Breaking Down Barriers in Web3: Simplifying the User Experience

Imagine a person's first experience with cryptocurrency. They've heard about the benefits of owning digital money, accessing global markets, and participating in the new economy. They download a wallet, purchase some ETH, and find an interesting app. Then, they're prompted to switch to a different network. This can be overwhelming, with many users giving up due to frustration. A study found that 80% of crypto users quit within 90 days. The proliferation of powerful blockchains has created a fragmented and clumsy user experience, pushing away all but the most determined users. The 'Network Switch' has become a symbol of everything holding the industry back. When the author was at ConsenSys, the goal was to onboard users to Ethereum through MetaMask. However, as other chains launched, the 'Networks' dropdown appeared, revealing the industry's fundamental problem: prioritizing technical expansion over user comprehension. If users have to think about chains, the industry has already failed. Using crypto can be a complex and maddening experience, with users having to navigate multiple networks, bridges, and wallets. Every network switch prompt costs users, wastes time, and kills adoption. The internet won when complexity disappeared, and the same needs to happen with crypto. Developers are also drowning in complexity, with founders spending more time managing infrastructure than building products. The solution is chain abstraction, which would make the underlying blockchain invisible to users. This technology exists, with solutions like ZeroDev and Chainlink CCIP improving the user experience. Blockchains like ZetaChain enable apps to span multiple chains, including the Bitcoin network. Imagine a universal layer that securely connects to all chains, allowing users to perform actions like swapping native BTC for ETH with a single click. The infrastructure works, but the industry needs to commit to implementing something radically simpler. The crypto industry stands at a crossroads, and it's time to choose between building for users or remaining a niche corner of finance. The network switch needs to become a relic of the past, and the technology to make blockchains invisible is ready. The question is whether the industry has the courage to admit its mistakes and make a change.