I recently came across a rather interesting project (@Sidekick_Labs). At first, I thought it was a gaming workshop just from the name, but upon looking closer, oh, it turns out to be about Web3 live trading, somewhat like 'LiveFi'? This term is new to me, but now I'm curious.
This project focuses on live streaming + trading, also involving creator economy elements. Honestly, this logic is quite Web3.
💫 Initially, Sidekick was focused on Web2 companionship services, primarily in the Eastern European market. Later, due to the war in that region and the chaos in the payment system, they directly adopted crypto payments, resulting in an increasingly Web3-oriented platform, evolving into the current live trading platform.
The most outrageous part is that this operation actually secured funding, led by Binance Labs, and they entered the seventh phase of MVB on BNB Chain, with familiar faces like HashKey, Folius, and Mirana in the investment lineup, which is quite impressive.
💫 They call themselves LiveFi, which I understand as 'live streaming + trading.' Streamers analyze the market, observe K-lines, and execute orders live; you can copy trades with one click, with information delay essentially at zero. Previously, calling trades in groups often led to missed opportunities due to hesitation; now, decisions can be made within five minutes during the live broadcast.
Copy trading is not the traditional bot-like operation, but directly using smart contracts to reduce intermediate steps, lowering transaction costs. From Williamson's transaction cost theory, this is essentially live streaming eliminating 'information asymmetry,' with search → negotiation → execution all happening seamlessly in the live stream.
There's an interesting trust mechanism where the streamer's wallet address is publicly available on the blockchain. You can easily tell if the calls are genuine or fake, and whether there are profits or losses. If they really run away, everyone can withdraw together; the interests are aligned.
💫 They also integrated the original gaming companion social model, allowing viewers to place orders via Sidekick's bot in small Discord and Telegram groups, chatting and ordering at the same time, with someone accompanying you in trading, maximizing emotional value.
Your interactions in the live stream, such as staying, tipping, and speaking, will become on-chain behavior records. Streamers can make money through subscriptions, tips, and transaction commissions. They also plan to issue their own token, with those who have large traffic receiving incentives. This model is somewhat like a Web3 version of OnlyFans, adding trading functionality, essentially 'earning while flirting.'
💫 There aren't many doing live trading in Web3 now; Sidekick is a leading player. They fill the gap in the crypto market for 'real-time trading + emotional endorsement.' Previously, trade calls relied mainly on Twitter text, which had weak emotional links. Now, watching someone operate live naturally boosts trust.
What's even better is that they have been deeply cultivating streamer resources in Eastern Europe, where local streamers are inexpensive and willing to try new things. Coupled with unstable fiat payments, it directly drives the demand for crypto payments. They also created a distribution system for Trovo and TikTok, covering 18 million fans, and their distribution capacity is quite strong.
💫 They established a tripartite incentive system:
Streamers (Kickers): Transaction fee sharing + tips + future airdrops
Community promoters (Affiliate Partners): 8% commission for recommending companion services + airdrops
Ordinary users: Input invitation codes to accumulate points, which can later be exchanged for tokens
This model is very Web3, with everyone having roles and earnings, and clear incentives.
💫 Currently, there are over 10,000 gaming streamers on Discord, with a total fan count reaching 68 million. Their year-end goal is to cover 30 million gaming users, which is quite ambitious. They also plan to issue governance tokens, acquire short video live streaming licenses, and have many actions in preparation.
💫 The participation method is very simple:
Join their Discord and complete verification
Bind Solana wallet to the official website
Regularly input Secret Code to accumulate points
You can also sign up to become an Affiliate Partner and earn commissions through community trading.
🚧 Challenges faced
Of course, there are challenges as well:
Whether crypto users can adapt to the format of live trading remains to be validated.
Cross-border payments and token incentives may have regulatory risks.
🧠 Summary: Will LiveFi be the new narrative of Web3?
Sidekick has truly mastered 'live streaming + trading + social + incentives,' simultaneously solving the delay issue in Web3 information transmission while enhancing trust and participation. With the benefits from Eastern European streamers and Binance's endorsement, the project's potential is indeed substantial.
They are just in the startup phase, and it might indeed be an early bird opportunity. Whether they can succeed later will depend on user habit cultivation and regulatory evolution.
