In brief
- The Participation Index reports verified and active creators separately on purpose.
- Verified is reach; active is life. The gap between them is informative.
- Verification is the beginning of participation, not the end of it.
The Participation Index reports verified creators and active creators separately. It would be simpler to report one number. It would also be less honest.
Verified creators counts everyone whose identity and work have passed verification. It is a measure of the economy’s reach — how many people have formally entered.
Active creators counts those taking part within the period. It is a measure of the economy’s life — how many people are actually producing, transacting or participating now.
| Number | Measures | Answers |
|---|---|---|
| Verified creators | Who has formally entered | How far does the economy reach? |
| Active creators | Who is taking part now | How alive is the economy? |
The gap between the two is informative. A narrow gap suggests most verified creators find ongoing reasons to participate. A widening gap suggests the economy is good at bringing people in and less good at giving them something to do once they arrive. Neither number alone reveals that.
The example presentation on the Economy page shows how this reads in practice: a verified count, an active count and a platform count side by side, each with its movement over the period. Figures marked illustrative on this site are examples of presentation, not published data.
| The gap is… | It may mean… |
|---|---|
| Narrow | Most verified creators find ongoing reasons to take part |
| Widening | The economy is better at bringing people in than at giving them something to do |
For creators, the distinction carries a practical message. Verification is the beginning of participation, not the end of it. The economy measures what continues.