Who Captures Value in Web 2.5?
Title: Who Captures Value in Web 2.5?
Summary:
For most of financial history, moving money was difficult and slow. Cryptocurrencies and stablecoins promised faster, cheaper transfers. However, their true potential is realized not by replacing traditional finance but by acting as an efficient, invisible settlement layer beneath it—a hybrid model called "Web 2.5." This fusion combines the regulation and familiar interfaces of traditional finance with the low-cost, programmable, always-on settlement of crypto.
The critical question is: where does value accumulate in this new system? The answer lies in the coordination or "translation" layer that bridges the two financial worlds. History shows that the middleman connecting systems often captures immense value, as seen with Visa or SWIFT. This layer controls the flow of funds and can extract fees, collect float interest, and wield significant power (e.g., sanctions).
Now, four main models are competing to become this dominant translation layer: protocols (like Chainlink), market utilities, banking cooperatives, and central bank clubs. For instance, Chainlink, in partnership with a consortium of banks, is piloting real-time FX settlement. SWIFT is building its own blockchain-based ledger layer. The Bank for International Settlements is testing tokenized central bank reserves.
Ultimately, Web 2.5 is more promising than a purely decentralized utopia because it doesn't require abandoning existing systems. Instead, crypto becomes a commoditized, hidden infrastructure enabling faster, cheaper transactions within the traditional financial framework. The winning coordination layer will hold the power and capture the economic value in this new landscape.
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