DeFi Shifts Focus from Conferences to Product-Led Distribution

The DeFi sector is shifting its focus from expensive conference sponsorships to product-led distribution and on-chain conversion metrics.

A number of major DAOs, including Aave and Arbitrum, have published explicit conference budgets for the first time. This change marks a significant shift in the industry's approach to event spending.

The sector is now demanding line items and questioning whether purchases map to users rather than optics. Polkadot's treasury reports show a real tightening through 2025, with outreach spend dropping by over 50% from Q3 to Q4.