Frens

Contribution

Frens is a social messaging app for onchain friends (iOS/Android). We’ve built a private messaging app that natively supports token-gating, crypto transactions, Farcaster (auth, identity, content), and Zora network NFTs.How onchain communities use Frens:- The Farcaster community used Frens to organize grassroots meetups and conferences (e.g. Farcon, ETH Denver, NFT.NYC, EthCC)- The Purple DAO community used Frens to discuss proposals- The Orange DAO community used Frens to coordinate DAO retreats and meet ups at conferences (e.g. ETH Denver, EthCC)- Farcaster sub-communities have formed on Frens like the FC chess club, Eventcasters, and fundraising advice- A16z CSS 23 founders use Frens to communicate privately in founders-only groups

Impact

Frens pushes the boundaries of crypto-enabled consumer user experiences:- When a user shares a link to Farcaster, they see an interactive embed they can like and reshare — without leaving the chat- When a user shares a link to Eventcaster, they can RSVP to the event without leaving the chat- View NFT activity of group members within chat (supports Eth Mainnet and Zora network)- Discover and join NFT-gated groups- Token-gated location sharing at conferences and eventsIn the past 12 months:- The Farcaster community used Frens to coordinate FarCon in Boston (Farcaster unconference), community meetups at Eth Denver, NFT NYC, and EthCC- Orange DAO used Frens to coordinate 2 strategic IRL retreats- Founders in the a16z CSS 23 cohort used Frens to create founder-NFT-gated group chats