Web3 for the Masses: Building Decentralized Tech for Global Adoption | Futurist Conference 2024

Smart contracts will become fundamental to software interactions and daily life, similar to how the internet evolved to be ubiquitous

Current crypto/Web3 adoption remains under 1% penetration due to poor user experience and complex interfaces - focus needs to shift from backend technology to frontend usability

End users don’t care about technical details (blockchains, protocols, programming languages) - they want simple, seamless experiences comparable to Web2 applications

Regulation isn’t necessarily the enemy but needs to be balanced - clear guidelines are needed while still allowing room for innovation. Self-custody provides more flexibility than centralized options

Wallet development and user experience is critical for mass adoption - needs to be as simple as traditional payment methods and “grandmother-friendly”

Education and interoperability between chains/protocols is essential for broader adoption and developer onboarding

Web3 infrastructure is evolving beyond just ledger-based systems to include decentralized cloud computing, storage, and AI capabilities

The industry needs to focus less on technical jargon and more on practical utility and real-world use cases

Developer experience needs improvement - transpilers and familiar programming languages could help Web2 developers transition to Web3

Current regulatory uncertainty and lack of clear token classification guidelines is hindering innovation and forcing companies to engage in regulatory arbitrage