At SiGMA AIBC Euro-Med in MMH, Malta, Day 2 featured a sharp exchange on stage this morning titled “Why You Do or Do Not Need a Token?” Moderator Mark Grech, Founder and CEO at Pyaza, guided a panel of builders and marketers who have shipped blockchain products in gaming and beyond. Speakers included Fabio Zammit, Founder and CEO at Root Codex, Matthew Felice Pace, CEO at Simply Staking, Sabine Roiss, Founder at Crypto-Play, and Mike Danshin, CMO for 1win Crypto. Their focus was practical: when a gaming token creates value, why so many token projects fail, and what teams have learned from hard resets.
The discussion set expectations clearly. Token launches are no longer driven by heat alone; they rise or fall on product utility, token design, liquidity planning, and realistic marketing spend. As one panellist put it, “build the product and community first, then let a token serve them.”
“Ask why you need a token, what users gain, and how you will reach them at sustainable cost.”
iGaming token economy
The panel drew a line between a token that powers real use and a token that only tracks speculation. A token can streamline loyalty, VIP tiers, and payments inside a gaming product; it can also widen access for users who prefer crypto settlement. Yet, as Matthew Felice Pace cautioned, the moment a project issues a token, success risks being judged by its price rather than by what the product actually does. “Your roadmap should not be hostage to a chart,” he noted.
Sabine Roiss stressed order and fit. “Utility must come first; incentives should reward genuine participation,” she said, pointing to models where holders gain clear benefits such as fee reductions, exclusive events, or curated rewards rather than vague promises.
From the marketing side, Mike Danshin underlined the cost and compliance realities across jurisdictions. “Ask why you need a token, what users gain, and how you will reach them at sustainable cost,” he said, noting that advertising constraints and influencer scrutiny make unfunded hype a liability.
Lessons from failure
Why do gaming tokens stumble? The panel highlighted recurring errors and fixes teams can apply at once:
- Weak token economics that inflate supply and drown demand; design issuance, sinks, and rights with care.
- No straightforward utility beyond fundraising; tokens should unlock concrete product advantages.
- Underestimating liquidity and market making; plan depth before listing.
- Fragmented compliance and costly listings; budget for audits, listings, and community operations.
- Treating a token as brand theatre rather than a working tool.
Fabio Zammit pointed to execution basics that are often skipped. “Time to market and the marketing budget are the main issues,” he noted, adding that teams routinely price listings and community management too late in the plan.
The panel agreed that some of the most credible paths now sit with stable payment rails and real world assets. Where tokens persist, they should resemble productive equity like revenue sharing or clearly defined access rights rather than an open-ended promise. In the words of the moderator, the question is not whether a token can be minted, but whether it earns its place in the product.
This AIBC stage session distilled a simple standard. If a token clarifies value for players and operators, supports loyalty and payments, and is governed by sound economics, it belongs. If not, a solid product with established settlement options may serve users better. The panel’s message was measured, practical, and timely for teams building in gaming and Crypto.
SiGMA now turns its attention to the next gathering. Join SiGMA Central Europe 2025 in Rome from 3 to 6 November 2025 to continue the conversation on blockchain, Crypto, and real world utility across gaming.
