By 2025, the crypto sector is transitioning from hype to tangible utility. Stablecoin frameworks are being established, tokenized assets are making their way into mainstream markets, and artificial intelligence is starting to operate on-chain.
Layer-1 blockchains are at the forefront of these developments, evolving from mere experiments to the foundational infrastructure driving real-world adoption.
“Layer-1s remain the backbone of the industry,” stated Marc Vanlerberghe, chief strategy and marketing officer at the Algorand Foundation, during this week’s episode of Decentralize with Cointelegraph.
“All innovations build on them. You can create endlessly at the edges, but without a secure and scalable foundation, nothing holds together.”
Challenges to Adoption
Even with ongoing technical advancements, onboarding and user retention continue to be challenges. Vanlerberghe noted:
“It is a daunting challenge today. You need to be exceptionally motivated to navigate the obstacles and complexities that crypto presents.”
This complexity has deterred many newcomers from consistently using blockchain applications after their initial experiences. To mitigate this, various projects are exploring gamified initiatives and user-friendly wallet designs to ease the onboarding process.
“We aim for users to realize the advantages of utilizing Algorand, not through explanations of instant finality, but by having them genuinely experience it,” Vanlerberghe emphasized.
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The Path Forward
As new initiatives emerge within the ecosystem to onboard and retain users, he underscored the significance of resilience and strategic vision.
“You must remain focused on your North Star. That’s your guiding principle, and through the ups and downs, you keep progressing.”
For Algorand, according to Vanlerberghe, this North Star encompasses both retail adoption and enterprise applications such as tokenization and payments.
As tokenized finance grows and blockchain experiments align with real-world demands, layer-1s are positioning themselves not just to endure but to remain indispensable.
For a comprehensive discussion, listen to the full episode of Byte-Sized Insight on Cointelegraph’s Podcasts page, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And remember to explore Cointelegraph’s full roster of podcasts!
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