Messari Research Report: A Comprehensive Overview of the Web3 Entertainment AIUGC Platform MEET48

Authors: Gunkan , Messari

Original link: https://messari.io/report/understanding-meet48-a-comprehensive-overview

Key points

● MEET48 positions itself as an early leader in the field of AI user-generated content (AIUGC) entertainment, attempting to integrate generative AI, virtual idol creation, and on-chain participation into a unified ecosystem driven by fans.

● MEET48 allows users to create and train AI-driven virtual idols using PARO AI. PARO AI is a self-developed intelligent agent framework based on LLM (Large Language Model) by MEET48, with training data derived from real-world idol performances and fan interactions.

● The IDOL token is the core economic engine of the ecosystem, used to support voting, fan engagement, virtual asset purchases, and value capture through a burning mechanism.

● In MEET48's 2025 Annual Idol Grand Election, the number of tokens purchased by users to vote for their idols exceeded 1.6% of the total supply; of these, approximately 0.45% of the total supply of IDOL tokens were burned.

● MEET48's team has extensive experience in idol management and social gaming. The core management team previously oversaw the large-scale operation of the well-known Chinese idol group SNH48, and participated in the operation of Audition, one of China's most successful rhythm-based social games.

introduction

Over the past decade, the creator economy has expanded rapidly, but its underlying economic structure has remained virtually unchanged. Billions of users continue to produce videos, music, characters, and digital cultural content, yet the value still primarily flows to centralized platforms. Creators provide the content and the traffic, but platforms often retain ownership of the content, control distribution channels, and capture the majority of the economic benefits.

MEET48 is a solution that emerged to address this structural gap. The platform sits at the intersection of generative AI and crypto, attempting to redefine the creation, distribution, and monetization of entertainment content. Instead of allowing value to converge unidirectionally to a centralized operator, MEET48 introduces a multilateral system: users can create AI-generated virtual idols, influence their growth and development, and directly participate in a tokenized fan economy. In this model, creativity becomes collaborative, and ownership becomes programmable.

background

MEET48's core team members include Kai Xu , Jason Liao , and Lin I-Ming . Jason and Kai are seasoned professionals in the entertainment industry, possessing experience in managing SNH48, one of Asia's largest idol groups . Lin has extensive background in the crypto industry, having previously collaborated with CRYPTOC . Through SNH48, the team has accumulated over a decade of experience in idol management, live performance operations, fan interaction, and digital content monetization. At its peak, SNH48 boasted over 10 million fans and operated five dedicated theaters in five cities, consistently producing a large number of offline performances over a decade.

This operational history has accumulated unique data assets that support MEET48's AI strategy: including recorded live performances, archived VR viewing content, a library of thousands of licensed music tracks, and idol-fan interaction data collected through the Pocket48 app. This data was used to train MEET48's self-developed Large Language Model (LLM) product, PARO AI .

In 2024, the team launched MEET48.ai , supporting character creation, performance choreography, and AIUGC workflows. Around the same time, the MEET48 App was released on the BNB Chain , introducing tokenized voting activities and on-chain fan interaction mechanisms. On June 11, 2025, MEET48 launched its IDOL token on multiple platforms including Binance Alpha , Bitget , Gate.io , MEXC , Kucoin , and PancakeSwap .

technology

MEET48's architecture combines an AI-generated content system, tokenized asset infrastructure, and a distribution layer for user engagement. The platform supports the entire lifecycle of virtual idol creation, including design, training, performance generation, fan interaction, and on-chain value capture. It can be broken down into three core layers: the creation layer, the experience layer, and the economic layer.

Creation Layer

The creation layer is the entry point into the MEET48 ecosystem, with MEET48.ai at its core . This product aims to act as a "central hub" for AI-driven content creation. MEET48.ai is also a platform for sharing, showcasing, and creating AI content. MEET48.ai integrates PARO AI as a core creation toolkit, supporting users in creating virtual idols from scratch.

Users can define an idol's appearance, voice characteristics, clothing style, performance attributes, and personality parameters; they can also generate different forms of content around the idol, including songs, dances, videos, comics, and podcasts.

The creation layer caters to both professional creators and fans. MEET48.ai lowers the barrier to entry for creators, enabling users of varying skill levels to generate high-quality AIUGC content. These creations can then be distributed and showcased throughout the ecosystem, or converted into Virtual World Assets (VWAs) and traded on the MEET48 marketplace on the BNB Chain.

Experience Layer

The experience layer corresponds to the environment in which AI-generated idols begin to engage in social and economic activities. Centered around the MEET48 App , this layer serves as the main interactive hub for fans and creators, encompassing modules such as social networking, chat rooms, idol homepages, live events, auditions , competitions, and collaboration spaces. It helps users share content and track the idols' growth progress.

One of the core components of this layer is the on-chain voting and ranking system . Fans use IDOL tokens to influence their idols' exposure, event rankings, and competition results. Idols with higher rankings will receive more exposure within the platform and will be eligible to participate in promotional activities across the entire ecosystem.

Proof of Creativity (PoC) is MEET48's community-driven content verification mechanism. As AI tools significantly reduce content production costs, PoC provides a signal to identify which outputs have cultural relevance and dissemination value. Fans and creators vote on content and performances within the platform, thereby increasing the visibility of high-scoring works. Content with strong PoC signals can receive featured recommendations, enter competitions, or access more advanced tokenization paths through the Mars Protocol .

The experience layer also extends to interactive entertainment scenarios through applications such as Auditions GO and third-party games (including DeFishing ) incubated by MEETLabs . These games form a closed loop of participation and token consumption scenarios, further enhancing user engagement.

Economic Layer

The economic layer provides the foundation for MEET48's value creation and circulation system. At its core is the IDOL token . IDOL is used for on-chain voting, purchasing virtual goods, unlocking advanced interactions, and activating various fan engagement features.

The second major pillar of the economic layer is Mars Protocol . Mars Protocol is MEET48's "Idol Meme Platform," designed to support a growth-driven token economy around real and virtual idols. The protocol supports the creation of community-driven tokens whose Bonding Curve is tied to fan growth and engagement intensity, rather than relying solely on isolated speculative demand.

The tokens issued by Mars do not represent ownership of any individual content asset. Instead, they are fungible community tokens that reflect the collective attention, engagement, and cultural momentum surrounding an idol. By anchoring token expansion to fan-driven growth signals and ongoing content activity, Mars Protocol seeks to extend the token lifecycle, avoid rapid decay caused by short-term speculation, and align token dynamics with the sustainable development of the community.

The economic layer also includes Virtual World Assets (VWAs), which represent tokenized forms of performance clips, scenes, game props, and other user-generated content. VWAs originate from the creation layer and become economically active after entering the market, enabling creators and fans to establish ownership of digital content and participate in secondary market circulation.

Token Economics

The MEET48 governance token, IDOL, is the core fuel driving the MEET48 ecosystem. Most functions within the ecosystem require IDOL to participate, whether it's creating your idol, producing content around your idol, or voting for your favorite idol at award ceremonies. The total supply of IDOL is 4.8 billion , distributed as follows:

● Community (36.2%): 1.74 billion IDOLs, with a 6-month lock-up period, followed by linear release over 48 months.

● Ecosystem (20.0%): 960 million IDOLs will be unlocked in phases, with 96 million unlocked during TGE and the remainder unlocking from the 6th month onwards, in a linear release over 48 months.

● Airdrop (9.0%): 432 million IDOLs will be fully unlocked during TGE.

● Marketing (5.8%): 278.4 million IDOLs were fully unlocked during TGE.

● Strategic Financing (4.0%): 192 million IDOLs, with a 12-month lock-up period, followed by linear release over 24 months.

● Private placement (3.0%): 144 million IDOLs, with a 12-month lock-up period, followed by linear release over 24 months.

● Liquidity (3.0%): 144 million IDOLs will be fully unlocked during TGE.

● IDO (2.00%): 96 million IDOLs were all unlocked during TGE.

● Advisors (2.00%): 96 million IDOLs, with a 12-month lock-up period followed by linear release over 48 months.

Users consume IDOLs to access key platform features, including creating avatars or idols and unlocking participation privileges across various MEET48 products. After completing onboarding, users primarily participate in the ecosystem through the MEET48 App and extended experiences such as Auditions GO.

Users can also choose to participate in the annual audition and ceremony: using IDOL votes, the winner of the annual audition is determined. The prize pool comes from the community token pool. Once the winner is determined, a portion will be allocated from this pool as a reward; another portion will be burned; and the remainder will flow back to the community pool, which can be used for the next round of the competition.

ecosystem

The MEET48 ecosystem comprises an ever-expanding matrix of applications, creator tools, and a token-driven interactive environment, collectively building a unified entertainment universe. The MEET48 App serves as the central hub for social participation, voting, and community interaction; interactive content such as Auditions GO extends idol participation into gamified scenarios; and Mars Protocol supports the formation and operation of token-driven communities.

MEET48 App

The core hub of the MEET48 ecosystem is the MEET48 social application. This app provides social feeds, chat rooms, idol homepages, live events, and collaborative spaces where users can share user-generated content (UGC) and continuously follow the AI-driven growth of their idols. The app also includes an on-chain voting system, seasonal ranking events, and various community activities to continuously drive cultural buzz and discussion within the platform. It is designed as the "social layer" of the MEET48 universe.

Auditions GO

The ecosystem extends into the interactive entertainment field through Auditions GO . Auditions GO is a rhythm game where virtual idols perform user-created dances and participate in competitions. The game is not yet officially launched, but it will utilize PARO AI: PARO AI generates performances and personality settings, enabling idols to participate in rhythm challenges, scoring mechanisms, and social leaderboards. Auditions GO is currently expected to launch in 2026.

Mars Protocol

Mars Protocol serves as a platform to drive community experiences and evolve them into a token economy. Fans and creators can directly participate in an idol-centric meme token ecosystem. Through Mars, users can issue Idol-Meme tokens, participate in Bonding Curve-based marketplaces, and collaborate and organize around tokens associated with emerging idols and culturally resonant moments.

Unlike completely permissionless meme launch platforms, Mars Protocol introduces a structured discovery and support mechanism designed to align token activity with the long-term growth of established icons. Token issuers can choose to access MEET48's incubation framework , which includes supply locking, platform endorsement promotion, and access to AIUGC tools. Community voting plays a central role in determining exposure and popularity; annual events and rankings propel outstanding icons and tokens to higher visibility positions, granting them additional exposure, buyback programs , and liquidity support .

Mars Protocol has also integrated with MEET48's broader ecosystem, including social apps and the metaverse environment, enabling the Idol-Meme token to gain richer use cases through continuous content production, activities, and fan interaction.

Annual Idol General Election

The MEET48 ecosystem includes an annual idol grand finale , serving as a repeatable mechanism to drive fan engagement, content discovery, and token usage. This event allows fans to vote for participating idols (both real and virtual) using IDOL tokens. Voting results influence rankings, platform visibility, and eligibility for subsequent content releases and ecosystem initiatives. Therefore, this competition is more of a structured signal of fan engagement than simply a promotional event.

The inaugural WIPA General Election will be held in August 2025 , marking MEET48's first large-scale implementation of a token-based voting mechanism. During the voting period, fans will contribute approximately 78 million IDOL tokens , equivalent to about 1.63% of the total token supply , to support their participating idols.

The final election framework accommodates both traditional idols and AI-generated virtual idols under the same voting system, placing real and virtual performers in the same competitive environment and allowing fan preferences to be expressed and quantified in a consistent manner.

The tokens used for voting will have a portion removed from circulation through a burning mechanism ; the remainder will flow back into the community fund pool for future incentives and ecosystem projects.

MEETLabs

MEETLabs is MEET48's product and related initiatives for building the user experience layer, expanding the MEET48 ecosystem through project incubation. The first project incubated by MEETLabs is DeFishing , a P2E fishing game. This project's token system involves three tokens: IDOL, GFT, and GSC, one of its core functions being to serve as a token sink for IDOL.

Future Roadmap

MEET48 2026 Annual General Election

MEET48 plans to hold an annual general election , where users will vote for top idols and determine the ultimate winner. This is a crucial part of the MEET48 ecosystem and is essential for the smooth operation of the protocol.

The competition, scheduled for 2026, will give users the opportunity to showcase their AI idols and have fans vote for their favorites.

Conclusion

MEET48 proposes a differentiated AI entertainment path by integrating virtual idol creation, fan participation, and on-chain economic collaboration within the same ecosystem. The platform does not view AI UGC, social interaction, and tokenization as separate vertical businesses, but rather integrates them through a layered architecture, aligning creative output, user interaction, and value capture within the same system.

At the ecosystem level, MEET48 uses IDOL tokens as a collaborative tool: voting, access rights, and participation all require IDOL. Meanwhile, the burning mechanism and structured unlocking arrangements bring a certain deflationary pressure to IDOL. In addition, products such as Mars Protocol further expand the economic functions within the ecosystem, enabling community attention, gaming behavior, and cultural momentum to be transformed into measurable activities and value flows within the MEET48 ecosystem.

As the MEET48 platform continues to expand, its ability to truly build a new AI creator economy will likely determine whether it can maintain long-term, stable engagement after the initial novelty wears off.