I am still optimistic about this

Today nugget’s in less than 5 minutes:

• Crypto Twitter's having a meltdown over April Fools' jokes, while Trump's tariff threats have the markets on edge.

• DeFi's facing an identity crisis - building for insiders instead of solving real problems, while DePIN projects show what's possible when crypto delivers tangible value.

• Our w3.fund portfolio is making waves with Iron's acquisition by Moonpay, Mento's African stablecoin innovation, and Tokenize.it's revolutionary approach to startup funding.

• Henrik and I just dropped our new website and shared insights on the Founder Mode podcast about real-world crypto use cases.

A beautiful sunny Friday from Berlin to you all.

Full disclosure - I thought I could share a bigger announcement from the w3 ecosystem with you today and honestly, my head was completely there. We'll have to push that a bit longer, but that doesn't mean the 9th edition of cc'd can't happen!

Thankfully, I have an incredibly smart network around me, an active X account, dogs and read plenty of newsletters, so I'm never short on content.

So this issue is completely POV me and I got you cc'd.

X wasn't too amused on April 1st. There were many April Fools' jokes that were either too obvious or just didn't land well.

Lefteris was particularly unimpressed:

Elon wasn't thrilled either:

I'm curious how things will go for Elon now that he's no longer team Doge…

It's hard to attribute positivity to the crypto market right now when our crypto president Trump keeps imposing tariffs and bringing major economic uncertainty to the country. Here are some memes about it:

I watched this video for 8 minutes and found it so likable:

By the way, I am also on X, pls follow me.

An article I needed to read twice:

• DeFi has been losing TVL and user engagement since early 2022

• Despite ETF approvals and institutional interest, retail engagement remains low

• Core problem: building financial products for crypto-natives instead of solving real-world needs

• Creates a circular economy disconnected from mainstream finance

• DeFi needs to address actual consumer problems (cheaper remittances, accessible credit)

• We're still in the "playing with money" phase rather than "useful financial tools" phase

• Real adoption requires solving problems for non-crypto people

An article about Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) I didn’t know I’d need:

• Merges physical infrastructure with token incentives - we know this but it’s a good reminder for real-world application

• Not just numbers on a screen but actual stuff you can use

• Think Helium (WiFi), energy grids, computing power

• Earn tokens by sharing resources you already have

• Might actually work because people get it - "I share my WiFi, I get paid"

• Cuts out the middlemen (looking at you, Big Tech)

• Finally a crypto use case my mom might understand

• Not another DeFi protocol that's just reshuffling the same money

Thoughts:

Both pieces highlight the same issue: crypto is at a crossroads. DeFi feels stuck, building for insiders while failing to solve real-world problems. Meanwhile, DePIN shows what crypto could be - practical, tangible, and easy for anyone to understand.

It made me wonder: is the industry too focused on itself? DeFi’s stagnation shows the risks of staying in the "sandbox," thinking too small, while DePIN highlights what’s possible when crypto creates fairer, more accessible systems that deliver real-world value instead of just chasing hype.

I had the pleasure of appearing on "Founder Mode," a new podcast hosted by our w3.fund Founding Partner, Feliks. While it's in German, you can think of it as the Deutsche equivalent of "My First Million."

My co-founder Henrik and I were invited to discuss real-world use cases, emerging trends, and the w3 ecosystem. The episode isn't out yet, but I'm eager to share some key points we covered:

We got into stablecoins and tokenized assets, areas where our w3.fund portfolio has some interesting companies. Here are three standouts:

Iron's Acquisition by Moonpay: A Stablecoin Milestone

• The stablecoin market cap currently stands at $200B, with potential for substantial growth.

• Iron has been addressing critical challenges in stablecoin adoption, including fragmented on/off ramps and regulatory complexities.

• Their platform provides essential APIs for fintechs, PSPs, banks, and corporations to build stablecoin-powered financial experiences.

• The synergy with MoonPay's global licensing and reputation is poised to accelerate stablecoin integration into mainstream finance.

Mento: Innovating in Africa

• They're launching a fully-collateralized, multi-currency stablecoin platform.

• A partnership with Opera aims to bring stable digital currencies to a broader audience.

• Their focus is on streamlining cross-border payments and providing financial stability in a region ripe for innovation.

Tokenize.it: Revolutionizing Startup Funding

• They're offering more flexible fundraising options through blockchain technology.

• Their platform uses smart contracts to automate much of the funding process.

• Their Tokenized Investment Contracts (TiCs) provide a novel approach to startup investment.

Since we’re already talking about our fund, I can’t resist introducing you to our new w3.fund website, which went live this week.

An event (or rather, a whole lot of events) you don’t want to miss. If you’d like to join or get involved - it only takes 30 seconds: Click here.

The AI Agent Summit is already live.

• I will be joining the Solana Bootcamp, and you?

• You can now tip on Farcaster.

• Worldcoin wants to integrate VISA

• Trumps son launches American Bitcoin. Because this is how you name a mining business.

• The future of secure chross-chain swaps with Ledger Live & Li.Fi

That’s it.

See you next week 💅🏽

And while we're at it:

I'm on LinkedIn.

I'm on X.

Just started with YouTube and thinking about how to continue it.

Always here at w3.hub.

Active in the w3.group. Follow on LinkedIn to keep up with our projects.