Earn an Extra ¥50,000 Monthly with Tokens? This is the Real Deal After TikTok! A Comprehensive Analysis of Own. App and 10 Steps to Make Money

1. Background: Why "Tokenized SNS" Now?

On June 17, 2025, U.S. TechCrunch reported on the emergence of a new social media platform that could fundamentally change the creator economy in an article titled **"Own, a new social media app, aims to tokenize the creator economy."** The beta release, coinciding with the imminent deadline for the sale of TikTok's U.S. operations, is significantly shaking up the power dynamics surrounding the "post-TikTok" era.techcrunch.com

With the introduction of Web3 technology, the concept of "posts as assets on the blockchain" is beginning to gain widespread acceptance, and numerous reward models utilizing NFTs and social tokens have been experimented with. However, due to reasons such as **"high gas fees," "complex conversion processes," and "UI/UX being inferior to Web2," there have been few successful examples of large-scale user acquisition. Own aims to overcome these challenges by achieving fast, low-cost transactions on the Base Layer 2** and maintaining Web2-like usability.techcrunch.com

2. Own. App Mechanism

The table is based on figures from TechCrunch and the official sitetechcrunch.comiown.app

2-1. $OWN Token

• Acquisition Method: Automatically granted based on engagement metrics like likes, comments, and watch time

• Usage: ① Sell on external DEX ② Purchase products in Own Shop ③ Tipping between creators

• Source of Supply: A "Buy-&-Distribute" model where part of the platform's revenue is used to buy back and distribute in the markettechcrunch.com

2-2. Ranking & Algorithm

Similar to TikTok's For You with infinite scroll, butuniquely ranked by Reddit-style Up/Down voting. Casual UGC is also evaluated, making it easy to go viral even at the start.techcrunch.com

2-3. Own Shop

E-commerce functionality is scheduled for beta release in Q4 2025. It allows the sale of digital and physical products through Shopify integration, with payment currencies in fiat + $OWN. The 5% fee is less than half of competitors.techcrunch.com

3. Development Team and Fundraising

CEO Amir Kaltak and COO Katia Zaitsev are co-founders of the Web3 company Lexit. Additionally, Sarah Mick, who served as a product manager at Tinder/Bumble, has joined as CCO, bringing a "dating app-like stickiness" to UI/UX. Over $5 million has been raised from seed to Series A.techcrunch.com

4. Initial Reactions from Japanese Users (SNS & Store Reviews)

• "Rewards are higher than in yen. Secured my username immediately." (LinkedIn post)linkedin.com

• "The access code is 6 digits, but the input field only allows 4 digits." (Google Play review)play.google.com

• "Even in beta, interactions are lively and more interesting than Neptune." (Google Play ★5)play.google.com

• "Signed up for the iOwn.app waitlist! Finally, I can earn with my own content." (X/Twitter)

Many of the favorable comments express anticipation for the potential to earn and the low risk of censorship, while there are also comments highlighting concerns about app stability and the complexity of the invitation system.

5. Own Strategy Guide Starting from Japan

1. Register on the waitlist via the official site or invitation link

   • Enter referral code for a 3 $OWN bonus.iown.app

2. Download beta on iOS/Android → Real name verification

3. Post initial 10 posts within 48 hours

   • Algorithm favors new creators in "Rapid Ramp" mode.

4. Videos must be 15-45 seconds, vertical 9:16 format

5. Live stream aligned with "Creator Rank Day" every Wednesday

6. Apply for Own Shop (5 business days for review)

7. Transfer $OWN tokens to Rabby Wallet and exchange for USDT on Bybit

8. Taxation: Considered miscellaneous income from virtual currency. Tax return required if over 200,000 yen annually.

6. Risks and Considerations

• Token Price Fluctuation: Buy-&-Distribute is a demand-supply stabilization measure, but market volatility remains.

• Regulation: If not listed on domestic exchanges, direct conversion to fiat currency is not possible.

• Security: While identity verification is mandatory, the management system for KYC information is currently unclear. This issue is also mentioned in a Medium article.medium.com

7. Competitive Comparison and Future Outlook

While Patreon has increased fees for new creators, Own aims to rapidly expand its share by leveraging itshigh creator return rate. The turning point for success will be whether it can surpass 1 million monthly active users by the time the token economy is fully operational in Q3 2025.techcrunch.com