to fix the marketing gap between the numbers and Visa's story about transforming financial infrastructure. Connect the cold data to human impact.

Why Stories Matter in Web3

People don't believe in facts. They believe in stories that make sense of those facts.

On top of that, your protocol white paper is 47 pages long and your users' attention span is 47 seconds.

The most successful Web3 projects understand this:

  1. Ethereum didn't just sell smart contracts—they sold a vision of a "world computer"

  2. Uniswap didn't just promote liquidity pools—they championed financial accessibility

  3. Chainlink didn't just market oracles—they told a story about trusted data revolutionizing industries

The Success Framework

After working with dozens of Web3 projects, here's what actually works:

1. Start with Data Foundation

  • Clear problem definition

  • Market size quantification

  • Technical differentiation

  • Growth metrics

2. Build Narrative Architecture

  • Core value proposition

  • Target audience pain points

  • Industry transformation story

  • Human impact focus

3. Bridge Technical & Human

  • Simplified explanations

  • Real use cases

  • Customer success stories

  • Industry parallels

4. Maintain Credibility Balance

  • Verify all claims

  • Conservative projections

  • Transparent communication

  • Regular updates

Implementation Guide

Here's how to execute this in your Web3 marketing:

1. Technical Documentation

  • Keep it comprehensive

  • Include all data points

  • Maintain transparency

  • Enable deep dives

2. Marketing Communication

  • Lead with story

  • Support with data

  • Focus on impact

  • Emphasize solutions

3. Content Mix

4. Channel Strategy

  • Technical details → Documentation

  • Vision/updates → Social media

  • Community → Discord/Telegram

  • Education → Blog/Newsletter

The Path Forward

The future of Web3 marketing isn't choosing between data and storytelling—it's mastering both. The winners will be projects that can:

  • Prove their value with data

  • Explain their impact through story

  • Build trust with transparency

  • Maintain consistency across channels

How Can I Help?

Catalyst helps Web3 companies build thought leadership that drives growth. Let's talk about your strategy. Hit reply if you want to grab coffee and dive deeper—always down to chat fintech, crypto, and content strategy.

Will