A Groundbreaking Year for Hydro
2024 has been a transformative year for Hydro, marked by innovation, growth, and milestones that have solidified our position as a leader in the Web3 space. From securing prestigious grants to onboarding millions of users, Hydro has demonstrated its ability to drive meaningful change in the decentralized ecosystem. Here’s an overview of the year’s most impactful achievements and a closer look at the specifics behind our success.
Hydro was honored with a SUI Foundation Grant, becoming one of only nine projects to receive this recognition. This accolade underscores our commitment to advancing blockchain technology and fostering innovation. In parallel, Hydro also received an AWS Grant, a testament to our scalable infrastructure and dedication to delivering cutting-edge solutions.
Our user base has seen extraordinary growth. By the end of 2024, Hydro onboarded 29.2 million unique users, supported by 11,000 publishers who are leveraging our platform to redefine content monetization. The successful launch of Hydro Online (v1.0), powered by a groundbreaking proof-of-time algorithm, marked a significant milestone, offering a new paradigm for reward distribution.
Media recognition has also been a key highlight this year. Hydro was featured in a Cointelegraph interview and received an organic mention in Coincodesk, further cementing our credibility in the blockchain community. Additional coverage in Visionary Finance and Blockleaders, amplified our reach and resonated with diverse audiences.
On the marketing front, Hydro’s presence grew exponentially. We expanded our audience with targeted campaigns, strategic sponsorships, and innovative engagement tactics. Notably, we were Gold Sponsors for Crypto Fight Nights (CFN) in Dubai and London, events that brought Hydro into the spotlight, garnering significant media exposure and community engagement.
Let’s break it all down and see how this incredible year unfolded:
Tech/Product Highlights
This year has been packed with strategic partnerships, tech advancements, and product launches that have set the foundation for Hydro’s continued growth.
- Strategic Partnerships: We’ve established key partnerships with developers like Antier, infrastructure providers TTN and AWS, UI/UX design experts Noir, and smart contract auditors Zokyo and Blaize.Security.
- Additionally, we've integrated MoonPay and PayPal for seamless payment gateways and adopted Freshdesk for an optimized helpdesk solution.
- AWS Recognition: In mid-2024, Hydro was honored with an AWS Grant, a recognition that highlights our commitment to innovation and scalability.
- Public Release of Hydro Online: We officially launched Hydro Online, powered by our unique proof-of-time (v1.0) algorithm, enabling reward distribution like never before.
- Blockchain Transition: In response to the scheduled halving of Gather blockchain, we made the strategic decision to pause Gather and transition publisher rewards to USDT. This transition was a crucial step, ensuring smooth operations and scalability, and it aligns perfectly with Hydro’s long-term vision.
- Migration Portal (v1.0): We released the Migration Portal (v1.0), enabling Gather users to map their SUI wallets with their GTH holdings, making the transition seamless and efficient.
- Smart Contract Development: This year, we built a total of 18 smart contracts, including essential contracts for public staking, migration LP, holding, master nodes, token vestings, block rewards split, Geyser (SUI staking), and more. Our commitment to secure and efficient contract development was proven when we achieved a 100% secure rating in our audits for the first set of smart contracts—a massive milestone, especially given the learning curve with the SUI network.
- Public Staking & Geyser Platform Development: We’ve completed the development for Public Staking, which will allow users to stake Hydro tokens and earn rewards. This feature will go live post-TGE in Q1 2025. Additionally, the Geyser platform, a user engagement platform for organizations, is also ready for launch in Q1 2025.
- Migration Portal (v2.0): The Migration Portal (v2.0) was developed to support the actual migration of holdings, staking, LP, and masternodes according to their specific vesting schedules. This platform is also set to go live post-TGE in Q1 2025.
- Tech Infra Optimization: After experiencing scaling challenges in Q3 with a sharp increase in traffic, we immediately took short-term measures to prevent future issues. In addition, several long-term solutions, including database partitioning, were successfully implemented. Upgrades to queuing services and bot protection are ongoing and will be completed in Q1 2025.
Marketing
This year, Hydro’s marketing efforts revolved around targeted strategies that significantly expanded our ecosystem. A standout achievement was the growth of our publisher base, which surged from around 1,000 to nearly 10,000 by the end of 2024. This incredible expansion was driven by our first-ever media buying campaigns, spanning four platforms, designed to enhance customer acquisition and ecosystem growth.
As the publisher acquisition campaigns gained traction, organic media discussions began to emerge. Platforms like Reddit and 4chan saw topics and conversations about Hydro spring up organically, with no direct campaigns from our side—a testament to the growing community interest and engagement around Hydro.
Hydro’s media presence also hit new highs. We secured organic articles in
Coin Telegraph - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1XJp-UXZXY&ab_channel=CointelegraphAR
all spotlighting Hydro’s disruptive potential in the Web3 space.
Podcasts, such as our appearance on Synopsis
and strategic AMAs like the one with our partner at Birb Nest
further amplified our visibility and allowed us to connect directly with crypto enthusiasts.
One of the most memorable moments of the year was Hydro’s involvement in Crypto Fight Nights (CFN).
In April, Hydro made waves at CFN Dubai as a Gold Sponsor, where our CEO, Reggie, entered the ring himself, creating a major buzz around the brand. By June, Hydro’s presence as a Gold Sponsor at CFN London solidified our standing, with the event showcasing some of the biggest names in crypto and Web3.
We also introduced Zealy campaigns to engage our loyal community members through tasks and prizes, while partnerships with Birb Nest and Drife demonstrated Hydro’s commitment to collaborating with meaningful, utility-driven projects. Finally, localized campaigns in Southeast Asia and Latin America brought Hydro closer to emerging markets through translated content, regional publisher collaborations, and targeted outreach.
Hydro’s analytics reflect a year of impressive growth and engagement:
- Sessions: 1.1 billion sessions logged in 2024.
- User Retention: Over 40% retention rate across 236 regions.
- Proof-of-Time: 72 billion seconds of engagement recorded.
- Publishers and Websites: 11,000 publishers onboarded and 6,366 websites registered.
- Wallets Added: Over 10,073 wallets integrated.
This year, Hydro’s leadership and team actively participated in several high-profile events and initiatives. Reggie was invited to speak on Dubai Radio TV,
showcasing Hydro’s vision and innovations. We also secured a Sponsorship with Strong Gym, amplifying brand visibility. On platforms like Binance Square, Hydro received notable mentions, further boosting credibility. At the IBW Innovation Summit 2024, Hydro was featured on panels discussing blockchain advancements. Additionally, the team attended SUI Connect in Dubai and multiple live events during the Web3 Summit in Dubai in April, ensuring Hydro stayed at the forefront of industry conversations and trends.
Social Media Growth
Hydro’s social media presence has seen phenomenal growth throughout 2024, reflecting the community's increasing engagement and interest:
On TikTok, our audience expanded organically by an astonishing 21,800%, growing from just 2 to 438 followers. LinkedIn has been another stronghold, with 10,496 new followers added over the last 365 days—a growth rate of approximately 115.33%. Meanwhile, on Instagram, our community now stands at nearly 16,000 followers, and our Telegram group boasts an organically grown membership of over 25,000. On Twitter, we’ve reached a significant milestone with 182,000 followers, solidifying our presence across multiple platforms and ensuring Hydro continues to engage with diverse audiences globally.
What’s Next
Hydro Plus is set to launch its initial version in January 2025, marking an exciting new chapter for the platform. This development brings advanced features designed to enhance user engagement and provide greater rewards. Alongside this, the next version of the Migration Portal will roll out, offering seamless staking and masternode functionalities.
Classic Staking and Masternodes will provide users with increased flexibility and opportunities for deeper participation in the Hydro ecosystem. To foster community integration, the new Community Plus initiative will focus on driving engagement and strengthening connections within the ecosystem.
Future plans also include the implementation of AI-driven tools that will deliver advanced content insights and recommendations, further empowering users and publishers. Additionally, enhancements in network interoperability will ensure Hydro remains seamlessly integrated with the broader Web3 ecosystem, supporting a more connected and innovative future.
Looking ahead, Hydro’s marketing strategy will focus on producing more specialized content, including in-depth research articles and platform-specific posts tailored to each audience. We will continue expanding our localized campaigns, reaching untapped regions with translated materials and region-specific strategies.
Future plans include interviews and AMAs to maintain direct engagement with the community, along with developing campaigns that showcase Hydro’s evolution and impact. By combining targeted outreach with innovative content creation, Hydro aims to solidify its presence as a leader in the Web3 marketing space.
Conclusion
As Hydro looks ahead, the launch of Hydro Plus introduces a transformative three-tiered monetization system, creating new opportunities for publishers. With almost 7 million monthly active users, Hydro has built a robust foundation, positioning itself to leverage its vast user base for broader services, including potential expansions like website hosting. While the near future is focused on advancing our platform and user experience, these developments are paving the way for even bigger innovations, ensuring Hydro remains at the forefront of Web3 evolution.
Connect with Us
Stay connected with Hydro for the latest news and updates:
- Follow us on Twitter @hydro_online_
- Join our Telegram community here
- Check out our content on Instagram @hydro.online.official
- Explore our videos on TikTok @hydro.online
- Connect with us on LinkedIn
