DigiTalk Podcast EP37 Recap -Markets in Turmoil, Where Are the Opportunities?

In DigiTalk Episode 37, “Markets in Turmoil: Where Are the Opportunities?” the crypto market is facing turbulence, but within volatility lie new opportunities. This session brings together leading builders and investors to explore how to navigate uncertainty, identify lasting value, and recognize the early signals of the next market cycle.

Introduction

SUEDE AI

SUEDE AI builds vertically-integrated AI experiences that live where people already are. We recently rolled out our end-to-end X Agent — type a simple semantic prompt on X, and our agent instantly generates a custom song and a shareable page. It’s the first of its kind: fast, social, and cost-free.

We’re scaling through new partnerships and expanding our reward programs. With ICE Open Network now onboard and another top-tier partnership to be announced, users can already win prizes like $2,000, an orange iPhone Pro Max, or Solana Seekers. Even in downturns, our philosophy stays the same: keep shipping, keep delighting users, and let consistent innovation speak louder than hype.

CredDeFAI Protocol

CredDeFAI merges AI and DeFi to create a smarter, fairer credit ecosystem. We’re building an AI-driven credit protocol with intelligent financial agents, an NFT-based credit system that evolves with users’ on-chain activity, and gasless swaps to lower friction. Our mission is to make decentralized finance intelligent, inclusive, and efficient for everyone.

In volatile markets, we focus on lasting value — risk-aware lending, adaptive credit scoring, and transparent automation. CredDeFAI’s architecture uses real-time AI insights to improve capital efficiency, so liquidity flows toward genuine creditworthiness rather than speculation. Our vision: intelligent credit as the foundation of a fairer on-chain economy.

PVPfun

PVPfun is where AI infrastructure meets Web3 gaming. Our mission is to transform creative ideas into tradable, valuable assets — fast. The platform gives users a full journey from idea to realized value through task mining, social engagement, and token-gated utilities that tie directly to gameplay.

We operate transparently and pragmatically. Over 80% of our treasury is held in ETH and USDC, verified on-chain, with monthly progress reports on token burns and roadmap delivery. Users earn real stablecoin dividends and NFTs through in-chat activities. In a bear market, hype fades — but execution, transparency, and genuine utility remain our edge.

ManusPay

ManusPay is building the financial engine for interactive worlds. Every action, quest, or storyline in a game can instantly trigger real on-chain rewards. We see gaming not as play-to-earn, but as play-to-own-your-story, where achievements carry real economic weight. Whether completing a quest or unlocking new lore, ManusPay ensures each narrative moment has tangible value.

Our approach to liquidity is deliberate — bootstrap just enough to enable real use, never overspend on yield incentives. For developers, we provide rails to monetize engagement; for players, we create meaningful participation economies. The future of gaming is participatory, and we’re building the payment core that makes it work.

Q1: Volatility often blurs the line between speculation and genuine value creation. What frameworks or signals do you rely on to separate noise from projects with the potential to build lasting impact?

ManusPay

In this space, there is always noise—it’s part of the game. The way I try to separate hype from real value is by asking myself a simple question: if the market disappeared tomorrow, would anyone still care about this project? If the answer is yes, then you’ve probably found something real. I usually look for three things: are people using it without being bribed by tokens, does it solve a real pain point outside of crypto, and does it still hold up when the market isn’t euphoric.

Projects that can pass those tests are the ones I pay attention to. You can see who’s building for the long run by how they behave when the incentives dry up. When people still use the product for what it is and not for what it pays, that’s where I see genuine impact forming.

SUEDE AI

I agree with that sentiment completely. Right now, during times of weakness, you can really see which teams are building and shipping. There are tools that track product releases and development progress, and I look closely at those to see who’s still active. It’s easy to push things to market when prices are going up, but the teams that show up and deliver when the market is quiet—that says everything.

These periods act like stress tests. You see the difference between projects driven by speculation and those with real product-market fit. I tend to focus on that consistency in output and engagement as a sign of durability.

PVPfun

We use a simple but thorough filter with three main pillars: cash flow, ecosystem lock-in, and team execution. In bear markets, noise can be deafening, but fundamentals always win. We check first if a project generates genuine income—if it only relies on token issuance and has no real revenue, it won’t survive a downturn. For us, transaction fees and user activity drive actual earnings, and that’s sustainable.

Then we look at whether the token has true utility. If users can’t interact with the core product without the token, demand stays strong. Finally, the team must deliver. We only trust teams who publish progress reports and hit their milestones. Transparency and execution speak louder than hype tweets, and those are the projects we stand behind.

Q2: Narratives such as AI, RWA, DePin, and SocialFi have all gained attention, but downturns tend to reveal which ideas are truly durable. Which of these narratives do you believe can withstand prolonged stress, and what fundamentals support your view?

PVPfun

We’re betting on RWA and DePin because they’re tied to real-world needs and can generate reliable revenue. RWA is backed by trillions in assets, and tokenizing bonds or real estate isn’t just hype—it’s a structural shift. With firms like BlackRock projecting a $16 trillion tokenization market by 2030, the demand is real. These assets offer stable income, which keeps traction even when crypto sentiment is low.

DePin, too, has tangible value. Decentralized infrastructure starts creating utility the moment it’s deployed. People earn by contributing resources, and projects earn from usage fees, which means real cash flow. Compared to AI or SocialFi, which still rely heavily on sentiment and capital burn, RWA and DePin are grounded in actual productivity and income.

ManusPay

I see RWAs and DePin as the most durable narratives because they connect directly to something outside our speculative bubble. RWAs—things like bonds, treasuries, and invoices—will always have demand regardless of cycles. And DePin lowers the real cost of compute, storage, and connectivity, solving problems that don’t disappear in a bear market.

AI and SocialFi are exciting, but they’re more sentiment-driven. When rewards dry up, user attention fades. RWAs and DePin, on the other hand, have what I’d call utility gravity—they stay relevant because they’re anchored in real economic needs, not trends.

Q3: For builders, market downturns can be a test of resilience and credibility. Beyond simply surviving, how can projects actively prove to their communities and investors that they are positioned for long-term relevance?

SUEDE AI

It’s easier said than done, but the key is focusing on what you can control—building great products and creating sustainable revenue streams. Don’t obsess over token price; make that a secondary effect of execution. You’ll always have people questioning why something isn’t pumping, but if you stay consistent with delivery and innovation, value compounds over time.

In my view, the token price should reflect the work done during these downturns, not the other way around. Keep showing up, keep building, and over months that persistence becomes your credibility. The teams that treat downturns as building seasons are the ones that last.

PVPfun

Surviving isn’t enough—you need to show measurable progress and immediate value. We publish monthly reports with detailed updates: new features, token burns, treasury spending, everything. Over 80% of our reserves are in ETH and USDC, fully verifiable on-chain, so investors see that funds are handled responsibly.

At the same time, we give users ways to benefit now, not someday. Our task-mining system lets them earn stablecoin dividends and NFTs through engagement. We also onboard traditional creators and help them transition communities on-chain. That tangible ecosystem growth builds real trust—proof, not promises.

Q4: Different investor profiles including retail traders, institutions, and long-term allocators often approach turbulence in very different ways. What shifts in behavior or strategy are you observing across these groups, and what does that reveal about broader market sentiment?

PVPfun

We’ve noticed a clear division forming. Retail traders are moving away from speculative chasing and toward stability. Many are using platforms like ours to earn modest, predictable stablecoin yields instead of gambling on new tokens. After repeated liquidations, they value safety first.

Institutional funds, meanwhile, are selectively accumulating tokens from projects with healthy treasuries and real cash flow. They’re prioritizing compliance and exposure to RWA-related assets, anticipating regulation will open the next growth wave. Overall, retail is cautious, institutions are strategic, and long-term allocators are quietly building positions in assets with fundamentals. The market is maturing—less noise, more substance.

Q5: Markets often turn before most participants realize it. What leading indicators such as on-chain data, macro signals, or behavioral trends do you watch most closely to identify the potential beginning of a new cycle?

ManusPay

The market usually turns when people least expect it. I watch stablecoin inflows closely—if capital is moving in rather than out, it’s a sign of confidence returning. Developer activity is another one; when teams are still building despite pain, it shows conviction.

But my favorite signal is behavioral: when no one wants to talk about crypto anymore, when the excitement is gone, that’s when we’re usually near the bottom. Boredom and silence are great indicators that the next phase might be close. It’s counterintuitive, but in this industry, apathy often marks opportunity.

SUEDE AI

I completely agree about sentiment being the best mirror. When everyone’s euphoric, that’s usually the top; when everyone’s quiet, it’s the bottom. Personally, I’m not a trader—I’ve been in crypto for years, but timing signals has never been my strength.

What’s worked for me is dollar-cost averaging into projects I believe in. Fundamentals matter more than microtiming. If you keep accumulating strong assets during low attention periods, history shows it pays off. I focus on long-term resilience rather than short-term signals.

Q6: Liquidity risk can become the silent killer in turbulent markets. How should projects balance the need for liquidity with sustainable growth, and how can investors position themselves to stay flexible without taking on excessive risk?

PVPfun

Both projects and investors need a defensive approach that prioritizes survival and capital preservation. We manage our treasury in three parts: USDC for operations, ETH for liquidity reserves, and our native assets for growth. This structure prevents us from dumping our token for expenses and ensures we can always meet user withdrawals.

For investors, diversification is key. Keeping 60% in BTC and ETH, 30% in fundamentally strong tokens, and 10% in stables allows flexibility. Forced liquidations hurt more than price drops, so the goal is to stay solvent and ready for the rebound. Liquidity is what lets you capture the next opportunity when others can’t.

ManusPay

Liquidity is tricky—too little and you die, too much too early and you bleed incentives. Projects need to bootstrap just enough liquidity to enable real use, not to chase numbers. Incentives should support growth, not drain reserves.

For investors, flexibility means diversification and keeping dry powder. You don’t want to be locked into illiquid positions when the market flips. The balance is staying liquid enough to pivot but conviction-driven enough to ride the next cycle. That’s the balance I try to maintain.

Conclusion

This DigiTalk highlighted one clear message — real value endures beyond hype. Projects like Suede AI, CredDeFAI, PVPfun, and ManusPay all stressed fundamentals over speculation: transparency, real utility, and steady execution. While RWA and DePin stood out as the most resilient narratives, all agreed that downturns are not setbacks but tests of conviction. In the end, consistency, community trust, and genuine usefulness remain the strongest signals of long-term success.