Last month, I had the chance to teach a blockchain course at the University of Barcelona. I was excited because I could change something and move beyond the theory of wallets, private keys, public keys, and blockchain states. Instead, we could get straight to the cool stuff - practical solutions and apps that we terminally onchain users play with every day.
We covered a ton of topics, from the early days of the internet and why it needed a makeover to how Bitcoin shook up the financial world, how Ethereum is shaping the future of an open web, the value of DeFi, and various available consumer apps.
Over three weeks, students got to play with a bunch of different apps. Here’s what I learned from the experience:
User Onboarding Challenges:
Getting users started without a wallet and funds is tough. I had to use Sepolia for some apps or show them how to buy crypto on MetaMask with a credit card. It's a problem, we need to make it easier to jump over if we want more people to get onchain.
Apps should let you play around without needing to deal with mnemonics or funds. Some made improvements, like Zora integrating Privy and Mints.
Infrastructure vs. Applications:
There’s tons of infrastructure but not enough apps that people can use. While we have fun creating use cases and experiments, the real world doesn’t need complicated tokenomics. People just want a better, more trustworthy economy, not one that’s all about pump-and-dump schemes.
Our onchain bubble is full of new ideas, where 90% are all about tokens, but we often forget to focus on making everyday life better.
The Role of Culture:
In our space, it’s often the marketing that makes or breaks an app, not the tech itself. The culture around a product is crucial. We have lots of similar apps, and the successful ones aren’t always the most advanced - they’re the ones that connect with people.
A project can onboard users through its vision and goals, creating a sense of belonging. Not everyone is looking for higher APYs; many are looking to be part of a greater idea, a better vision, something they believe in.
During the course, 32 students got their first POAP, took out a loan on Aave, created their own token, learned about NFT traits, discovered onchain media on Zora, and got excited about Farcaster. It was an incredible start, but now that we have solid infrastructure, we should focus more on building apps that everyday people can use.
Seeing where our current space is going, I often ask myself: why do we actually want to onboard millions into crypto? What's the need? Is it to meet the KPIs that VCs ask for, or to build something that would improve our lives, even if it's only the financial aspect?
I believe there's a lot of value in what we do, but we often get so caught up in the fun of creating new experiences and use cases within our bubble that we forget how tough life can be outside of it sometimes. And if you have to show someone what onchain means today, it’s basically all about getting coins and playing the casino game in every app, from collecting media to swapping memecoins.
I’m not bearish at all; in fact, I’m more bullish than ever. We just need a shift. We have the infrastructure - smart wallets, gasless platforms, digital ownership, onchain media, etc. Blockchain shouldn’t need a ton of explaining; it should just be used. The new open internet we’re building shouldn’t be compared to web2 apps all the time. Instead, it should stand out because of the benefits users get from choosing the onchain ones.
We need to showcase blockchain by using daily apps, a one-click experience that doesn't need funds to pay for gas, bridging to L2s or L3s, and only allowing EOA wallets.
