At AIKON, blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi) aren’t only about helping users prosper, but also about enabling more users to join and benefit from the technology. Indeed, the cross-blockchain offerings of this cutting-edge DeFi platform stand to make enterprises more secure and their blockchain transactions more transparent, fast and easy-to-use.
DeFi also has a part to play in much-needed social and cultural transformation, which was apparent as CEO and co-founder Marc Blinder answered cryptocurrency and blockchain-related questions at the AIKON’s second AMA Monday on Twitter Spaces.
Blinder related an experience about meeting a woman who was an entrepreneur from Afghanistan as a way to show how blockchain and crypto can create more equality.
“I asked her, ‘What do you think about cryptocurrency?’ She said, ‘I love Bitcoin. It was the first time women in my country could have money in a way that men didn’t know about.’”
Participants at the AMA not only showed an active interest in DeFi, but they also shared support of DeFi’s and AIKON’s inclusiveness, regardless of gender and age.
“It’s an aspect of reliability and credibility,” said one participant.
Blinder also offered his support for equal opportunity in DeFi.
“Lots of women should be building on blockchain. They’re out there, but I wish there were ten times as many people out there doing it.”
On Equal Access As Well As Opportunity
Blinder spoke right to the core of DeFi’s — and AIKON’s — democratic ideals and put the polarizing, corrupt players of conventional, centralized finance in focus.
“What goes on with finance is usually a conversation between bankers and lawyers, and they’re not interested in speaking the language other people speak. They make the rules — and benefit from the rules. Blockchain is unseating those old methods.”
Moreover, Blinder talked optimistically about what AIKON and other DeFi platforms are doing and should be doing to reach users of all walks of life—in terms of accessibility, specifically.
“The idea of having neutral platforms — like replacing a stock exchange with Uniswap or replacing a bank with Compound, a lending protocol—where everyone knows the rules, and the rules are easily explained and understood … I think that will make the whole world of finance accessible for the average person.”
AIKON’s CEO was realistic but confident about DeFi’s future and the widespread availability of guided navigation through the riskier aspects of DeFi.
“Most people aren’t used to blockchain … If it’s not transparent and people don’t understand it, how are they going to trust it? I think the industry needs to provide education to the masses if we want to get the really big picture adoption for blockchain that the industry is hoping for.”
On the Growth of NFTs
Marc Blinder also pointed out that non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which are blockchain-based unique digital representations of a virtual or physical item, need to be more accessible to everyone.
Moreover, Blinder shared his views on what’s next in the NFT space over the next year or two. Currently, NFTs are used largely for virtual or physical art and other kinds of collectibles.
“What we’ll start to see are NFTs that bring with them not just an online collectible but actual rights for things in the real world.”
The AIKON CEO then gave several examples relating to the entertainment and hotel industries, such as with NFTs for backstage passes at an actual concert or stays in a real hotel.
“These types of offline perks are a perfect use case for NFTs, and I think that’ll be one of the biggest transitions for taking them from something that’s got a very limited market right now—very passionate, but kind of limited market right now—to a much bigger market, where you start to plug into these experiences that people are already paying for. This kind of use case is super important for actually growing the user base and getting more mass adoption.”
Regarding gaming, one of NFTs’ earliest areas of use case, Marc Blinder acknowledged growth, value and potential, especially with online identities and avatars. However, he also indicated the need for improvement.
“We have to speed the process up to get a normal gaming experience that comes with owning, learning and playing games.”
Blinder also hinted at the company’s future involvement with real estate and NFTs, but left it as a yet-to-be-disclosable cliffhanger for later AMAs.
Bringing It All Home
Indeed, many platforms and partners in the DeFi space aim to satisfy DeFi’s improved transparency, fluidity, and reduction of costly intermediaries. However, not all of them stand to connect to as many users — or be as innovative — as Blinder’s company already does.
ORE ID, the platform’s unique identity management tool, offers a highly user-friendly, open-source login interface safeguarding access to a wallet that can facilitate potentially any blockchain connection an enterprise needs.
Blinder explained how the authentication solution is made to reach users of any level of experience with blockchain and decentralized finance apps (dApps)— which can be applied to potentially any blockchain.
“It’s designed around companies paying for their users. You don’t need to download a wallet. You can interact in this world without having to negotiate around getting started.”
Join the future of DeFi right now and contact AIKON to discuss how our tools can enhance your enterprise’s success.
Everyone in your enterprise—from crypto newbs to industry experts—will be happy you did!