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Looking back: what 2025 actually delivered
Before addressing the year ahead, the team took a moment to acknowledge 2025 - a year where progress was often overshadowed by market volatility and shortened attention spans.
Despite difficult conditions, Pineapple shipped core infrastructure, expanded its product surface, and proved its ability to build, deploy, and operate complex onchain systems. The takeaway wasn’t perfection - it was resilience, speed of execution, and a foundation that allows Pineapple to adapt rather than stall.
The 2026 reality check: why strategy had to change
The team addressed a central concern head-on: why Pineapple appears to have shifted focus.
According to recent CryptoRank data, 88% of projects are currently trading below their TGE price, including major incumbents. Two structural failures dominate the market:
- Projects fail to generate sustainable revenue.
- Even when revenue exists, it is rarely linked to the token in a value-accretive way.
Pineapple acknowledged that it has not been immune to these dynamics and that marketing or narrative alone cannot fix a broken economic structure.
This insight led to a clear re-prioritisation for 2026.
Core focus #1: revenue comes first
Pineapple originally launched as a fee-free DEX with plans to introduce fees later. That path became non-viable once market leaders removed fees entirely. Introducing fees would have alienated users without solving the revenue problem.
Rather than force an outdated model, Pineapple is shifting toward revenue-first products:
- Products that generate income from day one
- Revenue that flows back into the Pineapple ecosystem
- Tokens introduced only after product-market fit, as alignment tools, not fundraising mechanisms
This means Pineapple will acquire, build, or launch revenue-generating products under its umbrella, with value explicitly routed back to the ecosystem and to $PAPPLE.
Core focus #2: making $PAPPLE central
The team acknowledged a critical shortcoming: even where progress existed, $PAPPLE was not structurally embedded into value flow clearly enough.
Pineapple 2.0
Pineapple 2.0 is not a relaunch or a pivot. It is the framework that turns Pineapple into one coherent capital system, with $PAPPLE explicitly designed as its economic centre.
At its core, Pineapple 2.0 is anchored around onchain capital:
- How capital is raised
- How it moves
- How it is deployed
- How it is analysed and optimised
DEXs, bots, launch platforms, automation tools, and prediction markets are not separate missions, they are different stages of the same capital lifecycle.
Going forward:
- Pineapple is no longer “just a DEX” or “just a bot”
- Products exist to affect capital
- Capital flows are coordinated across the ecosystem
- Value flows back into $PAPPLE intentionally and measurably
What Pineapple 2.0 changes in practice
A key concern raised by the community was that new products often felt disconnected from $PAPPLE holder value. The team acknowledged this wasn’t just a communication issue, structurally, it wasn’t always obvious how new initiatives strengthened the core asset.
Under Pineapple 2.0:
- Every product must have a defined value path back to $PAPPLE
- Benefits must be visible and quantifiable
- Development is no longer abstract or siloed
Materials detailing the full Pineapple 2.0 framework are currently being finalised, alongside the re-engineering of $PAPPLE into every current and future product.
Addressing key community questions
Strategy and vision
Pineapple is building a connected DeFi stack that powers the full lifecycle of onchain capital - trading, launches, automation, execution, and insights, all coordinated through $PAPPLE.
The DEX remains core. What changed is the sustainability model around it.
SEED vs PAPPLE
SEED was introduced to accelerate building and showcase execution strength. The team acknowledged missteps in how SEED was positioned initially, particularly around token-first launches.
Going forward:
- No tokens for the sake of tokens
- Products must generate revenue first
- Tokens come later, after proof of demand
Revenue generated within the ecosystem flows back into both SEED and PAPPLE.
Price action and trust
- BaseCase presale issues were technical and have been corrected
- SEED presale losses are acknowledged; focus is now on revenue-driven supply control
- Buybacks have begun and will be shared transparently on-chain
Revenue and adoption
DEX usage alone won’t solve revenue. Pineapple’s strategy is to:
- Build revenue elsewhere first
- Reinvest that revenue into sustainable user acquisition
- Create repeatable loops rather than hype spikes
JB V2 plays a major role here by enabling organic distribution into Telegram communities, followed by upselling paid features and tooling.
Product delivery
Delays happen in complex systems. The team acknowledged the need for earlier and clearer communication around changes to timelines. Development is handled via a hybrid in-house and outsourced model, currently being optimised with new operational hires to improve coordination and accountability.
Marketing
The team confirmed:
- Raid teams and farming-style competitions are being deprioritised
- Low-quality Zealy mechanics will be phased out
- KOL strategy is being rebuilt around trusted, direct relationships only
Future marketing will focus on fewer, higher-conviction channels tied to real users and capital.
Communication and transparency
A clear commitment was made to:
- Regular development updates
- At least monthly AMAs
- Clearer milestones and delivery visibility
The $PAPPLE LP has been re-locked until August 2026, with public proof shared.
A detailed 2026 roadmap will be released as part of the Pineapple 2.0 rollout.
The team acknowledged past missteps, took accountability for communication gaps, and emphasised adaptability as the defining strength moving forward.
The commitment for 2026 is simple:
- Build meaningfully
- Ship polished, revenue-generating products
- Engineer $PAPPLE into the core of everything
Pineapple isn’t here to chase hype cycles. It’s here to survive difficult markets, compound capital responsibly, and build a system that lasts.
