What makes a prestige-driven social network feel genuinely exclusive?

I’m building GoldEnt’s, a paid social network where status, reputation, virtual wealth, auctions, and visibility are part of the product rather than background signals.

I’m trying to understand what genuinely makes a premium community feel exclusive without making it feel empty or artificial. Is exclusivity created mainly by pricing, selective access, visible hierarchy, a strong identity, or the quality of the members and their interactions?

I’d be interested in honest opinions, including what could make this type of concept compelling—or immediately unappealing.