OKX Friends Episode 03 | In Conversation with Ni Da: How a Chinese-speaking Top Influencer Built His Presence from Zero—Exclusive Methodology Revealed
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OKX Friends Episode 03 | In Conversation with Ni Da: How a Chinese-speaking Top Influencer Built His Presence from Zero—Exclusive Methodology Revealed
Guest Message: OKX's growth is clearly visible—it has consistently led the industry in product innovation, and it continues to pursue compliance. I hope that in the future, OKX will continue to uphold its user-first, do-no-evil philosophy to serve the crypto community.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insights
Phyrex_Ni, a prominent Chinese-language influencer, focuses on macroeconomics and on-chain data analysis, while closely following ETFs and foreign exchange markets. Over the past three years, he has consistently delivered content in his unique style, growing from zero to 250,000 followers.
We were curious about what drives someone to transition into Web3 and sustain long-term content creation on social media. Therefore, OKX specially invited him as a guest for the "Friends of OKX" series, hoping that his journey, insights into the current state of the industry, and methodology for becoming a leading Chinese-language influencer will offer valuable takeaways.
"Friends of OKX" is a special feature series produced by OKX and hosted by Mercy (@Mercy_okx), an official community ambassador at OKX. It aims to share stories, reflections, and lessons learned from KOLs with diverse backgrounds, offering reference and guidance for new users.
1. On the Cross-Over Into Web3
1、Mercy@Mercy_okx: What prompted your entry into the Web3 space? How have your previous work experiences helped you in your current path?
Phyrex_Ni:
My career began in traditional television, where I produced China’s first online gaming program. After that, I continued working in the gaming industry, particularly focusing on children's games. By 2017–2018, I was responsible for investments and acquisitions in the gaming sector at a company, specializing in children's gaming.
We partnered with well-known toy companies such as Alpha Group and Lingdong Interactive, developing many licensed games. Despite holding several high-quality IPs, our results fell short of expectations because we primarily launched browser-based games just as the market was shifting toward mobile internet.
In 2017, the company faced financial strain, and the founder suggested exploring blockchain. Unfortunately, due to lack of experience, our investment incurred significant losses. This failure pushed me to seriously study blockchain technology and the cryptocurrency market.
In 2019, we shifted focus to the Cosmos and Polkadot ecosystems, betting heavily on this space. We invested in multiple Polkadot ecosystem projects and accumulated a large amount of DOT tokens. Through this process, my understanding of the blockchain industry deepened significantly.
By 2021, I realized small institutions struggled to access quality investment opportunities, so I began considering a career shift. Our team started weekly internal sharing sessions—initially just posting within our friend circles, then gradually moving content to a public WeChat Official Account upon friends’ suggestions.
On October 12, 2021, I officially began sharing content on Twitter. Initially, I tried creating English posts but soon found my language skills insufficient, so I pivoted to focusing solely on Chinese-language content creation.
That marked the beginning of my content journey on Twitter. As our company downsized, I devoted more energy to content creation. Today, my primary focus is publishing tweets, alongside managing other responsibilities.
This is how I entered the Web3 industry—and also how my journey of sharing content on social media began. Through continuous learning and sharing, I gradually built influence within this field.
2. Using Myself as a Case Study: The Methodology Behind Becoming an Influencer
2、Mercy@Mercy_okx: As a Twitter influencer with 250,000 followers, how do you maintain long-term output of high-quality macro content?
Phyrex_Ni:
To be honest, I didn’t start with a strong desire to express myself. Rather, it stemmed more from personal growth and learning needs. After the market crash on May 19, 2021, I felt lost about market direction and began studying data analysis to find clarity.
I first explored some on-chain analytics tools and discovered they offered more objective and intuitive insights compared to candlestick charts—something that suited my style. I began deeply analyzing these data daily and recording my findings as a form of self-review and learning.
Over time, I realized relying solely on on-chain data wasn’t enough. The Federal Reserve's interest rate hike announcement at the end of 2021 made me realize the profound impact of macroeconomic factors on the market. That pushed me to study macroeconomics and integrate on-chain data, macro trends, and technical analysis into a more comprehensive analytical framework.
My motivation to keep creating comes from two sources: First, accountability to myself—writing helps organize my thoughts and improve analytical skills. Second, I want to help other investors who once felt as confused as I did. Knowing the struggles of investing firsthand, I hope my shares can serve as references and support for others.
The key to sustained consistency lies in authenticity and passion. Every analysis I publish reflects my actual trading decisions. This sense of personal accountability naturally brings sincerity. Meanwhile, ongoing exploration keeps me passionate—even during bear markets, I continue gaining insights and enjoyment.
3、Mercy@Mercy_okx: What distinguishes a personal IP from a regular KOL? Are there differences in content delivery?
Phyrex_Ni:
The difference between a personal IP and a typical KOL lies in how influence is positioned and used. A personal IP tends to leverage influence for long-term goals, whereas a KOL often prioritizes monetizing traffic.
As a personal IP, I focus on building influence in public domains, primarily on Twitter, without managing other platforms or paid groups. This allows me to concentrate fully on improving content quality and expanding reach.
In terms of content creation, I always adopt a mindset of accountability—to myself. Each article stems directly from my own trading decisions and thinking processes, ensuring authenticity and practical value, enabling consistent delivery of high-quality content.
I believe a valuable personal IP should aim to create lasting value for the industry and its users—not merely chase short-term traffic gains. My collaboration with Solana, for example, was based on shared values rather than financial incentives, aiming to help promising projects and communities generate real-world impact.
A personal IP must maintain a long-term vision—focusing on advancing the industry and continuously delivering value to users, not chasing immediate returns.
4、Mercy@Mercy_okx: From 0 to 250,000 followers, do you have any methodological advice for newcomers?
Phyrex_Ni:
For newcomers, here are several key takeaways:
First, authenticity matters most. Be genuine—to yourself and your audience. Every piece of content I post reflects my actual investment decisions. This approach makes content more valuable and builds trust more easily.
Second, choose a niche that suits you—don’t blindly follow trends. Focus on areas you’re genuinely interested in and have some expertise in. Only through deep research can you sustainably produce high-quality content.
Third, patience and perseverance are crucial. Success doesn’t happen overnight. I’ve spent three years publishing 180,000 tweets, investing tremendous time and effort. If you're only chasing traffic or profit, it’s hard to stay committed.
Fourth, commit to lifelong learning. Markets evolve, so knowledge must too. I’ve progressed from on-chain data to macroeconomics, then integrated multiple dimensions—all through continuous learning.
Fifth, engage actively. In early stages, commenting on top influencers' threads can boost visibility—but ensure comments are constructive. Also, value feedback in your comment section and treat interactions with care.
Finally, content is king. Traffic is important, but if you can't consistently deliver value, attention will fade. Prioritize content quality over vanity metrics.
In summary, building a personal IP takes time and passion. Find a domain you love, keep learning and sharing, and you’ll eventually build lasting value.
5、Mercy@Mercy_okx: Has being a Chinese-language influencer brought you tangible benefits?
Phyrex_Ni:
Yes, being an influential figure has opened many doors and provided conveniences. But I place greater emphasis on how to use those opportunities to create larger value, rather than pursuing personal gain alone.
Take my collaboration with Solana—as of now, there is no monetary arrangement. I participate in Solana community initiatives like video production and conferences at my own expense, because I believe in the project’s potential and hope to help more people understand and join this ecosystem.
I believe once you gain influence, the most important question becomes: how can you use it to make positive contributions? For me, that means introducing high-quality projects from Chinese-speaking regions to a broader audience and changing their preconceived notions about them.
At the same time, I strive to bring overseas high-potential projects into Chinese-speaking communities. My goal isn’t simple promotion, but rather in-depth analysis and explanation so community members can better understand these projects and make independent judgments.
While this approach may not yield direct financial returns in the short term, I believe it generates far greater long-term value. It not only strengthens my industry insight but also connects me with exceptional teams and investors—resources money can't buy.
Overall, I care more about using this identity to create value than extracting value from it. I firmly believe that only by truly contributing to the industry and users can one earn lasting support and recognition.
6、Mercy@Mercy_okx: Compared to the last cycle, how has the KOL ecosystem evolved?
Phyrex_Ni:
Indeed, the role of KOLs has significantly changed in this cycle—a positive evolution overall.
First, traditional media influence is declining, while individual KOLs and independent creators are rising. Individual KOLs often provide timelier, more specialized, and deeper content. Especially in on-chain data analysis, their speed and depth frequently surpass traditional media outlets.
Second, expert-level KOLs in niche fields are increasing. As markets grow more complex, single-dimensional analysis can no longer explain everything. Analysts who offer deep insights in specific areas—such as macroeconomics or certain technical domains—are increasingly valued.
Third, the value of KOLs now lies less in information dissemination and more in interpretation and insight. In an age of information overload, content that helps users understand and derive meaning from data is truly valuable.
Fourth, project teams’ approach to collaborating with KOLs is evolving. Partnerships are no longer just paid promotions but seek deeper integration—using KOLs to authentically reach and educate users.
Finally, truly high-quality KOLs stand out more easily in this cycle. As the market matures and user discernment improves, only those who consistently deliver valuable content earn lasting trust and support.
Overall, the KOL ecosystem is moving toward greater professionalism, specialization, and depth—an encouraging sign for the entire industry, indicating improved information quality and better value for users.
7、Mercy@Mercy_okx: The KOL space remains noisy, making it easy to lose sight of初心 (original intent). How do you regulate your mindset and stay true to yourself?
Phyrex_Ni:
I always maintain the mindset of “just an ordinary worker doing my daily grind.” I know full well that what I do isn’t technically exclusive—anyone willing to invest the same time and effort could achieve similar results. This awareness keeps me humble and prevents arrogance.
Second, I’m acutely aware that my current influence wasn’t achieved alone—it was granted by the support of many people. This influence isn’t a personal achievement, but a responsibility. I know that any misstep could quickly erode that trust. So I constantly remind myself to cherish what I have and avoid actions that might deplete that goodwill.
Third, I remain committed to doing the right thing. With influence comes greater ability to act. For instance, I often use my platform to assist individuals with limited resources but genuine needs. These acts may not benefit me directly, but they give me a sense of purpose.
Additionally, I maintain enduring passion and curiosity for the industry. Continuously learning new things and studying emerging phenomena keeps me humble and enables me to keep delivering value to the community.
Lastly, I believe staying true to oneself hinges on remembering why you started. For me, the original motivation was to better understand the market and improve trading decisions. Now, even though my role has evolved, that core objective hasn’t changed. I’m still striving to enhance my analytical abilities and hoping to help more people understand this market.
In conclusion, maintaining初心 requires constant self-reflection and vigilance. It’s not something achieved once and done, but a daily practice—staying humble, cherishing what you have, and remaining dedicated to creating value for others. Only in this way can one sustain influence and credibility in such a fast-changing industry.
Risk Warning and Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only. The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not represent the positions of OKX. This article does not constitute (i) investment advice or recommendations; (ii) an offer or solicitation to buy, sell, or hold digital assets; or (iii) financial, accounting, legal, or tax advice. We make no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the information provided. Holding digital assets—including stablecoins and NFTs—involves high risk and may experience significant price volatility. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital assets is suitable for you based on your financial situation. Please consult your legal/tax/investment professionals regarding your specific circumstances. You are solely responsible for understanding and complying with applicable local laws and regulations.
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