METHODS article
Front. Blockchain
Sec. Blockchain in Industry
Tokenomics Design for Local Communities. Interdisciplinary Method for Co-design
Irene Domenicale 1,2
Cristina Toti 1
Cristina Viano 1
1. University of Turin, Turin, Italy
2. Universita degli Studi di Camerino, Camerino, Italy
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Abstract
ABSTRACT Blockchain technologies are increasingly explored as tools for strengthening local, collaborative economies, yet existing tokenomics models remain rooted in financial incentives and market-based logics. This paper advances an interdisciplinary approach to the analysis and design of socially embedded tokenized systems for local communities. Drawing from token engineering, economic sociology, monetary theory, and research on digital platforms, we develop a multidimensional framework that captures the social, governance, economic, and technological dimensions of tokenized circuits of commerce. Building on this framework, we introduce a participatory co-design methodology based on four phases, from contextual framing to socioeconomic modeling, mechanism design, and technical token specification. The method emphasizes the need for aligning token design with community values, non-market forms of integration, and the relational and situated nature of money and digital artifacts. It is complemented by a civic-oriented blockchain wallet that can be customized to support different tokenized systems. The applicability of this methodology is preliminarily evaluated through a case study in the food-waste recovery domain, conducted as part of a feasibility study for a tokenized redistribution system addressing social inclusion.
Summary
Keywords
Blockchain, Co-design method, interdisciplinarity, social and collaborative economies, tokenomics
Received
01 December 2025
Accepted
17 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Domenicale, Toti and Viano. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Irene Domenicale
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.