Key Takeaways
- • Aditya Sharma, a 23-year-old crypto trader based in Dubai, is touring 28 states and five union territories in 33 days to raise $200,000 for a school in Solana, a remote village near Jaipur, Rajasthan.
- • According to BusinessLine, Sharma has raised just over $40,000 so far through Slate, a token on the Solana blockchain, with 4 per cent of each traded amount directed to the school project.
- • Slate has about 100 traders and a market capitalisation of over $16,000; fewer than 10 of every 1,000 viewers go on to trade the token.
- • The campaign's fundraising depends on both charitable goodwill and the highly volatile crypto market, and Sharma plans to end the series on November 2 at Solana village.
- • If the target is not met, Sharma says alternatives include developer grants on Solana and laptops for people who cannot afford them.
Summary
A 23-year-old crypto trader, Aditya Sharma, is funding a school through a nationwide travel series and a token-based campaign. According to BusinessLine, Sharma is covering 28 states and five union territories in as many days, accompanied by his friend Ishan Hemnani, with the goal of getting people to trade his token, Slate, on the Solana blockchain. The campaign directs 4 per cent of each traded amount toward building a school in Solana, a village nearly 150 km from Jaipur, where children would receive a year of free education.
The fundraising target is $200,000. Sharma claims to have raised just over $40,000 so far, and he hopes to close the remainder by the end of the series. He plans to conclude the tour on November 2 at the village that inspired the campaign before relocating to Dubai, where he lives. Slate has about 100 traders and a market capitalisation of over $16,000, with market capitalisation defined as the total dollar value of tokens in circulation. Sharma credited the crypto community on X with helping raise the first $40,000, but he acknowledged that converting viewers into traders is difficult, with fewer than 10 of every 1,000 viewers trading the token. He said much of the trading activity comes from people already active in crypto markets.
The campaign's success depends on both charitable interest and the volatility of the cryptocurrency market. BusinessLine notes that IMARC Group estimated India's cryptocurrency market at around $3.61 billion. Sharma said the travel costs, estimated at ₹15,000-20,000 per day, are not funded from Slate proceeds. Sharma has shortlisted two to three NGOs to implement the project, though none has been finalised. He said that if the target is met, the project would establish a legal team and potentially its own firm. If the campaign falls short, alternatives include grants for developers building on Solana and laptops for people who cannot afford them.
The fundraising target is $200,000. Sharma claims to have raised just over $40,000 so far, and he hopes to close the remainder by the end of the series. He plans to conclude the tour on November 2 at the village that inspired the campaign before relocating to Dubai, where he lives. Slate has about 100 traders and a market capitalisation of over $16,000, with market capitalisation defined as the total dollar value of tokens in circulation. Sharma credited the crypto community on X with helping raise the first $40,000, but he acknowledged that converting viewers into traders is difficult, with fewer than 10 of every 1,000 viewers trading the token. He said much of the trading activity comes from people already active in crypto markets.
The campaign's success depends on both charitable interest and the volatility of the cryptocurrency market. BusinessLine notes that IMARC Group estimated India's cryptocurrency market at around $3.61 billion. Sharma said the travel costs, estimated at ₹15,000-20,000 per day, are not funded from Slate proceeds. Sharma has shortlisted two to three NGOs to implement the project, though none has been finalised. He said that if the target is met, the project would establish a legal team and potentially its own firm. If the campaign falls short, alternatives include grants for developers building on Solana and laptops for people who cannot afford them.
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