The Taipei Blockchain Week (TBW) entered its final stage on the 14th, and the closing panel discussion Helping Web3 Builders Onboard the Next Billion Users became the focus. This discussion invited several industry leaders, including:
- Ivan Li, Founding Partner of Comma3 Ventures (Moderator)
- John Cho, VP of Marketing at Kaia Foundation
- Dan Lee, Senior Business Manager of Web3 at LINE NEXT
- Eefy Lin, Web3 Solutions Architect at Google Cloud
- Yoka Zhou, Executive Director of ABGA.
This discussion directly addressed how Web3 can break through boundaries and attract more users, as well as the optimistic factors for the future.
Factors to Break Through the User Growth Bottleneck
Moderator Ivan Li first asked: "What are the key factors and challenges to onboard the next billion users into the Web3 and cryptocurrency space?" The panelists shared their perspectives from user experience to infrastructure.
John Cho emphasized three core issues: "First is the user experience (UX/UI). Currently, the interfaces of many crypto projects are too complex for newcomers. We need to integrate the Web3 user experience into familiar daily tools like LINE." He also criticized the existing "exploration and discovery mechanisms" as disappointing, and believed that the quality of products is the key to attracting the masses, saying:
What we really need to build are products and services that ordinary users can understand and are willing to use, not just assuming "if we build it, they will come".
Dan Lee from LINE NEXT echoed this view and pointed out that the appeal of the service itself is the foundation of user loyalty.
"Web3 projects must evolve from pure profit mechanisms to providing genuinely useful functions. Otherwise, many users will only flock in during the investment stage and eventually leave."
He also added that LINE NEXT is committed to combining the strengths of Web2 and Web3, and believes this is the key to achieving scalable growth.
At the end of the day, the service and product must be excellent, and the cost must be affordable, this is the key.
Eefy Lin from Google Cloud raised the importance of infrastructure.
"We have already built a solid foundation, such as development tools and educational resources, which make it easier for new developers to get started. We believe this will drive the emergence of more innovative Web3 applications."
Yoka Zhou emphasized the importance of localization.
"Many Web3 projects still only provide English services, ignoring the needs of local markets. For example, in Taiwan, we need to provide operating instructions in Chinese; in Japan or Thailand, we should also use local languages for optimization."
She believes that providing customized services based on the characteristics of different regional markets is the key to driving user growth.
In addition, she pointed out that the "simplification of user experience" is also a focus, especially in digital wallets and private key management. She called on developers to adopt more familiar login methods, so that first-time Web3 users can feel relaxed and stress-free.
What Challenges Does Web3 Need to Overcome?
Ivan Li then asked what challenges exist besides the key factors. He first pointed out that while MetaMask is a mainstream tool, its setup and use are too complex, and more user-friendly applications are needed to lower the threshold.
John said that many current projects rely on token incentives to attract users, but this is not sustainable, and they should focus more on creating products that can attract mainstream and non-crypto native users.
Yoka Zhou mentioned that the scams and phishing sites in the crypto space make many users wary, and the industry needs to improve security standards and build trust.
The Power of Partnerships
During the discussion, the moderator asked how partnerships and communities can jointly drive the development of the ecosystem.
Yoka Zhou pointed out that as a project party, they should gather upstream and downstream partners and establish a dedicated builder community.
Eefy Lin said: "Collaborating with large Web2 companies like Google Cloud and LINE can leverage their mature brand credibility and technical experience to quickly enhance the credibility and influence of Web3." He particularly mentioned the value of co-building the ecosystem, "Our close cooperation with the local community makes Web3 projects more in line with actual needs."
In addition, John Cho shared the Kaia Foundation's strategy of achieving resource complementarity through partnerships. "We leverage the power of partners to make up for our own resource shortcomings, especially in regional market expansion. This strategic approach has greatly improved our efficiency."
The Optimistic Trends in the Current Market
Finally, before the discussion ended, the moderator asked the panelists to share the market trends they are most optimistic about.
Dan Lee is optimistic about the upcoming high-quality applications, "Regardless of market cycles, products that truly solve problems will win users."
Yoka Zhou is optimistic about the development potential of Mini Apps, believing they can attract a large number of users with low thresholds.
John Cho expressed optimism towards "the government, legislators and regulators", believing that "2025 will be a critical year for the government and regulators to fully adopt blockchain technology", and pointed out that more and more countries are taking an open attitude towards cryptocurrency and providing more compliance frameworks, citing the example of the United States considering including Bitcoin in the national strategic reserve.
John Cho also joked that he is very optimistic about the Doge meme coin, mentioning that the establishment of the US Department of Efficiency could bring it significant exposure, but still emphasized that this choice is based on his optimism towards the government, regulators and legislators.
