Driving the crypto commerce ecosystem forward: An interview with exeno CEO

The blockchain revolution is ushering in a new era of innovation. As a decentralized future is on the horizon for all industries, exeno is on the path to redefining the dynamic notion of purchasing and reselling products by building the first crypto commerce (c-commerce) ecosystem.

Exeno is developing a multi-tool, cryptocurrency ecosystem that aims to unleash users’ creativity in adopting cryptocurrencies. First-time adopters will enjoy exeno’s simple, fast, and secure marketplace. More advanced crypto users will find delight in the platform’s innovative ideas such as the Stake Back rewards program inspired by e-commerce’s traditional cashback programs. And users of all levels will explore other features of the platform’s ecosystem, ranging from affiliate programs to their cryptocurrency – exeno coin (EXN).

In an interview with, the CEO of exeno – Tom Babiak – we discussed the platform, the c- commerce ecosystem, the products and features offered by exeno, and much more.

1. What was the vision behind creating exeno? Please describe the journey involved in creating this platform.

Before exeno even started officially in 2020, there were prior projects & experiences within the tech, commerce, and crypto areas.  It can even be said that exeno was the stage that brought all the past efforts together under one roof. Therefore, getting into crypto and e-commerce, and combining the two into what we are now calling crypto commerce (as well as “c-commerce”) just became natural. The next area of focus, however, then became examining the industry in general and seeing what stage crypto commerce was at.  Needless to say, it was and still is very nascent.  

Our belief as a team was always that crypto will and should become a form of payment for everyday items as much as fiat has been to date; however, for numerous reasons it still was far off from that goal.  We took a step back and decided to set out our ultimate vision: when one thinks of crypto commerce, exeno is the brand that pops into their minds immediately.  From that end goal, we had to truly start thinking about what this specific industry focus needed. Exeno 1.0 was launched in mid-2021 as the initial step into this journey.  It was nothing more than a merchant site with a crypto payment gateway, but it became the initial proof of concept (PoC) from which we gathered significant amounts of useful insight.  

Towards the end of 2021, the core team took all the learnings) and started to plan the roadmap.  It realized that buying with crypto was not the only main point as many payment gateways already enabled that.  It was about building end-to-end unprecedented solutions that would not only deliver an unrivaled crypto shopping experience but also move the sector forward.  The roadmap we published is the culmination of it all.

2. What are the features that make exeno stand out from other platforms in the crypto space?

The focus on the crypto commerce sector – while not a feature in the traditional sense – is already something that makes exeno stand out.  We are not a centralized or decentralized exchange or the latest DeFi platform, we are aiming to bring the Web 2.0 e-commerce experience refined over decades into the Web 3.0 / crypto space but further improved with features that are better powered by blockchain technology.  Every feature we will be deploying – even if already available – will be tailored in some shape of form towards the crypto commerce experience.  

We are building a seamless crypto bridge for our exeno coin (currently in the sales stage) to empower a multi-blockchain coin, and while the coin will have its own utility, it will also improve the experience within the exeno ecosystem through exclusive discounts, paying out affiliate commissions, a new twist on traditional cashback we’re calling Stake Back (cashback combined with staking), and much more.  It will also power the upcoming features we have planned including an NFT marketplace not only focused on traditional uses for NFTs, but also on exeno needs such as NFT-based proof of ownership.  

We are planning to use SSI-based technology not only to verify a person’s identity but also to solve the long-term issue plaguing the e-commerce industry, namely fake reviews. We are also going to introduce a payment gateway with features unseen within the crypto space including a resolution center that will ultimately serve as part of the backbone for the next version of exeno 2.0, and more to come on the horizon. 

3. What potential does c-commerce hold in the rapidly expanding crypto sphere?

The platform recently introduced its motto which is to “bring crypto to life”.  We feel that c-commerce can play a significant role in the crypto mass adoption challenge.  Once users understand that it has as many more uses than fiat, that should lead to it being utilized for more everyday needs & purchases much like fiat has been to date, basically bringing crypto into the daily routine, and bringing it into one’s life. 

That phrase also has a very specific meaning with crypto commerce especially as this focus allows a user to take something digital and convert it into a physical good as if it was brought to life.  With its ecosystem, exeno is primed to not just introduce another crypto project, but actually, another strong reason supporting crypto’s usage. 

4. According to you, what role does the platform play in propelling the c-commerce ecosystem forward?

As of right now, the platform is not just a product, it is a team, vision, and mentality. Currently, there is no other company that has such a focus in this space specifically.  Of course, there are companies focused on elements of it, but exeno is focusing on all the parts that make up one crypto commerce ecosystem, and with that alone we can say we are playing a dominant role in propelling this sector forward. 

5. What is the exeno coin (EXN)? What utilities does it provide on the platform’s ecosystem?

To meet our ambitious future milestones, we launched exeno coin to “glue” all the features together.  It is an EIP 1363 coin that is currently on sale across three main blockchains and already embraces the multi-chain approach as a result.  We figured if we want to lead the crypto commerce sector, we must become blockchain agnostic. 

In addition to that, it will offer discounts within the marketplace, it will be the only currency of all exeno programs and features such as our soon-to-launch referral program and our innovative Stake Back program where a user gets a predetermined amount of cashback for an item they purchase in the marketplace which goes through a 30-day pending period before it is paid out; however, during that period it is staked and earning a competitive APY so the user gets more than expected!  Of course, all the upcoming features listed on the roadmap will solely rely on exeno coin to operate. 

6. Could you explain a bit more about the different products and services of the NFT marketplace set to launch?

The aim of the NFT marketplace is to introduce a safe and secure place to allow pre-vetted creators to sell and trade their works; however, we will also use NFT technology to offer proof of purchase for products on our marketplace which may eventually be used for a variety of purposes such as insurance for example. 

We will also be exploring other “digital meets physical” angles with a simple example of a user who buys a new smartphone and then buys an NFT wallpaper for it.  To sum up, the team here understands that launching yet another NFT marketplace may offer no value add, but there are still many uses for NFT technology that have not been explored yet would complement the exeno experience.

7. The stake-back rewards program sounds fascinating, what was the idea behind such an innovation?

As mentioned in previous replies, part of our mission is that of mass adoption and part of that includes education.  Cashback programs are a staple of many e-commerce platforms, so we thought how could we take that, reward users, but at the same time show them a benefit that is very crypto.  Stake Back was a simple yet effective way to cover all those needs. 

When a user purchases an item that has Stake Back, they receive a percentage of the cost of the item back only in exeno coin.  Much like traditional cashback, there is a pending period.  In our case that is 30 days.  During that period, the exeno coin is staked.  In the end, the user gets a bit more than they expected, and the theory is that the user will want to further understand how, and it may not only educate them on the benefit of crypto but also encourage them to stake it further.

8. In your opinion, are international brands aware of the possibilities associated with a revolutionary space like c-commerce, and how hyped are they to be a part of it?

Of course, they are, but while they may be international brands in the traditional / Web 2.0 sphere, we are also seeing a pattern of this area not being able to fully comprehend how to adapt to the Web 3.0 arena.  From all the recent media, they are very hyped about all the possibilities that crypto and its sectors like c-commerce can offer.  Already we see brands trying to enter the space, but they are still trying.  We do feel that this is where exeno has its advantage, and that is mainly due to the fact it is solely focused here with experienced talent backing it up, something international brands still lack.

9. What lies ahead on the Exeno roadmap? Can you elaborate on your goals for this year?

When looking at our roadmap, is quite ambitious, and we aim to meet our deadlines with little to no delay.  We are launching our own bridge in collaboration with a well-respected company in this space.  We launched and are going to further expand the uses related to exeno coin; we are aiming to launch the early versions of our payment gateway as well as exeno 2.0.

To sum up, we have been building and launching products including exeno for years, and 2022 will see us deploy more features bringing us closer to our ultimate goal, when you think about crypto commerce, only exeno should pop into your head.  

For more information on exeno, please check out their official website.

Disclaimer: This is a paid post and should not be treated as news/advice.