Let's reflect on Moonbeam's journey from pre-testnet to now (hi Moonriver), a thriving ecosystem that still holds glimmer, shall we? Moonbeam, from its earliest days, has been a force of evolution in crypto as a whole. What started as one of the most exciting blockchains to grace both the Polkadot and Ethereum ecosystems became a true marriage of interoperability—something most Web3 projects only dreamed about in 2022. Fast forward to today: Moonbeam’s project landscape has expanded to over 300 projects (and still counting), spanning NFTs, gaming, DeFi lending protocols like Moonwell, StellaSwapGo to page [object Object] and more.
Update your cookie consent to allow video
GLMR holders are everywhere, and our infrastructure stands as a real gateway between two thriving ecosystems. From the very beginning, Moonbeam set out to forge a new path in blockchain technology. The founder team members at PurestakeGo to page https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2021/03/30/purestake-raises-6m-from-binance-labs-coinbase-ventures didn’t just build bridges — they built interoperability — empowering builders to create solutions that could thrive across multiple chains, particularly Polkadot and Ethereum. While articulating that pioneering spirit hasn’t always been easy, our recent breakthroughs have made it crystal clear: projects that have stuck with the tide are thriving.
Moonrise: A Year Around the Sun
In early 2024, a lot of shifts took place. Purestake became a constellation of many people and key companies, which ushered in the Moonrise campaign. This marked a pivotal moment in the network's journey towards decentralization. It was documented on the forum through the Gauntlet. Go to page https://moonbeam.network/news/optimizing-grant-incentives-with-gauntlet-a-new-moonbeam-rising/ It wasn’t just a brand refresh — it was a recommitment to our founding mission.
Moonrise raised up our guiding truths while introducing a modernized look and feel from a design perspective. It also kicked off critical initiatives:
- Launching a fresh Moonbeam Grant Initiatives
- Doubling down on Gaming, DeFi, RWAs, and Emerging Regions in LATAM including Brazil
- Strengthening our mission, even while maintaining the core promise: Build Here. Grow Anywhere.
In the past year, we’ve welcomed over 13 new projects and partners to the Moonbeam ecosystem, bringing new energy, creativity, and momentum to the on-chain. Gaming especially redefined our narrative — teams like N3MUS and Evrloot have become key vehicles for onboarding new community members and inspiring the next wave of builders in key regions like Brazil.
As we look back, it's clear: Moonbeam has come a long way. But the journey is far from over.
Why These Stories Matter Now: Teams build on Moonbeam — and grow beyond it.
Today, our message is bigger than ever:
Teams build on Moonbeam — and grow beyond it. We support it. We love to see it.
That’s why we’re launching the “Why I Build” series. In this series, we’re highlighting the projects that have launched, scaled, and evolved here. These stories matter because they show the resilience, adaptability, and the incredible opportunity Moonbeam offers to creators across Web3.
At this crossroads, we’re bridging the early OG projects with the new generation of builders. Web3 is still experiencing its moment — and as the excitement for on-chain data, media, and ideas grows, it’s the perfect time to revisit why Moonbeam has remained a cornerstone of the Web3 community.