Loyalty-Based Gatekeeping
retention-prioritized access structure
Loyalty-Based Gatekeeping is a permissioning model where access to tools, rewards, or governance is granted based on holding duration, staking commitment, or long-term interaction with a protocol. Instead of focusing solely on token balance, this model prioritizes *how long* or *how consistently* someone has participated. It reinforces alignment between users and protocols by rewarding loyalty with deeper access, special privileges, or higher influence tiers.
Use Case: A protocol allows early tool access only to wallets that have continuously held its native token for 180+ days. Wallets that bought recently or have unstaked frequently are excluded, creating a gated system that favors aligned, long-term participants.
Key Concepts:
- Integrated Loyalty — Access systems that reward long-term commitment.
- Time-Weighted Rewards — Yield or access increases based on duration held.
- Access Control — Utility is restricted to users meeting loyalty thresholds.
- Stake-Based Entry — Participation requires locked capital over time.
Summary: Loyalty-Based Gatekeeping flips access from wealth-based to commitment-based. By rewarding those who stick around, it strengthens ecosystem stability, filters out mercenary actors, and builds a culture of sustained value alignment between users and protocols.