Inside BuzzUp’s Mission to Simplify Crypto Payments and Enhance Social Connections in Web3
In Brief
BuzzUp, a decentralized communication platform in Web3, aims to provide a secure, user-friendly experience, leveraging token-gated communities and privacy features to attract users in Southeast Asia and beyond.
BuzzUp is at the forefront of secure, decentralized communication in Web3, offering users a platform to chat and make payments without relying on centralized servers. In this interview, Natalie Leung, BuzzUp’s General Manager, shares the company’s mission to provide a safe, user-friendly experience for Web3.
Having joined BuzzUp in its early stages, Natalie brings years of experience in the tech startup world to help scale the platform. She discusses the importance of token-gated communities, privacy features, and how BuzzUp is working to attract users in Southeast Asia and beyond.
Can you share your journey to Web3?
It’s a very long story, but I joined the crypto space in 2022. I first got involved by helping organize events and managing some playlist shops in the space. For example, I helped organize a huge conference in Hong Kong, which had around 2,000 attendees. The team was mostly local, focusing on delivering an event for the local audience.
The conference received great feedback from the Hong Kong community. After that, I worked on various projects, including GameFi, Metaverse, DePIN, and AI. I was also quite active in the Ethereum ecosystem, participating in many events and conferences, such as last year’s SuiConnect before DevConnect in Istanbul and this year’s DevCon in Thailand. My team and I have been quite active in connecting with builders and other projects in the space.
As for how I joined BuzzUp, I was one of the early employees. My friend, who was part of the core team at BuzzUp, introduced me to the company because of my background in crypto and my experience working in the tech startup space for over eight years. I joined to help with operations and scale the startup. We launched our product in May, and since then, we’ve made great progress, including expanding our team across Southeast Asia and launching product version 3.3.7 just last week. We’re planning to do even more to improve our product and grow our user base.
Why is there a need for social apps in Web3, like BuzzUp?
We really want to create a decentralized space where individuals can innovate, express themselves, and take control of their digital lives without relying on centralized powers. Many of the day-to-day apps we currently use, like WhatsApp in Hong Kong, LINE in Japan, Thailand, and Korea, or even Telegram, which is widely used in Web3, are not as secure as apps like Signal. We want to set a higher security benchmark for communication apps. By doing so, we aim to provide a solution where users can operate freely in an open, permissionless digital ecosystem.
How do you ensure security and privacy in the chats?
We ensure security and privacy via peer-to-peer communication. So, one wallet communicates directly with another wallet. This avoids centralized servers, ensuring that all data, including texts and media, are secure and encrypted. It minimizes risks and guarantees privacy for users.
Can you explain the significance of token-gated communities and how they empower crypto enthusiasts on BuzzUp?
Token-gated communities are a key feature we offer because they allow crypto enthusiasts to connect with others who share similar interests and investments. Crypto enthusiasts often hold NFTs and other tokens, and these communities give them easier access to like-minded individuals. This feature is essential for providing a better experience for crypto users, as it’s something that Web2 social apps can’t replicate. The way we use blockchain for proof of attendance, ownership, and investment is fundamentally different from traditional spaces.
What inspired the development of an Ethereum-compatible non-custodial wallet for in-app payments?
Ethereum is currently the most widely used blockchain for transactions, so it made sense for us to introduce an Ethereum-compatible wallet from the start. We’re also planning to support more blockchains and layer-2 solutions in the future, which will make transactions quicker, cheaper, and more efficient for users. Integrating social features with payments unlocks the potential for day-to-day transactions. Our goal is to make it easier for people to pay their friends or split costs—like for lunch—within the app using crypto.
How can we attract more people to Web3, and do you have any programs or activities to onboard new users?
We focus on making onboarding simple and user-friendly. For example, our app uses biometric authentication, so users don’t need to provide email or phone numbers, making it more approachable for those not familiar with crypto. At Meet Taipei last week, we had people in their 40s download the app and join our community chats, which showed us that we’re on the right track.
We aim to provide a seamless social experience that is easier for non-crypto users to grasp. Through chats, users can experience decentralized social tools and learn about wallets, Web3, and crypto, all in a familiar and comfortable environment. We also plan to offer incentives, applications, and curated communities to help users explore Web3.
How do you see the Web3 market in Asia? Have you noticed a rise in the adoption of apps like BuzzUp?
Web3 adoption in Asia is definitely rising, but it’s still very unknown to many people outside the crypto space. When I first joined BuzzUp, the adoption rate was much lower, and we’ve seen a gradual increase in awareness. Social media platforms and apps in Web3 are still niche, and there’s still a huge opportunity for mass adoption. We are focused on onboarding not just crypto enthusiasts but also regular users, and there’s a lot of room for growth in the Southeast Asian market.
Why is providing seamless access to external providers a priority for BuzzUp’s Web3 browser?
We want to make it easy for people to understand and engage with the Web3 space. By offering access to simple games, personal finance features like staking and swapping crypto, and other web apps, we can help users explore what’s happening in Web3. Our goal is to provide an ecosystem where users can easily experience and adopt Web3 technologies, helping drive more adoption.
Can you elaborate on BuzzUp’s upcoming crypto debit card launch?
The crypto debit card is still in the works. It will allow users to deposit crypto into the card and use it at any store that accepts Visa. This will be especially convenient for people who have crypto but don’t want to deal with converting it to fiat for daily transactions. We plan to launch the physical debit card in Q1 next year, but users can already register for a virtual debit card through the app.
Have you faced any challenges working in Asia, especially regarding regulations?
Compliance is definitely a challenge. Every country has different regulations, even in places like Hong Kong and Singapore, so it’s tough to navigate what’s allowed, especially when it comes to marketing. We need to stay compliant with local laws while delivering our services.
Language is another challenge—when we enter Southeast Asian markets, we need to ensure localized marketing efforts to connect with the local population. We have teams in countries like Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan to handle this. By having local teams, we can do more effective marketing and tap into the regional networks.
Do you plan to enter the European or American markets?
We do have plans to expand into Europe and America, but right now, our primary focus is on Southeast Asia. Our headquarters are in Singapore, and the Southeast Asian market is more cost-effective and offers a larger population. As we are still in our early stages, it’s smarter for us to focus on this region. However, we do plan to expand to Europe and America, possibly next year.
What’s next for BuzzUp in terms of product launches, partnerships, and features that users can look forward to?
We’re planning to integrate more blockchains and layer-2 solutions into our wallet to provide a more complete solution for our users. We’re also working on more partnerships to enhance our in-app offerings. In terms of engagement, we’ll partner with KOLs in the space to create user-generated content and increase app interaction.
We’re also working on growth hacks to boost retention, such as our new “counting store,” where users can earn points by completing tasks like referrals or check-ins. These points can be redeemed for rewards. We plan to launch this feature in two weeks, and we believe these new features and partnerships will help us onboard more users and foster a vibrant community within the app.
Disclaimer
In line with the Trust Project guidelines, please note that the information provided on this page is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of advice. It is important to only invest what you can afford to lose and to seek independent financial advice if you have any doubts. For further information, we suggest referring to the terms and conditions as well as the help and support pages provided by the issuer or advertiser. MetaversePost is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice.
About The Author
Victoria is a writer on a variety of technology topics including Web3.0, AI and cryptocurrencies. Her extensive experience allows her to write insightful articles for the wider audience.
More articles
Victoria is a writer on a variety of technology topics including Web3.0, AI and cryptocurrencies. Her extensive experience allows her to write insightful articles for the wider audience.
