Community as currency: How crypto platforms use Telegram, Discord, and X to fuel sustainable growth

While technology and tokenomics drive headlines in the crypto world, something more fundamental determines which platforms thrive and which disappear: community engagement. For crypto exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, and emerging players such as BYDFi, the strength of their user communities has become the critical differentiator in a market where technical features are increasingly commoditized.

Let's explore how crypto platforms are leveraging Telegram, Discord, and X (formerly Twitter) to build thriving communities that fuel their expansion in today's competitive market.

Why community matters in crypto platform growth

Cryptocurrency projects operate in a unique environment where traditional marketing often falls short. According to recent studies, approximately 90% of successful blockchain projects have active communities that contribute significantly to their growth [1]. Unlike conventional financial services, crypto platforms benefit enormously from user-driven growth mechanisms.

Community building in crypto offers multiple advantages:

1. Trust building: In an industry where skepticism runs high, active communities create social proof and transparency
2. User-driven development: Community feedback often informs platform improvements and new features
3. Organic growth: Word-of-mouth promotion leads to higher-quality user acquisition at lower costs
4. Crisis resilience: Strong communities help platforms weather market downturns and negative news cycles
5. Knowledge sharing: Communities educate newcomers, reducing support costs and improving user satisfaction

For crypto exchanges and platforms, communities don't just consume services—they actively participate in platform growth through referrals, content creation, and direct feedback that shapes product development.

Telegram: The crypto communication backbone

Telegram has established itself as the dominant messaging platform in the cryptocurrency world. With over 950 million monthly active users as of 2024 [2], including a substantial portion involved in crypto communities, Telegram has become the default communication channel for most blockchain projects.

Several factors have made Telegram particularly suited for crypto communities:

End-to-end encryption and privacy

In a space where users value privacy and security, Telegram's encryption features align perfectly with crypto enthusiasts' preferences. The platform's focus on security has made it the central communication tool for projects in the cryptocurrency space since its launch in 2013.

Massive group capacities

Telegram groups can accommodate up to 200,000 members each, making it ideal for large-scale community building. Channels allow for unlimited broadcasting capabilities, giving projects flexibility in how they structure their communications.

Speed and real-time interaction

Blockchain projects benefit from Telegram's speed, allowing teams to promptly respond to inquiries and feedback from their community and obtain valuable technical input from developers. This real-time communication capability is essential for addressing market volatility and rapidly evolving user needs.

Customization with bots

Telegram's bot capabilities enable crypto communities to implement automated moderation, trading signals, and other custom functionality that enhances user experience. These bots can welcome new members, provide basic information, and even facilitate community governance.

While Telegram remains powerful for crypto communities, recent data shows Discord gaining popularity with more organized projects, particularly those requiring structured discussions and community governance.

Discord: The community organization powerhouse

Discord has evolved from its gaming roots to become a central hub for cryptocurrency community organization. Research looking at Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) found that Discord tends to host communities with higher active participation rates compared to Telegram [3].

Topic-based channels for organized discussions

Discord's channel structure allows cryptocurrency communities to organize discussions by topic, enhancing user experience and making information more accessible. Voice channels enable AMAs (Ask Me Anything), team discussions, and community events.

Better community management tools

Discord offers superior moderation capabilities, role-based permissions, and integration options that help maintain community health. Data from 2022 indicated that Discord had become the new platform for building and growing communities, particularly for NFT projects and organized crypto communities.

Integration capabilities

Discord integrations connect community platforms with other tools (like X, YouTube, and development repositories), creating a more cohesive community experience.

Membership structure and exclusivity

Many crypto projects use Discord's role-based system to create membership tiers, rewarding active community members and creating incentives for participation. This hierarchical structure supports community growth by recognizing contributions and creating aspirational pathways for new members.

Recent statistics show Discord hosting 32 out of 38 of the largest DAOs by market cap, demonstrating its dominance for structured crypto communities with governance components [3].

X: The amplification engine

While Telegram and Discord serve as the operational centers for crypto communities, X functions as the primary amplification channel. In the crypto market ecosystem, X is used for major announcements, hyping coins and spreading news about the space.

Announcement broadcasting

X's public nature makes it ideal for official announcements, news, and updates that need to reach beyond the core community. Most cryptocurrency projects maintain active X presences to broadcast developments to the wider market.

Thought leadership and market influence

Crypto leaders use X to establish thought leadership and influence market perceptions. Projects can leverage these voices to build credibility and reach through strategic partnerships and engagement.

Community cross-pollination

Discussions on X facilitate discovery and cross-pollination between different crypto communities. This network effect multiplies organic growth opportunities as users discover new projects through their existing connections.

Market sentiment indicators

Activity on X often serves as a real-time indicator of market sentiment and community health. Projects monitor X metrics to gauge reception to announcements and identify potential issues before they affect platform usage.

In 2024, approximately 59% of the world's population (4.76 billion people) uses social media, spending about 2.5 hours daily on these platforms [4], creating vast opportunities for crypto projects to engage with potential users.

BYDFi's approach to community building

Like other successful crypto platforms, BYDFi has recognized the importance of community building in its growth strategy. The exchange leverages multiple channels to foster user engagement and loyalty:

Strategic infrastructure supporting community growth

BYDFi's community-centric growth is powered by its 'CEX + DEX' dual-engine infrastructure. Flagship product MoonX exemplifies this strategy – combining centralized trading speed with decentralized transparency to serve meme coin traders' unique needs. This technical foundation directly enables stronger community engagement by addressing specific user requirements.

Community-empowering product features

MoonX directly enables community-driven trading behaviors:

• Smart money tracking lets users follow top-performing wallets
• One-click cross-chain swaps facilitate diverse meme coin trading
• Profit-optimizing tools (auto-gain locking) reduce novice risks

These features demonstrate how thoughtful product design can strengthen community bonds by making complex trading accessible to both beginners and experienced traders.

Global partner program

BYDFi's global partner program offers up to 60% commission, incentivizing community members to promote the platform within their networks. This program includes tiered rewards based on trading volume, creating a compelling reason for active community members to bring new users to the platform.

Sub-affiliate system

The platform's innovative sub-affiliate system rewards partners with an additional 10% from the commissions of affiliates they recruit, creating a powerful network effect that accelerates community growth.

Social trading features

BYDFi implements social trading features that allow users to earn by letting others copy their trades. This approach not only creates additional income opportunities for experienced traders but also fosters community learning and engagement.

24/7 support infrastructure

Recognizing the global nature of crypto communities, BYDFi provides round-the-clock customer support to assist users across different time zones. This commitment to availability is critical for maintaining community trust in a market that never sleeps.

Why technical capabilities matter for community growth

BYDFi's approach demonstrates how technical capabilities directly enable community growth rather than existing separately from it. By designing features that specifically facilitate community interactions and reduce entry barriers, BYDFi positions itself as an innovator beyond just community management. This integration of technology and community appeals to technical users while creating a more sustainable ecosystem for all participants.

Best practices for crypto community building

Based on successful examples in the industry, several best practices emerge for effective crypto community building:

1. Multi-platform strategy with platform-specific approaches

The most successful crypto projects maintain presences across Telegram, Discord, and X, but tailor their approach to each platform's strengths. This might mean using Telegram for immediate support and announcements, Discord for structured discussions and governance, and X for broader market engagement.

2. Community-driven content and education

Organizing events, AMAs (Ask Me Anything sessions), and educational content creates engagement while providing value to community members. These activities not only retain existing users but attract new ones looking for knowledge and insights.

According to recent research, 63% of marketers believe that building an online community is critical for success on social media in 2023 [4].

3. Transparent communication and authentic engagement

Transparency builds trust in crypto communities. Successful platforms maintain open communication about developments, challenges, and future plans. Having a Telegram group means teams are open to questions, suggestions, and criticisms which draws the line between a credible project and a project that is only full of hype but no substance.

4. Incentive alignment

The most vibrant crypto communities align platform success with community member benefits. This can take many forms, from trading fee discounts to more complex tokenomics that share platform revenue with community members.

5. Community manager expertise

Professional community management has become essential for serious crypto projects. A crypto community manager needs experience with relevant platforms and deep understanding of the crypto space to effectively grow and maintain engagement.

The future of crypto communities

As cryptocurrency adoption continues to grow globally, community building approaches are evolving. Several trends are emerging that will likely shape the future of crypto communities:

More specialized micro-communities

Rather than one large community, platforms are increasingly developing specialized micro-communities around specific interests or use cases. This allows for more targeted engagement and better serves diverse user needs.

Enhanced integration between platforms

The lines between Telegram, Discord, and X communities are blurring as better integration tools emerge. Projects are creating seamless experiences that allow users to engage across platforms while maintaining consistent information and community culture.

AI-assisted community management

AI tools are increasingly helping manage crypto communities at scale, from content moderation to personalized onboarding experiences. In 2023, 44% of marketers adopted AI specifically for content production [5], a trend that's extending into community management.

Real-world extensions

Successful online communities are increasingly extending into real-world meetups, conferences, and events. This hybrid approach strengthens community bonds while attracting new members through in-person connections.

Conclusion

For cryptocurrency platforms, community building isn't just a marketing tactic—it's becoming the primary engine of sustainable growth. By strategically leveraging Telegram, Discord, and X, crypto projects can create engaged communities that drive adoption, provide valuable feedback, and help navigate market volatility.

As the industry matures, the quality of community engagement will likely become an even more significant differentiator between successful and struggling platforms. Those that invest in authentic community building today are positioning themselves for long-term success in an increasingly competitive market.

For users and investors evaluating crypto platforms, the health and engagement level of a project's community across these channels may provide valuable signals about its long-term viability and growth potential.