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Key Takeaways Stablecoins and tokenized assets show blockchain’s practical value in global payments and finance.
Web3 adoption hinges on connected, invisible networks delivering seamless experiences to millions.
The debate over which blockchain will dominate is finished. Bitcoin long ago established itself as the number one global store of value, and we’ve seen Ethereum cement its place as the primary settlement layer for digital finance.
Early blockchain development was shaped by rivalry. Each new network tried to outperform the others on speed, cost or decentralisation. It was a period that helped drive innovation but also distracted many in crypto from the real question: ‘How can these systems now serve people and businesses?’
Now it’s all about execution. These are pivotal moments for the industry, and we’re beginning to see blockchains move from theory to practical usage.
Crypto’s early years revolved around price and speculation. And they were needed — they served a purpose. Attention and hype brought in invaluable capital, but, unfortunately, also narrowed how people saw the technology. Mainstream investors and traditional finance watched the 2017 boom in ICOs, and it turned blockchain into a byword for wild speculation.
The industry has matured and is finding real-world uses for its products. The adoption of stablecoins alone is expected to generate an additional $1.4 trillion in demand for US dollars by 2027. It now begs the question of not whether blockchain works, but how it can scale to billions of users.
Related: This Ownership Shift is Going to Open Global Wealth to Everyone
The rise of execution layers
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