Steem provides great value to both the producers and consumers of content, a huge improvement from previous social platforms. However, that value is only shared within a closed system of Steem users.
In the future, as the number of users on Steem plateaus, what is the incentive to keep holding Steem Power, and how can we make sure that the value of Steem continues to grow, rather than go stagnant or even decline?
I think a possible solution is to capture the value of the Steem community, and bring in money from outside of the Steem community, increasing the value of Steem for all users.
Like facebook, youtube, and other social media platforms, having a huge amount of users, as well as data and original content is valuable not just to the users, but to many advertisers and businesses around the world.
I imagine a future Steem DAO that sells ad space, as well as other valuable assets created by the community that companies and businesses need (possibly in other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum), with every Steem user being a potential shareholder, proportional to the amount of Steem Power they own.
Essentially, Steem (the currency) will then be backed not only by the community of users, but also by "real assets". The Steem DAO will hold on to all other currencies obtained through this process of selling value to companies, and people outside of the Steem economy, forming a baseline for the value of Steem. And even if the number of users does not increase, because the Steem DAO is taking money from outside the Steem community, Steem's value can continue to grow and not stagnate. There will be continuous incentives for people and investors to hold Steem Power.