Solana-Focused Crypto Wallet Sees Surge in Users
A Solana-focused crypto wallet, Phantom, has experienced a significant increase in its user base, reaching 3.2 million active users. This marks a 220% surge from 1 million users in January 2023. Alongside the rise in monthly active users, the wallet also recorded over 940,000 installs, representing a 460% surge compared to the same period.
Airdrops and DeFi Drive Growth
Phantom’s CEO, Brandon Millman, attributed this surge to multiple airdrops that took place on Solana earlier this year. He mentioned that the Jito and Jupiter airdrops were particularly influential in driving user growth. Additionally, Millman highlighted the increasing activity in decentralized finance (DeFi) as another contributing factor. DeFi protocols are incentivizing usage with airdrops, and crypto wallets like Phantom are becoming the primary entry point for newcomers to the crypto space.
Growth Focus Over Revenue Generation
While not providing specific financial details, Millman stated that Phantom is currently focused on growth rather than revenue generation. The company aims to attract more users and developers to the ecosystem by reinvesting revenue into user growth. This strategy aligns with their goal of attracting top builders to the Solana platform.
Phantom’s Funding and Expansion
Phantom was launched in 2021 with a focus on Solana but later expanded its services to include Bitcoin. In January 2022, the company completed a $109 million series B funding round led by Paradigm, which brought its valuation to $1.2 billion. Other notable investors include Jump Capital, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Solana, and Variant.