Social media has transformed the way people interact online, but today’s major platforms—like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram—are controlled by centralized companies. These companies dictate the rules, own user data, and can change algorithms or policies without user input. Decentralized social media (DeSoc) offers an alternative: platforms where users have more control over their identities, data, and interactions.

In this article, you'll learn what decentralized social media is, how it works, and how different networks compare. Even if you're new to blockchain or crypto, this guide will break things down step-by-step.

What makes social media decentralized?

At its core, decentralized social media removes or reduces the reliance on a single company to control user data and interactions. Instead, it uses blockchain technology and other decentralized systems to give users more ownership over their profiles, posts, and even monetization.

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Key features of decentralized social networks include:

• Own your profiles: Unlike traditional social media, where your profile is stored on company servers, decentralized platforms let you own and control your identity.
• Blockchain integration: Many DeSoc platforms use blockchain in some way, from simple identity verification to fully onchain social interactions.
• Onchain social features: Some networks allow users to collect, trade, or even monetize content through blockchain-based systems.
• Different levels of decentralization: Some platforms only use decentralized identity (like DNS-based accounts), while others store all interactions onchain.
• SocialFi elements: Decentralized platforms may integrate financial features, letting users earn money from their social activity.

Popular decentralized social networks include Farcaster, Lens, DeBank, and Bluesky. Each takes a different approach to decentralization and community building.

How we evaluate decentralized social networks

Not all decentralized social networks are the same. Here are key factors to consider when exploring them:

• Vibe: What kind of people are using the platform? Builders, artists, traders, or the general public?
• Social culture: Does the platform have a strong identity, or is it just a collection of users with no common culture?
• Size: How many people actively use the network?
• Humanity scale: Is the platform filled with real people, or is it dominated by bots and spam?
• Primary blockchain: Which blockchain (if any) is the network built on?
• Crypto features: What blockchain-based features does the platform offer? (e.g., NFTs, social tokens, onchain interactions)

With this framework in mind, let’s look at some of the major decentralized social networks. Most DeSocial protocols are built on Ethereum Layer-2s using Base or OP Stack; if you need to bridge crypto to test out a platform, you can use a cross chain swap on Matcha with zero added fees.  

Biggest decentralized social networks

Below is a list covering some of the largest decentralized social media platforms based on user activity. Each platform serves slightly different use cases, offers its own unique vibes and makes different tradeoffs in terms of decentralization.

1. Farcaster (Optimism + Base)

Website: farcaster.xyz

Farcaster is a crypto-native social network built on the Optimism blockchain for registrations, with most onchain user activity happening on Base. The primary app used to access the Farcaster protocol, Warpcast, looks and functions similarly to Twitter but with added blockchain features. It has mini-apps called Frames that are built on crypto rails, and “channels” that mirror Facebook groups, aggregating content for permissioned communities. Direct messages function very similarly to Telegram, allowing forwarding and quick dissemination of information.

• Vibe: A mix of builders, artists, traders, and general users. 
• Social culture: Strong focus on crypto builders experimenting with social applications.
• Humanity scale: ~90% real users (some bot spam, but well-moderated by the algorithmic feed).
• Size: ~40k daily active users (DAU), ~800k total registrations. Farcaster dashboard on Dune. 
• Primary blockchain: Optimism (for registration) and Base (for most activity).
• Crypto features: Users can interact onchain via "Frames" (e.g., mint NFTs, stake tokens, swap assets).

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2. Lens (ZKsync, formerly Polygon)

Website: lens.xyz

Lens is a fully onchain social network where all profile activity—likes, follows, comments, and posts—is recorded on a blockchain. This enables users to maintain full ownership of their digital identities and social connections, aiding censorship-resistance and interoperability for apps built on the protocol. Lens originally launched on Polygon but has since migrated to ZKsync.

• Vibe: Primarily artists and crypto enthusiasts, but many automated/bot accounts.
• Social culture: No strong community identity beyond general "crypto" culture.
• Humanity scale: Much higher prevalence of bot activity, anecdotally as high as ~80% (due to financial incentives for farming engagement).
• Size: ~20k DAU, ~600k total registrations. Lens dashboard on Dune.
• Primary blockchain: ZKsync.
• Crypto features:
  
  • Fully onchain social interactions.
  • "Collect" feature allows users to tokenize and sell posts.
  • Customizable settings for monetization and gating access to posts and content.

3. DeBank (Multichain, DBKChain L2)

Website: debank.com

DeBank started as a crypto portfolio tracker but now integrates social features that mix financial transparency with social interaction. Users’ DeFi activity is automatically displayed on their profiles, with social status earned from successful DeFi activity, portfolio value, and total value held by their followers.

• Vibe: Primarily traders and DeFi users, with a focus on financial discussions.
• Social culture: Trading-focused, not much general conversation.
• Humanity scale: Many bot accounts due to financial incentives.
• Size: ~350k registrations. DeBank dashboard on Dune.
• Primary blockchain: DBKChain (a Layer 2 using OP Stack).
• Crypto features:
  
  • "Web3 ID" costs $96 to mint.
  • Users can review, vote on, and interact with financial protocols.
  • Feels like a mix of social media and DefiLlama-like statistics and analytics.

4. Bluesky (Decentralized via DNS, Not Blockchain-Based)

Website: bsky.app

Bluesky offers a decentralized alternative to Twitter without relying on blockchain. Instead, it uses Domain Name Service (DNS) for identity verification and the AT Protocol for decentralized account management. Despite not being blockchain-based, Bluesky has successfully attracted a strong user base, making it a noteworthy example of decentralized social media in action.

• Vibe: More general internet users, including former Twitter users.
• Social culture: Feels like "Twitter in 2014" with many well-known internet personalities already active. Politically-left in opposition to Twitter social vibes. Most users are hostile to crypto.
• Humanity scale: Few bots since there's no financial incentive to farm engagement.
• Size: 30M+ registrations, see Bluesky stats.
• Primary blockchain: None (uses DNS and AT Protocol instead).
• Crypto features: None, but decentralized in a non-blockchain way.

SocialFi: Where social meets financial

Some decentralized social networks take things a step further by financializing social interactions. These platforms let users buy and sell "shares" in influencers or monetize their presence through token-based systems.

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Examples of SocialFi platforms:

• Friend.tech (Base): Users buy ownership tokens in other accounts, speculating on popularity and gaining access to private chats with influencers.
• DeSo/BitClout (DeSo Blockchain): Creator coins let users bet on the rise or fall of influencers.
• Colinks (Optimism): Lets users buy into accounts early and sell later, feed is integrated with Farcaster.

The emerging consumer ecosystem

Beyond major platforms, decentralized social media has given rise to unique applications and financial experiments:

• Memecoin launchpads:
  
  • Pump.fun (Solana): Allows easy memecoin launches, swaps, and in-app feed of tokens. Creators earn 1 SOL on successful token funding.
  • Clanker (Base + Farcaster integration): A social media-integrated memecoin launch tool. Creators continually earn 0.4% or more of token volume through Uniswap pools.
  • Flaunch (Base): A platform similar to pump.fun, offering ‘fair launch’ token creation where creators can set token allocations, enable automated buybacks, and earn trading fees. 

• Copy-trading tools:
  
  • Interface: A readable feed with ethical copy-trading across EVM networks, powered by 0x APIs.
  • BonkBot: Telegram-based copy-trading app, exclusively on Solana.

Get started on decentralized social media 

Decentralized social media is still in its early stages, but it’s already offering greater ownership, financial opportunities, and unique social interactions. Whether you’re a builder, artist, trader, or just someone exploring alternatives to Big Tech social platforms, there’s a decentralized network that might fit your needs.

Want to dive in? Check out Farcaster, Lens, DeBank, or Bluesky to start exploring the future of social media. And if you want to copy a trade or explore a new token, you’ll find everything you need on matcha.xyz.