X Product Lead Nikita Bier announced the launch of the “Starter Pack” feature within a few weeks, pre-assembling over 1,000 categories covering Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and more. New users can follow top KOLs with one click. This move responds to the platform’s Bitcoin-related post volume dropping 32% in 2025, drawing lessons from Bluesky and Threads’ successful experiences.
X Launches Starter Pack to Combat User Attrition
(Source: X)
The social media platform X is preparing to introduce a new user onboarding feature called “Starter Pack,” allowing new users to immediately follow curated lists of accounts related to specific interests (e.g., cryptocurrencies), making it easier to get started on the platform. X Product Lead Nikita Bier stated in a Wednesday post that the tool will go live within weeks. To identify and organize top accounts in each interest category, they have spent months preparing, with over 1,000 categories pre-made.
In a video shared by Bier, the tool appears to cover a range of major topics, including cryptocurrencies, news, politics, fashion, technology, business, and finance. The video lists examples of categories under these topics, such as Meme coin trading, economics professors, software developers, and cryptopunks. “Over the past few months, we’ve scoured the globe to find the best posters in various fields and countries,” Bier said. “We’ve compiled them into a new tool called ‘Starter Pack’: helping new users find accounts that match their interests—big or small.”
The timing of this feature’s rollout is critical. Rumors suggest that Crypto X’s user engagement is declining. On Tuesday, Bitcoin cryptopunk Jameson Lopp shared data from social media entrepreneur Jean-Christophe Gatuingt, showing a 32% decrease in posts containing the word “Bitcoin” on X in 2025. This decline in engagement is a warning sign for X, as the crypto community has historically been one of its most active user groups.
A 32% drop in post volume may reflect multiple factors. First, Bitcoin’s price experienced volatility in January, falling from nearly $100,000 to $87,000, with market panic causing some users to go silent or leave. Second, competing platforms like Bluesky and Farcaster have attracted some crypto-native users. Third, algorithm adjustments on X may have impacted the visibility of crypto content. Regardless of the cause, declining user engagement threatens X’s ad revenue and platform activity.
User Interest Interaction Is Key to Account Growth
Bier hinted earlier this week about the Starter Packs tool, recalling a conversation with an X product manager who said that account growth is “one of the most challenging aspects” for the app. He emphasized that X’s true “magic” lies in users exploring niche interests beyond mainstream news and politics.
“However, X is an interest-based graph—you can’t simply sync contacts to get relevant updates,” he explained. “Power users like me spend years curating accounts and carefully building their timelines.” He added, “But this problem is now being addressed: over the past six months, we’ve been iterating daily to help new users find content they care about faster and more easily on X. Everything is finally coming together—and it’s amazing.”
This statement reveals a core challenge for X: high costs in acquiring new users. Unlike platforms like Facebook or Instagram, which are based on social connections, X is built around an interest graph. New users who don’t see content aligned with their interests are likely to churn quickly. Finding quality accounts requires significant time and experience, creating a high barrier for newcomers.
The Starter Pack feature aims to solve this pain point. By providing pre-curated account lists, new users can quickly establish personalized timelines and see high-quality content immediately. For Bitcoin and crypto users, this means no longer needing to search for Michael Saylor, Vitalik Buterin, or other top KOLs—they can follow the entire “Bitcoin Starter Pack” with one click and instantly integrate into the crypto community.
From a product strategy perspective, this design draws on successful platform models. Spotify playlists, Netflix recommendation categories, YouTube channel bundles—all reduce the effort needed to discover quality content, boosting retention and engagement. Applying this logic to social following demonstrates a deep understanding of platform positioning.
Bluesky and Threads Proven Success Models
The “Starter Pack” concept isn’t new; other social platforms have long implemented similar features. The US decentralized microblogging platform Bluesky launched “Starter Packs” in June 2024, allowing users to create account categories aligned with their interests. Meta’s competitor Threads began testing similar features in December 2024, enabling users to focus on curated feeds created by Threads members.
Bluesky’s Starter Pack feature achieved notable success. User growth accelerated in late 2024, partly because new users could quickly find content and accounts of interest. The crypto community was highly active on Bluesky, with many users migrating from X, citing that the Starter Pack helped them rebuild years of followed accounts within minutes.
Threads’ testing phase was shorter but initial feedback was positive. Users especially appreciated community-curated topic lists, which felt more human and accurate than algorithmic recommendations. X’s Starter Pack seems to combine both approaches: official platform curation of top accounts to ensure quality, and possibly allowing users to create and share their own Starter Packs, leveraging community power.
X’s decision to launch Starter Packs now appears to be a response to competitive pressure. Bluesky and Threads both saw significant user growth in 2024, capturing some of X’s market share. In the crypto community, many users have migrated due to dissatisfaction with X’s algorithm changes and content moderation policies. The introduction of Starter Packs is a strategic move to regain these users and attract new ones.
For Bitcoin and crypto communities, this feature could have dual effects. Positively, it lowers the barrier for new users, expanding the community and improving content dissemination. Negatively, official curation might introduce bias, potentially excluding certain voices—clashing with decentralization ideals. Also, how “top poster” standards are defined—by followers, engagement, or content quality—remains to be seen. These questions are yet to be answered.
Can Starter Packs Reverse the Bitcoin Community’s Decline on X?
The 32% decline in Bitcoin-related posts in 2025 is a severe warning. If this trend continues, it could weaken X’s position as a hub for crypto information. While Starter Packs may help attract new users, whether they can reverse this downward trend remains uncertain.
The key lies in the quality and update frequency of Starter Packs. If X can accurately identify and recommend top accounts across various fields, regularly refresh lists to reflect community changes, and allow users to customize their feeds, the feature could significantly enhance user experience. Conversely, if Starter Packs become tools for platform promotion or contain inconsistent quality, they might provoke backlash.
Based on Bier’s statements, the X team has invested heavily in this feature—“spending months” curating over 1,000 categories. This investment indicates that X values Starter Packs highly and recognizes that user acquisition and retention are critical for survival. For Bitcoin and crypto users, if executed well, this feature could help X regain its status as the premier platform for crypto information.
