Hey folks, if you've been knee-deep in crypto like I have—first at CoinDesk chasing headlines, now at Meme Insider decoding the wild world of meme tokens—then you know metrics matter. A lot. Back in the DeFi summer of 2020, Total Value Locked (TVL, for the uninitiated: basically the total amount of crypto parked in a protocol's smart contracts) was our golden ticket. It was a quick way to gauge hype and compare apples to oranges across chains. But fast-forward to today, and things have leveled up.

Enter Lily Liu, the sharp mind behind various Solana initiatives (and yeah, she's got that insider cred

- Let's tie the tweet into how it affects meme tokens on Solana, given Solana's prominence in memes.
). In a recent thread on X, she dropped a truth bomb quoting Solana's official account: app revenue on the network smashed $193 million in August alone. That's not pocket change—it's a fever dream for founders, apps, and yes, even those cheeky meme tokens fueling the Solana frenzy.

Liu's take? It's time to ditch TVL as our North Star and crown revenue king. Why? Let's break it down without the jargon overload.

The TVL Era: Great for Growth, But...

Picture the early internet: we obsessed over clicks and user counts because they hinted at future goldmines like Google ads or Facebook's feed. Crypto's DeFi boom was similar—TVL let us spot rising stars amid the chaos. But as Liu points out, that was hyper-growth proxy stuff. Now, with protocols actually printing money (hello, transaction fees, token burns, and buybacks), why settle for a teaser when the main event's here?

Revenue isn't just fluff; it's the real deal. It shows sustainable value creation—think apps charging for trades, games, or even meme launches on platforms like Pump.fun. Solana's $193M haul? That's apps like Jupiter DEX aggregator and meme hotspots turning buzz into bucks. For meme token degens, this means healthier ecosystems where your favorite dog coin isn't just viral—it's viable.

Revenue > TVL: The Math That Matters

Liu nails the analogy: crypto's maturing like the web did, evolving from ad-free experiments to rake-heavy marketplaces. TVL can spike on hype (remember those 2021 liquidity farms?), but revenue sticks around. It's harder to fake and easier to build on.

Take Solana: its speed and low fees have birthed a meme token paradise, from $BONK to $WIF. Last month's revenue jump signals more than moonshots—it's proof the network's apps are monetizing at scale. If you're a blockchain practitioner eyeing the next play, track revenue dashboards like DefiLlama or Solana's own metrics. Pro tip: look for protocols funnelling fees back into token burns. That's rocket fuel for price action.

What This Means for Meme Tokens and Beyond

At Meme Insider, we're all about that meme magic, but let's be real—sustainability wins cycles. Solana's revenue surge could supercharge meme ecosystems by attracting serious builders. Imagine more tools for fair launches, anti-rug mechanics, or even revenue-sharing DAOs where holders get a cut of the action.

Liu wraps it poetically: "The more things change, the more things look the same." Spot on. We're circling back to fundamentals, but with turbocharged tech. If TVL was the '20s speakeasy vibe, revenue's the roaring legitimate casino.

So, what's your move? Dive into Solana's revenue streams, scout apps blending memes with real utility, and keep an eye on chains lagging behind. The metric shift isn't just talk—it's the blueprint for the next bull leg.

Got thoughts on revenue vs. TVL? Hit the comments or slide into our Discord for the full degen debate. Stay savvy, stay solvent.

Originally sparked by Lily Liu's X thread.