Bitcoin 2023 Exclusive: TradeZing Exits Beta, Sports 10K Registered Users

TradeZing CEO Jordan Edelson spoke with Benzinga at Bitcoin 2023, a major cryptocurrency event at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Edelson, who was in the pre-launch phase last year, has since rolled out a mobile app as a closed beta in September. After receiving feedback, TradeZing made some improvements and officially launched in February.

The New York-based startup also launched a web platform. Read on for our conversation, which has been edited for clarity.

BZ: How was the response to the beta launch?

Edleson: Ninety creators participated and provided valuable feedback. It helped us realize we were missing essential features. We took the time to address these issues, later launching a product that better aligned with their needs. It was a crucial period for us, as it challenged our assumptions and allowed us to listen to the actual feedback from our users.

What are some of the features they wanted?

Initially, we believed creators were primarily interested in live-streaming. However, we discovered the majority wanted the ability to create short-form content. To meet their needs, we developed a feature that enables creators to produce and edit content up to three minutes in length directly within our application. This aligns with the preferences of their mobile-focused audience.

How many users do you have on the mobile?

Currently, we have a registered user base of 10,000 without any marketing or advertising efforts. We deliberately held back marketing until our web platform caught up. We are preparing to ramp up traditional advertising and strategic partnerships to spread the word.

How do you get those partnerships and relationships?

We collaborate with creators who already have their own established communities. We address their needs and concerns, incentivizing them to join our platform or create content using our tools; we recognize that not everyone wants to switch to a new application, especially creators with large audiences and significant income streams. To accommodate, we developed the website as a utility-focused social trading aggregator, pulling feeds from various platforms like Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube. With AI, we generate social trading signal scores and display them on our site. Additionally, we allow users to convert news stories into events. We understand that there is already a wealth of fragmented content online, and it's challenging to convince users to migrate overnight. Instead, we enable them to publish their content on our platform to increase awareness while maintaining their presence on other platforms. The key is to ensure users enter our funnel through our platform, regardless of where their content is hosted.

What are you most optimistic about?

This year holds significant growth potential for us. We anticipate a surge in activity and user-generated content on our platform, fostering viral moments. As part of our expansion, we secured the rights to syndicate and stream Bitcoin 2023. This allowed users to engage in discussions, form communities, and even participate in live audio rooms for breakout conversations. Our aim is to become a centralized content hub for finance-related discussions, ultimately promoting greater financial literacy, a key objective in the future.

How do you protect your market share in this competitive environment?

To establish a competitive advantage, we are actively pursuing partnerships and cultivating relationships with creators. Additionally, we have recognized the significant potential of AI and have heavily invested in its integration within our platform, offering our users an enhanced experience by providing them with reliable data and information to make informed financial decisions.

What are the conversations like as you broadcasting the Bitcoin 2023 conference?

One of the remarkable aspects of events like Bitcoin is the tight-knit community it fosters. Our aim is to amplify the messages conveyed and extend their impact beyond the physical gathering. We have observed a growing number of individuals joining our platform and initiating breakouts, effectively creating a space for continued discussions and interactions even after the event concludes. By facilitating these conversations and enabling community engagement, we contribute to more impactful messaging within the Bitcoin community. Ultimately, this collective effort serves to enhance the popularity and recognition of cryptocurrency.

How do you approach monetization?

We plan to introduce advertising on the platform. We are also considering a premium subscription model that offers additional utility-based features for users who prefer a more enhanced experience. For creators on our platform, their incentives are tied to the content they produce. By generating a substantial amount of content, creators have the opportunity to reach affiliate or partnership levels. This enables them to earn a share of the revenue from subscriptions associated with their content. This revenue-sharing model is a key component of our monetization strategy. Additionally, we generate revenue through ticket sales and sponsorships for webinars and events hosted on our platform.

Are trading functionalities that are embedded also something you are interested in?

We're looking to roll out the ability to actually trade on the platform. We're not going to be in the position of being an exchange or brokerage, but we're allowing you to connect to other providers because, again, you watch this content, and we want you to then take action against it. It would be best to trade on our platform. Personally, I find the ability to trade on our platform to be most exciting. It completes the circuit for users.

Any last remarks?

I encourage people to visit the site and explore its features. While registration is not mandatory, those who choose to register can enjoy additional perks and access certain functionalities on the platform.