The current economic model of blockchain is broken for mass adoption. In Web2, platforms like TikTok or WhatsApp are free to use because the business covers the infrastructure costs. In Web3, the user pays for every click (transaction). This "Pay to Play" model creates a glass ceiling for growth. Imagine if you had to pay $0.10 every time you liked a post on X. You would stop using it.
@Plasma is the first Layer 1 designed to shatter this ceiling. By architecting a network where stablecoin payments are natively free, Plasma enables developers to build "Freemium" Web3 applications.
The "Invisible" Blockchain
On Plasma, a developer can build a game or a social app where the user interaction feels exactly like Web2. The user doesn't need to know what a "gas limit" is. They doesn't need to buy ETH or SOL just to accept a USDT payment. The blockchain layer becomes invisible, which is exactly how infrastructure should be.
Where does $XPL fit in?
If the user isn't paying, who is? The economy of Plasma shifts the burden from the user to the network utility. $XPL is used by validators to secure the ledger and by power users/institutions for complex smart contract execution. It transforms the token from a barrier (gas fee) into a bond (security).
The Bottom Line
We can't onboard the next billion users if we charge them entry fees to open their wallets. Plasma solves the UX crisis by making the technology invisible and the payments instant.