
Satoshi’s Nakamoto Vision of Communities and Web3 Projects
One aspect of Web3 that many people struggle to replicate is the high degree of involvement that thriving projects have with their communities. While some may see this as a marketing strategy, it is, in fact, part of the very essence of Web3.
The current landscape is teeming with projects; some are vibrant, while others are relegated to obscurity. Irrespective of their success, all projects can trace their origins back to Bitcoin and its founder, Satoshi Nakamoto.
Over the years, several people have claimed to be Satoshi, but to this day, his real identity has never been revealed. This is a factor that has influenced all subsequent projects.
By maintaining his anonymity, Satoshi set about creating the world’s first decentralized currency and the type of community that would lead its development. After helping guide early adopters, he withdrew from the public stage, purposefully creating a vacuum to ensure the community took over.
Had he remained at the helm, directing its development, Bitcoin and the subsequent developments in Web3 would have looked much like other Web2 projects. Instead, the community was compelled to step in and decide its future direction.
Inevitably, this led to disagreements, some healthy, some not. However, he understood that they would remain followers rather than creators without room for them to help.
Unsurprisingly, these disagreements led to splits that gave birth to other projects and cryptocurrencies. Unhappy with the direction, people developed alternative blockchains rather than sitting on the sidelines and criticizing.
Since then, successful crypto projects have always been characterized by deeply engaged communities. This isn’t something you can bolt onto a project; it has to be an integral part of its DNA.

A statue in Budapest dedicated to Satoshi Nakamoto
Some see splitting the Bitcoin community into other projects as fundamentally flawed. They believe Bitcoin is the only true crypto, but this attitude misses one key point. If that was Satoshi’s intention, why did he purposefully create the conditions for the community to take responsibility?
Allowing room for communities to play a role in a project’s growth and development can sometimes seem counterintuitive. However, understanding this as an aspect of decentralization makes more sense.
Some projects hand complete control over to community members by transforming into a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). While this approach is laudable, it has sometimes resulted in dangerous outcomes that could harm some DAOs’ futures.
Each project has a different approach to engaging with its community, but whatever blend they decide upon, all successful projects have strong communities. This is precisely why Zesh aims to be a valuable partner, helping people find easier ways to enhance community engagement.