Guest: Matthew Lim, Co-founder of The Book
Interview: momo, ChainCatcher
In the Web3 world, 700 million crypto wallets manage trillions of dollars in assets, yet due to a lack of user profiles and other reasons, it has become a "dark forest" that Web2 companies cannot reach. Currently, there is still a serious disconnection between Web3 and the real world, lacking sustainable cross-ecosystem connections.
Although NFTs and social metaverses were once given high expectations, issues such as the absence of some infrastructure and disconnection from the real economy have left the integration of Web2 and Web3 ecosystems unresolved.
According to Matthew Lim, founder of NFKings, the experience of market bubbles does not mean that NFTs and social metaverses have been discredited. Creating a seamless commercial ecosystem between online and offline, Web2 and Web3 worlds remains an ultimate challenge that needs to be addressed.
From its inception, NFKings has attracted investments from well-known institutions and individuals, including YZi Labs (formerly Binance Labs), Vertex China, and the founder of Pop Mart. After four years of refining technology and models, NFKings launched its first project with practical application conditions, The Book.
The Book aims to build a sustainable commercial ecosystem that integrates the virtual and real worlds through three core components: an AI-driven identity layer, a non-fungible RWA protocol ONA, and a social commercial metaverse The Boxx.
The core team of The Book is impressive. In addition to Matthew Lim, who has a financial investment background from Credit Suisse Investment Bank and serves as founder and CEO, global superstar Jackson Wang and young entrepreneur He Youjun, son of Macau's "gambling king" Stanley Ho, are co-founders of The Book. Currently, Jackson Wang is responsible for the creative conception and development of the metaverse application "The Boxx," while He Youjun is driving the macro strategic layout of The Book.
Recently, The Boxx App has officially launched on iOS and Android platforms. In an interview with ChainCatcher, Matthew Lim further shared the business logic and planning of The Book.
Why are Jackson Wang and He Youjun betting on The Book?
1. ChainCatcher: From public information, I see that your career began at Credit Suisse Investment Bank. Can you share some of your important work experiences? How did you enter the Web3 field?
Matthew Lim: My career began at Credit Suisse Investment Bank, which provided me with a solid financial foundation and a deep understanding of the operational logic of the global financial system.
After leaving Credit Suisse, I shifted to venture capital and early-stage investment, participating in investments in several tech startups since 2015.
This experience exposed me to many disruptive technologies and sparked my strong interest in Web3, particularly regarding how Web3 can reconstruct the distribution mechanisms of wealth and opportunity, as well as the transformative potential of decentralized finance (DeFi) and asset tokenization, which motivated me to engage in Web3.
2. ChainCatcher: What prompted you to establish The Book? What market pain points does it address? What is the expected market space behind it?
Matthew Lim: NFKings was founded in 2021, with the initial vision of creating a seamless connection ecosystem between online and offline, Web2 and Web3 worlds.
After four years of refinement, we have built the technological infrastructure and protocol system to achieve this seamless interaction. After multiple rounds of testing and validation, we believe this protocol is now ready for practical application.
Our first major project is called The Book. It integrates all the core protocols and technologies developed by the team, reaching a vast user base in both Web2 and Web3, covering both enterprise and consumer sides.
This project includes three major innovative modules: the "Proof of Contribution" mechanism that incentivizes users to contribute personal data, the "Non-fungible Real-World Asset Protocol" that connects physical assets with the digital world, and the metaverse ecosystem.
I believe this is a completely untapped blue ocean market. It's difficult to provide a specific number for the market space, but it will show exponential growth and continuously give rise to new business models.
3. ChainCatcher: The Book has two co-founders—global superstar Jackson Wang and young entrepreneur He Youjun, son of Macau's "gambling king" Stanley Ho. How were they initially attracted to participate in The Book? What roles and responsibilities do they currently have in The Book?
Matthew Lim: Both co-founders strongly resonate with The Book's vision of connecting the virtual and real worlds.
He Youjun is one of the co-founders of NFKings and played a crucial role in business development during the early stages of the company. He has significant experience in business and will be involved in the macro strategic planning of the project. Jackson Wang is responsible for the creative conception and development of the metaverse project "The Boxx."
How do the three modules of AI + RWA + Metaverse create a closed loop?
4. ChainCatcher: From the white paper, we can see that The Book has three core components—AI-driven identity layer, non-fungible RWA protocol ONA, and social commercial metaverse The Boxx. What are the specific solutions of these three core products? What goals do they aim to achieve? How are they interconnected?
Matthew Lim: Our three modules create an evolutionary closed loop for digital identity: the AI identity layer addresses "who you are," the ONA protocol defines "what you own," and The Boxx shapes "how you interact."
For example, the ONA protocol uses AI-driven user profile analysis to push advertisements and information directly to Web3 wallets.
This functionality is deeply integrated with the BOXX metaverse, assigning real-world value to virtual actions in gamified real-world interactions, thus building the "meaning layer" that has been missing in Web3.
5. ChainCatcher: How does the AI-driven identity layer ensure data collection accuracy while ensuring the privacy and security of user-contributed data?
Matthew Lim: We adopt a "Proof of Voluntary Contribution" model, where users share preference data by completing interest surveys and other activities to receive incentives. The core of this innovation lies in the application of zero-knowledge proof technology, allowing the platform to obtain only labeled analytical results rather than raw data.
This design not only rewards users for their data contributions but also transforms them into dual roles: participants in the consensus network and precise channels for personalized advertising. By granting users direct control over the value of their data, we achieve more contextually relevant advertising reach.
6. ChainCatcher: NFTs have been attempted in real-world scenarios like concert tickets beyond financial speculation, but ultimately did not achieve large-scale application. What do you think is the core reason? How does the ONA protocol break this deadlock?
Matthew Lim: Traditional NFTs suffer from the "island effect," as their application scenarios are often limited to a single dimension due to a lack of supporting infrastructure. The ONA protocol primarily addresses this dilemma through two mechanisms: first, by granting digital assets real-world utility, such as NFTs co-branded with Häagen-Dazs that can be exchanged for physical products; second, by constructing a cross-brand settlement layer that gives NFTs combinable liquidity.
7. ChainCatcher: As the leader of the social e-commerce metaverse The Boxx, what is Jackson Wang's design philosophy or vision?
Matthew Lim: Jackson Wang has always been a firm believer in the virtual world and the future metaverse. However, after experiencing and examining the current metaverse platforms on the market, he believes there is still significant room for innovation in this field. He has a core belief that any experience in the virtual world must have some connection to the real world.
Therefore, The Boxx he created is not a completely detached digital utopia but a new dimension that runs parallel to the real world, where social interactions are more interesting, experiences are more immersive, and imagination is freer, while always maintaining a subtle resonance with the physical world.
8. ChainCatcher: The social metaverse is often questioned as a pseudo-demand after going through a development cycle. How do you view the market's skepticism? What do you think is the biggest difference or highlight of the metaverse constructed by The Boxx?
Matthew Lim: The current concept of "metaverse" is often misunderstood or overly hyped, with many applications lacking substantial value. The Boxx is a social e-commerce platform rooted in community interconnection (C2C).
In The Boxx, users can not only share knowledge, interact, build communities, and conduct transactions but also enjoy equal socio-economic rights. To ensure the future adaptability of assets and business models, BOXX seamlessly integrates Web3 blockchain technology into social gamified scenarios.
For example, in a virtual concert, audiences can not only enjoy an immersive performance but also participate in gamified collective experiences, unlocking limited merchandise, VIP privileges, and other tangible benefits. More importantly, this experience does not end with the event—through subsequent tasks, social interactions, and continuously updated content, fans can establish lasting and boundless emotional connections. When every digital interaction brings real value and ongoing experiences, skepticism naturally dissipates.
The Boxx has three core advantages. First is the symbiotic economy, where all digital assets are anchored to real-world rights; second is the open creator ecosystem, co-created by brands and users; third is a carefully selected content mechanism that gathers like-minded high-quality creators and users.
We are proving that true metaverse demand arises from the chemical reaction between virtual and real experiences.
Building a sustainable commercial ecosystem that integrates the virtual and real
9. ChainCatcher: What is the commercialization progress of the above three solutions? Can you share typical use cases and partners? What are your expectations for the future commercialization of The Book?
Matthew Lim: The ONA protocol serves as a dynamic bridge between physical and digital assets, achieving a bidirectional extension of user experience.
Although The Boxx is still in the development stage, early testing has shown positive results, with significantly improved conversion rates and increased user engagement duration.
Additionally, we are actively employing AI-driven user profile analysis to promote cross-platform customer distribution, enhancing targeting accuracy and operational efficiency.
We have observed a growing demand from brands for Web3 solutions with clear, quantifiable investment returns.
When enterprises begin to scale the application of our technology, true breakthroughs will occur, marking a key turning point for Web3 to move towards the mainstream.
10. ChainCatcher: The Book has two core assets: PROMPT TOKEN (NFT) and PTC (fungible token). What application scenarios do these two assets have in the ecosystem? What is their value support? How do they empower each other?
Matthew Lim: The PROMPT TOKEN, as the core digital asset of the ecosystem, is a key mechanism for achieving user profile analysis, information transmission, and value creation:
• Each PNFT represents user-generated interaction behaviors or data points—voluntarily contributed through interest surveys, activity participation, or brand interactions.
• These tokens are bound to zero-knowledge proof user profiles, allowing the platform to obtain only labeled analytical results without accessing raw privacy data.
• Since PNFTs carry both identity identifiers and behavioral signals, they become intelligent carriers for targeted advertising, message pushing, and gamified triggers within the BOXX and brand metaverse.
Essentially, PNFTs are the starting point for value creation. They are not just digital assets but also personalized access points into the ecosystem.
PROMPT COIN, on the other hand, is a utility transaction currency that drives the PROMPT TOKEN economy and the broader ecosystem:
• It supports all forms of exchange: from redeeming real-world rewards unlocked by PTC to transaction settlements between brands and platforms in the advertising/message market.
• Users can earn PTC through meaningful participation: including creating PTC, engaging with advertisements, or transacting within gamified layers.
• For brands and platforms, PTC serves as a settlement medium, enabling scalable advertising distribution, incentive systems, and cross-brand NFT interoperability.
Together, PROMPT TOKEN and PROMPT COIN construct a user-authorized closed-loop economic system. In this system, digital identities are respected, data contributions are rewarded, and every interaction holds real significance.
11. ChainCatcher: What is the biggest challenge currently facing The Book? Or what constitutes the core barrier for The Book?
Matthew Lim: Like other Web3 projects, we face the challenge of user growth.
However, our goal is more precise: to achieve large-scale migration from the Web2 world. This is also our competitive advantage; from the very beginning of product design, we have built a bridge for the two worlds. With a strong resource network and operational capabilities, we will continue to attract content creators and participants from Web2 to join this new ecosystem.
In fact, this "bridge" advantage is already reflected in several key dimensions:
First, our deep collaborations with leading brands are validating the empowering value of Web3 technology in traditional business scenarios.
Second, the maturity of technology modules like the ONA protocol and AI identity layer allows us to quickly respond to the access needs of enterprises of different scales.
Most importantly, The Boxx, through carefully designed gamification mechanisms, is building a sustainable commercial ecosystem that integrates the virtual and real, and we are very optimistic about its market performance.
12. ChainCatcher: Recently, The Book's parent company NFKings announced investments from several well-known institutions or individuals, including YZi Labs (Binance Labs), Vertex China, and the founder of Pop Mart. Besides financing, what other noteworthy developments or roadmaps do you have recently?
Matthew Lim: I believe the most important milestone will be the official launch of our metaverse application "The Boxx" on both iOS and Android platforms.
In the coming months, we will also successively announce collaboration plans with more strategic Web2.0 brands, as well as significant partners in the field of artificial intelligence technology.
13. ChainCatcher: What incentive plans do you have to encourage users or project parties to participate in The Book ecosystem?
Matthew Lim: For users, the "Proof of Contribution" model is the entry point into this incentive ecosystem. By voluntarily sharing preference data, such as participating in surveys or platform interactions, users can earn PTC as the first layer of incentive.
These tokens will unlock a series of gamified experiences, including airdrops, mystery boxes, brand events, and opportunities to co-create with content creators, KOLs, and celebrities. In this system, every interaction is meaningful; users are no longer passive observers but active contributors who transform digital participation into real value.
For project partners, this ecosystem provides a vibrant gamified environment that helps brands build influence and community. Brands can leverage our infrastructure as dynamic advertising and messaging channels.
We hope that in this ecosystem, marketing activities can not only reach precisely but also achieve organic dissemination through community participation. With customized gamification solutions, partners can cultivate loyalty co-governance communities based on C2C (community-to-community) economics.
I believe this model transcends traditional marketing, allowing brands to deeply integrate into user experiences in an interactive, incentivized, and infinitely scalable manner.
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