GameFi Café #04: From Axie to Pokémon — is crypto freedom or a digital casino?

The fourth episode of GameFi Café Talks featured a notable guest: Heloisa Passos (Helo), an entrepreneur and crypto market veteran since 2017. In a relaxed but insight-packed conversation, the discussion covered topics from Axie Infinity to Pokémon cards, along with reflections on the future of Web3.

From Axie to empires: a journey in Web3

Helo entered the crypto space when everything was just getting started. Back in 2020, when she began with Axie, the game had fewer than 6,000 players worldwide, and Axies cost around $16.

As the market grew, she witnessed the expansion firsthand:

• Axies rising from $16 to over $200
• Rare assets reaching $650
• Communities growing exponentially

She also built one of the largest communities in South America and now leads Trex, a company focused on monetization for influencers and esports teams.

Crypto: financial freedom or a casino?

Helo’s answer is direct: it depends on how you play the game.

According to her, there are two paths: 🎯 Long-term vision (infrastructure and technology) → potential for financial freedom
🎰 “Get rich quick” mindset → turns into a digital casino

She emphasizes that crypto is, above all, a market — with risks, speculation, and volatility similar to traditional markets, but amplified.

Rug pulls, FOMO, and lessons learned

Even with experience, Helo has faced — or almost faced — difficult situations.

She avoided major losses by staying conservative, but mentioned cases like:

• Projects such as CryptoCars (where she entered with a planned 20-day exit)
• Thetan Arena, which had promising gameplay but weak economics
• Investments driven by hype, such as projects tied to major IPs

The takeaway? 👉 Discipline and strategy matter more than hype.

Pokémon vs NFTs: what’s the real difference?

One of the most interesting moments was the comparison between Pokémon cards and NFTs.

At first glance, they seem similar: both are collectibles. But Helo highlights key differences:

🧠 Market maturity
Pokémon: ~30 years building value
NFTs: less than 10 years

❤️ Emotional value vs speculation
Pokémon → nostalgia, culture, and passion
NFTs → often hype and profit expectations

📢 Narrative
Helo makes a clear point: “I prefer to call NFTs digital collectibles.”

Perception changes everything.

The impact of influencers on price

The discussion about a Pokémon card sold for millions brought another insight: influencers can inflate markets.

When big names get involved:

• Visibility increases
• FOMO is triggered
• Prices rise beyond “natural value”

This applies to both Pokémon and crypto.

Collecting: passion or status?

The answer: both.

It all depends on intent:

• Buying for love → emotional value
• Buying for status or content → social value

In the end, the price of a rare item is simple: “It’s worth what someone is willing to pay.”

Whether it’s a card, a skin, or a historical item, value is subjective.

Web3: future or present?

For Helo, Web3 is already real — but still under construction.

Key points:

• Stablecoins are growing in the institutional space
• Projects are focusing less on hype and more on utility
• Integrations with Web2 games are increasing

The trend? 👉 Blockchain becomes invisible to users, but essential behind the scenes.

Is it still worth entering the crypto market?

After years in the space, Helo is clear: yes, it still is.

Reasons:

• The user base is still small compared to the global population
• The market continues to grow
• New opportunities emerge every cycle

But with a warning: 👉 Don’t expect to repeat the “crazy” gains of past cycles.

Closing

Episode 4 of GameFi Café shows a Web3 market that is maturing — moving away from hype and toward real use cases.

Between Axies, Pokémon cards, and reflections on value, one idea stands out: the future isn’t just about technology, but about how people connect with it.