Kagi – Behind the Brand
A conversation with Kagi’s founder Zac, on simplifying Web3 gaming, innovating the wallet experience and bridging the gap between traditional and blockchain gaming.
Kagi – Behind the Brand
Our founder interview series offers an opportunity to gain insights directly from the innovators shaping the future of crypto and Web3. By speaking with founders firsthand, we hope to uncover valuable perspectives on the challenges, opportunities, and trends driving the industry forward.
Each conversation takes us behind the scenes of different brands Noir has helped to shape, exploring their distinctive approaches, strategies, and vision. We hope these conversations will not only inform and inspire but also provide practical lessons and deeper understanding for anyone working in crypto and Web3.
Q: “Hi Zac, let's start with an introduction about yourself and your journey into the Web3 gaming space. What inspired you to create Kagi and focus on improving the Web3 gaming experience?”
My journey started in 2016/17 when first being introduced to Axie Infinity and building a gaming guild. Through this, I began to experience the challenges of managing our gaming assets across various chains as well as the challenge of players moving from one game to another on different chains. Gamers who aren’t crypto native don’t want to learn how each chain functions nor manage different wallets for different games and NFTs. While users who have come into web3, typically onboard via a single chain, and never diverge from that chain, restricting their ability to experience great games elsewhere. I wanted to build a platform that could significantly reduce these sorts of roadblocks, while widening their view of the great content in web3.
Q: “Onboarding is a significant hurdle in Web3 gaming. Can you explain how Kagi's wallet simplifies user onboarding and wallet management, and how it addresses the common challenges that have slowed down adoption in the Web3 gaming ecosystem?”
A: It starts with the signup process. While we have the crypto native methods, we’ve incorporated and pushed more traditional methods to signup like email and integrated SSO for social logins including Gmail, X, discord and plan on doing Steam, PSN and Epic Game Store logins in the near future.
With Kagi being a cross-chain wallet, we’ve removed the need for users to switch networks. Essentially allowing a player to play a game on Ethereum, and instantly go into a game on Solana without them needing to generate a new wallet, removing the need to manage multiple wallets.
We believe the key to mass adoption is making the experience as simple as possible while mimicking the traditional methods that gamers are used to on PS, Xbox or Steam. We’ve tried to replicate this as much as possible while giving them the experience of Web3 gaming in the form of earning and trading NFTs they’ve earned.
Q: “Kagi offers unified asset management across multiple EVM chains. How does this cross-chain functionality work, and what technical innovations enable users to manage NFTs and tokens seamlessly without the need to switch networks?”
A: For cross-chain functionality, we’ve utilized layer-zero in areas that will allow our users to not deal with the semantics between inter-chain and intra-chain transactions. It allows us to provide our users freedom to move assets & liquidity across chains seamlessly. Instead of manually switching networks, Kagi’s backend system handles the necessary network changes seamlessly. This means users can view and manage assets (including tokens and NFTs) across different blockchains without needing to switch between them manually.
Q: “Kagi’s SocialFi wallet introduces novel features that differentiate it from competitors. Can you elaborate on the social trading and communication capabilities within the wallet, and how these features blend social interaction with gaming?”
A: The social aspect of gaming is arguably one of the biggest catalysts for player growth. Communication enhances the enjoyment of a game as well as how players interact with a game. Built in to the wallet is both a friends & chat feature along with trading. Meaning two players can be in a game together, and initialize a trade of NFTs or tokens and then barter in real time, all from your wallet. We’ve also included an embedded view for the wallet to ensure this experience of socializing and trading can occur whilst a user is still playing.
Q: “Gas fees are a common pain point in Web3. How does Kagi’s platform enable gasless transactions, and what impact does this have on both gamers and developers in terms of cost efficiency and overall user experience?”
A: We believe one of the major roadblocks for mass adoption are gas fees. By utilizing gas relayers and removing gas fees from the user, we can provide an overall better experience to the players. It’s not just about the user experience though, but also the financial ceiling that can be placed on players from lower socio-economic regions. If they’re playing to earn an income, gas fees can quickly chip away at these earnings.
Q: “With the upcoming launch of the $KAGI token, can you share more about its role within the Kagi ecosystem? How will $KAGI enhance the gaming experience, and what benefits will it offer to players, studios, and the broader Web3 gaming community?”
A: The $KAGI token will initially be used for governance and staking, and, as mentioned previously, a way to remove the gas fees. In the future, partnerships will incentivise users to be holding or using Kagi to purchase items such as loot boxes, as well as provide holders gated access to special items or events.
We’ll also be looking to incorporate the $KAGI token into future products as both a gateway token and way for users to enhance their experience and features within the Kagi ecosystem.
Q: “Kagi has a carefully selected group of investors and partners. Can you tell us more about who they are, why you chose to collaborate with them, and how their involvement supports Kagi’s mission and growth?”
A: We’re really proud about the investors we have and lucky to have their backing. The big names like Animoca and Com2us have really helped connect us with valuable gaming partners, but also provided us with solid stepping stones to integrate with some of the most exciting games on the market. It’s not just the big name investors though, partners like Invicta have been pinnacle in helping shape our vision and connecting us with others in the industry that share our vision.
Q: “What are your thoughts on the current state of the Web3 gaming industry and the crypto markets more generally, where do you see it heading over the next year?”
A: The traditional gaming market was built over decades so I believe web3 gaming is still very much in its infancy and has a huge amount of growth in front of it. The space is still very fragmented in terms of where games are accessed and I think the ‘golden’ in-game tokenomics is yet to be cracked. I believe web3 and traditional gaming will, at some point, get to a point where there isn’t a definition between them and it’s just known as gaming, which is being run by web3 infrastructure.
I’ve been in crypto since 2014, for a large part of that time, institutional money coming in would be viewed as ultra positive, as people believed it would increase the market cap overall. We are now at a point of institutionalization and I think people are feeling more uncertain as to how it shapes our market. Institutionalization and decentralization typically don’t mix well. Certain sectors, like gaming, will benefit, while others won’t.
Q: “The Noir team have spent a significant amount of time working with Kagi to perfect the wallets user experience. What are your favorite features of the UX, and how do you believe these innovations will change the Web3 gaming industry?”
A: Noir has been amazing to help bring our vision to fruition. It’s hard to nail it down to a single feature. The asset visualization and game library are definitely near the top of the list but the inbuilt trading and how it’s bundled into the chat takes the cake. It’s a feature that has multiple benefits - it provides social interaction for any game, at any time…which is a primary factor to gaming, but it also provides users with a way to trade NFTs and currencies peer-to-peer, without the need for a marketplace.
Q: “What is your long-term vision for Kagi, and how do you see the platform evolving over the next few years to shape the future of Web3 gaming? What impact do you hope Kagi will have on the broader gaming ecosystem?”
A: We really want the platform to transform into a fully-fledged ecosystem for players and developers. We really see the wallet SDK allowing us to branch into many different areas, including player insights for developers but also becoming a launchpad and potentially a DEX for players…I think it would be pretty cool for players to earn pre-sale access based on in-game activities that are completed using the Kagi wallet, for example.
Our goal is to contribute to a new standard of product within web3 gaming. As an infrastructure company, it’s more or less our duty to bridge the gap between traditional and web3 gaming, and funnel those users into games which in turn, benefits the whole ecosystem.
Thanks Zac!
Kagi.xyz
Our founder interview series offers an opportunity to gain insights directly from the innovators shaping the future of crypto and Web3. By speaking with founders firsthand, we hope to uncover valuable perspectives on the challenges, opportunities, and trends driving the industry forward.
Each conversation takes us behind the scenes of different brands Noir has helped to shape, exploring their distinctive approaches, strategies, and vision. We hope these conversations will not only inform and inspire but also provide practical lessons and deeper understanding for anyone working in crypto and Web3.
Q: “Hi Zac, let's start with an introduction about yourself and your journey into the Web3 gaming space. What inspired you to create Kagi and focus on improving the Web3 gaming experience?”
My journey started in 2016/17 when first being introduced to Axie Infinity and building a gaming guild. Through this, I began to experience the challenges of managing our gaming assets across various chains as well as the challenge of players moving from one game to another on different chains. Gamers who aren’t crypto native don’t want to learn how each chain functions nor manage different wallets for different games and NFTs. While users who have come into web3, typically onboard via a single chain, and never diverge from that chain, restricting their ability to experience great games elsewhere. I wanted to build a platform that could significantly reduce these sorts of roadblocks, while widening their view of the great content in web3.
Q: “Onboarding is a significant hurdle in Web3 gaming. Can you explain how Kagi's wallet simplifies user onboarding and wallet management, and how it addresses the common challenges that have slowed down adoption in the Web3 gaming ecosystem?”
A: It starts with the signup process. While we have the crypto native methods, we’ve incorporated and pushed more traditional methods to signup like email and integrated SSO for social logins including Gmail, X, discord and plan on doing Steam, PSN and Epic Game Store logins in the near future.
With Kagi being a cross-chain wallet, we’ve removed the need for users to switch networks. Essentially allowing a player to play a game on Ethereum, and instantly go into a game on Solana without them needing to generate a new wallet, removing the need to manage multiple wallets.
We believe the key to mass adoption is making the experience as simple as possible while mimicking the traditional methods that gamers are used to on PS, Xbox or Steam. We’ve tried to replicate this as much as possible while giving them the experience of Web3 gaming in the form of earning and trading NFTs they’ve earned.
Q: “Kagi offers unified asset management across multiple EVM chains. How does this cross-chain functionality work, and what technical innovations enable users to manage NFTs and tokens seamlessly without the need to switch networks?”
A: For cross-chain functionality, we’ve utilized layer-zero in areas that will allow our users to not deal with the semantics between inter-chain and intra-chain transactions. It allows us to provide our users freedom to move assets & liquidity across chains seamlessly. Instead of manually switching networks, Kagi’s backend system handles the necessary network changes seamlessly. This means users can view and manage assets (including tokens and NFTs) across different blockchains without needing to switch between them manually.
Q: “Kagi’s SocialFi wallet introduces novel features that differentiate it from competitors. Can you elaborate on the social trading and communication capabilities within the wallet, and how these features blend social interaction with gaming?”
A: The social aspect of gaming is arguably one of the biggest catalysts for player growth. Communication enhances the enjoyment of a game as well as how players interact with a game. Built in to the wallet is both a friends & chat feature along with trading. Meaning two players can be in a game together, and initialize a trade of NFTs or tokens and then barter in real time, all from your wallet. We’ve also included an embedded view for the wallet to ensure this experience of socializing and trading can occur whilst a user is still playing.
Q: “Gas fees are a common pain point in Web3. How does Kagi’s platform enable gasless transactions, and what impact does this have on both gamers and developers in terms of cost efficiency and overall user experience?”
A: We believe one of the major roadblocks for mass adoption are gas fees. By utilizing gas relayers and removing gas fees from the user, we can provide an overall better experience to the players. It’s not just about the user experience though, but also the financial ceiling that can be placed on players from lower socio-economic regions. If they’re playing to earn an income, gas fees can quickly chip away at these earnings.
Q: “With the upcoming launch of the $KAGI token, can you share more about its role within the Kagi ecosystem? How will $KAGI enhance the gaming experience, and what benefits will it offer to players, studios, and the broader Web3 gaming community?”
A: The $KAGI token will initially be used for governance and staking, and, as mentioned previously, a way to remove the gas fees. In the future, partnerships will incentivise users to be holding or using Kagi to purchase items such as loot boxes, as well as provide holders gated access to special items or events.
We’ll also be looking to incorporate the $KAGI token into future products as both a gateway token and way for users to enhance their experience and features within the Kagi ecosystem.
Q: “Kagi has a carefully selected group of investors and partners. Can you tell us more about who they are, why you chose to collaborate with them, and how their involvement supports Kagi’s mission and growth?”
A: We’re really proud about the investors we have and lucky to have their backing. The big names like Animoca and Com2us have really helped connect us with valuable gaming partners, but also provided us with solid stepping stones to integrate with some of the most exciting games on the market. It’s not just the big name investors though, partners like Invicta have been pinnacle in helping shape our vision and connecting us with others in the industry that share our vision.
Q: “What are your thoughts on the current state of the Web3 gaming industry and the crypto markets more generally, where do you see it heading over the next year?”
A: The traditional gaming market was built over decades so I believe web3 gaming is still very much in its infancy and has a huge amount of growth in front of it. The space is still very fragmented in terms of where games are accessed and I think the ‘golden’ in-game tokenomics is yet to be cracked. I believe web3 and traditional gaming will, at some point, get to a point where there isn’t a definition between them and it’s just known as gaming, which is being run by web3 infrastructure.
I’ve been in crypto since 2014, for a large part of that time, institutional money coming in would be viewed as ultra positive, as people believed it would increase the market cap overall. We are now at a point of institutionalization and I think people are feeling more uncertain as to how it shapes our market. Institutionalization and decentralization typically don’t mix well. Certain sectors, like gaming, will benefit, while others won’t.
Q: “The Noir team have spent a significant amount of time working with Kagi to perfect the wallets user experience. What are your favorite features of the UX, and how do you believe these innovations will change the Web3 gaming industry?”
A: Noir has been amazing to help bring our vision to fruition. It’s hard to nail it down to a single feature. The asset visualization and game library are definitely near the top of the list but the inbuilt trading and how it’s bundled into the chat takes the cake. It’s a feature that has multiple benefits - it provides social interaction for any game, at any time…which is a primary factor to gaming, but it also provides users with a way to trade NFTs and currencies peer-to-peer, without the need for a marketplace.
Q: “What is your long-term vision for Kagi, and how do you see the platform evolving over the next few years to shape the future of Web3 gaming? What impact do you hope Kagi will have on the broader gaming ecosystem?”
A: We really want the platform to transform into a fully-fledged ecosystem for players and developers. We really see the wallet SDK allowing us to branch into many different areas, including player insights for developers but also becoming a launchpad and potentially a DEX for players…I think it would be pretty cool for players to earn pre-sale access based on in-game activities that are completed using the Kagi wallet, for example.
Our goal is to contribute to a new standard of product within web3 gaming. As an infrastructure company, it’s more or less our duty to bridge the gap between traditional and web3 gaming, and funnel those users into games which in turn, benefits the whole ecosystem.
