Key Takeaways
- •Yu Hu announces Yaps discontinuation, impacting Kaito's direction.
- •KAITO token value dropped nearly 20% to $0.56.
- •Shift aims for structured brand-creator collaborations in a $200B economy.
Kaito announced the discontinuation of Yaps amidst a 20% drop in the KAITO token due to X's new API policies. The shift to Kaito Studio underscores changes in marketing platforms, impacting the InfoFi market and creator collaborations. Kaito, the AI-powered InfoFi platform, is set to discontinue Yaps due to changes in X's API policies, significantly affecting the KAITO token value. Kaito's pivot to structured brand-creator collaborations aims to position itself in the evolving $200B digital economy.
Transition from Yaps to Kaito Studio
The AI-powered InfoFi platform Kaito declared a gradual discontinuation of its Yaps product on January 15, 2026, following X's revised API policies. The company pivots to launching Kaito Studio, aligning brand-creator collaborations with clearer project scopes. Founder Yu Hu stated the transition reflects a move away from permissionless distribution models. The changes respond to X's decision to ban reward-based apps, affecting how users and brands interact within the Kaito ecosystem.
"Kaito will gradually discontinue YAPS and the incentive-based leaderboard, and launch KAITO Studio. Kaito Studio will be closer to a traditional hierarchical marketing platform, where brands will selectively collaborate with creators based on established criteria and a clear project scope." — Yu Hu, Founder, Kaito
Token Impact and Market Implications
The KAITO token experienced a significant decline, falling by nearly 20% to $0.56. This was influenced by the unscheduled unbonding of 25.8 million staked tokens, potentially increasing selling pressure in the market. No immediate effects on larger cryptocurrency markets like ETH or BTC were observed, though related InfoFi tokens saw a drop. Kaito’s directional change indicates a restructuring within the social media and reward space.
Broader Industry Influence
The recent decisions may set a precedent in regulatory compliance and technological adoption strategies. By focusing on structured services, Kaito aims to appeal to high-quality creators and brands, refining collaboration standards within the wider digital economy. The broader implications for the InfoFi sector involve adapting to more traditional marketing infrastructures. The shift could reshape the landscape from volume-based rewards to emphasizing targeted campaigns, potentially influencing similar adaptations in the industry.