Access-Then-Utility Adoption Sequence
Remove acquisition friction first, then activate holders with practical utility
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 99%
The Access-Then-Utility Adoption Sequence separates NFT growth into two ordered phases. First, make acquisition simple enough for ordinary users by reducing price, wallet, payment, and technical friction. Familiar payment methods and lightweight delivery can place tokens in people's hands before they understand blockchain infrastructure. Second, once a meaningful holder base exists, help issuers use those tokens for practical experiences such as tickets, marketing activation, membership, or access. The sequence matters because sophisticated token-gated utility cannot reach mass scale if only a tiny technical audience can acquire tokens. It also reframes the experience as something useful that happens to be NFT-backed rather than as a special crypto event. The result is broader distribution followed by utility grounded in real holder behavior.
Origin
Katie Chen proposed simple access as the first driver of the next NFT wave and utility activation as the second. Extracted from Marketing Against The Grain.
Core principles
- 01Distribution must precede networked utility
- 02Hide unnecessary blockchain complexity
- 03Keep acquisition simple and inexpensive
- 04Normalize token-backed experiences instead of fetishizing NFTs
- 05Activate holders after a meaningful audience exists
How to run it
- 1
Audit acquisition friction
Trace every action a newcomer must take to receive the token, including wallet creation, funding, network selection, fees, and payment.
Pro tip Test with people who have never used cryptocurrency.
Watch out Expert users routinely underestimate onboarding difficulty.
- 2
Enable familiar access
Allow users to acquire tokens through familiar interfaces and payment methods without requiring prior wallet ownership where possible.
Pro tip Delay advanced wallet concepts until the user needs them.
Watch out Custodial convenience still requires clear ownership and recovery policies.
- 3
Lower the economic barrier
Reduce production costs, transaction fees, and issuer pricing so ordinary participation is viable.
Pro tip Use low-cost or free distribution when the business goal is audience formation.
Watch out Artificial scarcity can undermine mass adoption.
- 4
Distribute lightweight tokens
Place simple tokens in users' hands before layering on complex capabilities.
Pro tip Tie distribution to an understandable event, purchase, or membership.
Watch out Distribution without a coherent future relationship creates dormant assets.
- 5
Activate practical utility
Introduce tickets, audience activation, access, membership, or other functions once a holder population exists.
Pro tip Start with the use case holders already request most often.
Watch out Do not add utility solely to stimulate secondary-market prices.
- 6
Normalize the experience
Describe the user-facing benefit first and treat NFT backing as infrastructure rather than the headline.
Pro tip Let users discover advanced ownership features gradually.
Watch out Crypto-first language can repel users who would value the underlying experience.
In the wild
A platform lets a customer purchase an NFT with Apple Pay without first creating or funding a conventional crypto wallet. After distribution, the token can support ticketing, membership, or audience activation.
→ Familiar payment removes an early adoption barrier and creates a holder base for later utility.
An event sells a normal-looking digital ticket through a familiar checkout. The attendee later discovers that the ticket can authenticate access, preserve attendance, and unlock community experiences because it is NFT-backed.
→ The utility reaches mainstream users without requiring a crypto-first onboarding journey.
Common mistakes
Building utility before distribution
A sophisticated token-gated experience has little impact if almost nobody can acquire the qualifying token.
Conflating NFTs with wallets
Requiring a conventional wallet for every acquisition unnecessarily ties token adoption to unresolved wallet usability problems.
Leading with blockchain jargon
Users may reject a useful experience when the marketing emphasizes unfamiliar technology rather than the benefit.
Is it for you?
Best for
Platforms and brands seeking mainstream NFT adoption beyond technically sophisticated crypto users.
Not ideal for
Projects that depend on exclusivity, high prices, and onboarding friction to signal status.
From the transcript
“I think the next wave is just incredible simple access”
“Get access first. And then second, how do we enable people to leverage the fact that their audience, their fans have this token?”
“I think it would be more normalized too, instead of this like special NFT thing. It's just like, no, it's NFT backed, but there's like…”
From the episode
How You Can Use NFTs For Your Business with Katie Chen
Katie Chen