The Many Badges of Farcaster

Farcaster has iterated through multiple badge and verification systems since its early days. What started as a simple way to recognize early adopters evolved into a revolving door of status symbols—each with its own criteria, controversies, and eventual sunset.

The OG NFT (October 2023) — When Farcaster went permissionless, @dwr announced two commemorative NFTs. "Farcaster OG was airdropped to everyone with an active badge" at the time of the transition. Later he clarified: "If you had signed up but stopped being active, didn't get it. If you were using the app but did not have the active badge, didn't get it."

The Active Badge (Early 2024) — The first algorithmic reputation system. @dwr published the formula and FAQ, but it quickly became a target for gaming. By March 2024, he acknowledged: "Active badge needs a revamp. We're working on figuring out the right trade off between accessible and useful."

The Power Badge (March - July 2024) — The most controversial system. On March 20, 2024, @dwr made the dramatic announcement: "The age of the active badge is over. The time of the power user badge has come."

Unlike the Active Badge, it used a PageRank-style algorithm based on engagement from other badge holders. @dwr explained the criteria: "Post content others with the power badge find interesting. If you get enough engagement from them, you get the badge."

The Power Badge created a two-tier ecosystem that proved divisive. By late August 2024, @dwr confirmed its end: "we got rid of power badges a month or so ago. but now we have a daily top 100 caster competition." Users still remember. As @sartocrates recently put it: "remember 'power badges' 💀💀" — a cast that hit 41 likes and 17 replies.

The Purple Halo (2024-2025) — A simpler badge tied to wallet funding. Deposit funds to your Warpcast wallet and a purple halo appeared on your profile. It was quietly retired when Farcaster Pro launched. @dwr announced: "As part of the Farcaster Pro launch today, wallet funding purple halos are retired."

Farcaster Pro (May 2025 - Present) — The current system. A $120/year subscription with a purple badge, 10K character posts, and 4 embeds. The first 10,000 subscribers received a limited edition NFT. @dwr set expectations clearly: "It's optional. No benefit to reach, visibility or rewards. You don't have to subscribe."

Through all these iterations, one thing remains constant: the community's complicated relationship with status systems. Neynar still maintains its own Power Badge API with roughly 2,500 holders, and OpenRank continues to quietly influence reputation across the ecosystem.