The Ship is About to Sail: Why You Really Need to Know About Web3

Web3 is the next iteration of the internet; a decentralised alternative to the big tech (Google, Microsoft, Meta) landscape we have come to know. Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of it - few people have. It’s not really ‘there’ yet - what exists right now is only the beginnings of a new engine room that will one day drive our digital spaces. Look for Web3 and you are likely to be disappointed at what you find. There’s no shiny frontend, and no fluid way to interact with it. But beneath the surface, an infrastructure is developing that will power much of the internet in the years to come. 

Worryingly, few seem to realise this is happening. Most don’t even know what Web3 is. But it’s growing in the shade beneath the headlines. Big institutions know about it alright - they are already climbing onboard; positioning themselves to profit as much as possible before many even know it exists. But then, financial institutions are happy the public isn’t aware there’s a ship that’s about to sail. Ignorance of opportunity plays into the hands of those with power and money.

This article explores the quiet revolution taking place away from the public gaze. Its purpose is to inform and shed light on significant transformations to the internet that will impact everybody's lives. 

How the Internet Was Hijacked 

The concept of Web3 isn’t new. If anything, it’s a return, or – better still - a correction of course. It’s the internet being rebuilt to resemble what it was always meant to be - decentralised, shared, and owned by the public. Not walled in by tech giants, not funnelled through controlling algorithms, and not owned by wealthy shareholders. Web3 is being designed (from the ground up) to be run by the many, not by the few.

On examination, it's clear to see how the internet was hijacked early on. Not long after people started to build the infrastructure of the web, big tech moved in. They planted flags and made sure it developed into something they could monetise - standard practice in a capitalist system. What should have been a shared, decentralised network was swiftly turned into a series of data farms, ad engines and shareholder assets. And we accepted it. Partly because it worked, but also because we didn’t know any better. We let them buy up the land because they gave us ‘free’ access to exciting new technologies they were building on it. But this left us blind to what the internet could have been had it not been dominated by them in the first place. 

In its current form (often described as Web2), the internet is not at all what it was supposed to be. The original vision was closer to what we are now starting to call Web3 - open, decentralised, and permissionless. But the vision never died - it just went quiet. And behind the scenes a lot of clever people have been doing a lot of clever things to keep that dream alive. 

The Quiet Revolution 

While most users quickly signed up to centralised systems (Facebook, Google, Amazon etc.), a quiet movement kept ticking away in the background. Peer-to-peer (or P2P) file sharing, decentralised forums, and the open-source movement were born from groups who used the structure of the internet to build democratic systems - something freer than what big tech has given us. This wasn’t a trend, it was a resistance. A decentralised rebellion against the internet becoming a commodity, and a fightback against corporate giants laying claim to a network originally intended to benefit individuals, not big business. 

If these pushbacks were pockets of resistance, then Web3 could be viewed as the final coup de grace. The principles are the same - user ownership, decentralised governance, and autonomy. What’s changed is the tech, and the scale of the movement. We now have the tools to rebuild the engine room properly, and the collaborative will to make it happen. For a number of years, the groundwork has been laid - smart contracts, decentralised compute / storage, and digital currencies are now all firmly in place. But still, people don’t see Web3 because it hasn’t become usable by the masses . . . yet. 

The Interface Problem 

So, the technology is here and that’s a good start. Unfortunately, at time of writing, we haven’t figured out how to make the most of it. The thing most people have heard about Web3 is crypto, and many think that’s all about fake coins with silly names and dodgy scams (and this is a reality in some parts of the space). But they don’t understand the infrastructure that drives crypto, and therefore fail to see Web3’s potential. But the decentralised finance highways, databases, and new media distribution models that make up Web3 now exist and work very well indeed. They’re just not ready to be used by everyone right now. 

This is where I think AI will come to play a critical role - something I wrote about at length in this article. I described how agentic AI will likely become the interface of Web3, and could act as the missing piece of the puzzle that finally makes it usable. Not old-school apps or clunky websites, but AI assistants that handle the complexity of Web3 on our behalf - interaction minus the headache of navigation. AI agents could remove the need to understand blockchain technology (what Web3 runs on), just by telling them what we want, and sitting back as they make it happen. 

When that occurs - when the friction finally disappears - people will wake up to the true power and potential of what’s been building behind closed doors all this time. And that’s when Web3 will really catch fire. Once it’s released from its chains the only outcome will be rapid, mass adoption. And when people see the benefits of Web3 over Web2 (control over our data, shared ownership, and revenue streams that benefit the many, not the few) that will happen fast. 

Institutions Are Already Onboard 

It’s worth noting that large financial institutions are already moving into this space at a staggering pace. They know what’s coming, and they’re positioning themselves to take a slice of the pie. They’re exploring putting real-world assets ‘on-chain’ - tokenising real estate and commodities using blockchain’s rails. They’re building infrastructure behind closed doors to maximise the profits they can squeeze out of the changes they see coming just over the horizon. Companies like Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs are investing - heavily in crypto assets - buying billions of dollars of Bitcoin, Ethereum and a host of utility tokens. While the general public have the perception that all crypto is a scam, they can see what’s happening, and are laying their chips on the table to capitalise on the next phase of the internet.  

Meanwhile, most people have no idea that any of this is happening. And why would they. Mainstream news only tends to focus on crypto scams or Bitcoin when it’s rising in value. This leaves the public uninformed and content to be stuck using and investing in the old systems - ones showing clear signs of failure. Traditional finance is creaking at the seams, inflation is sky high, and the traditional world is beginning to shift as a result of artificial intelligence. 

Meanwhile, the next version of the internet is being built - right now - beneath your feet. Think back to the early internet of the 1990s, with all of the now-missed investment and business opportunities that brought with it. Think about being an early investor in Google, Apple or Facebook before most people had even heard of them - only this time it’s Bitcoin, Ethereum and a host of other assets that will likely become key players of the future. That’s the state of Web3 now, and it’s all happening right underneath your nose. 

Crime and Control 

There are arguments thrown at a decentralised internet - chiefly that it facilitates crime. People reference the dark web, scams and hacks, and say we need centralised control over the digital space. But for me, this argument doesn’t hold water. In the West, we live in one of the most centralised systems imaginable, and yet - crime is everywhere. Theft, fraud, violence are abundant in a physical world that is overseen more than any that has gone before. Crime is an unfortunate byproduct of human nature, and while lamentable, it will continue to exist regardless of the technologies we create. Blaming decentralisation for enabling human wrongdoing misses the point entirely because wrongdoing will take place regardless of the technological rails people choose to use to commit crime. 

Humans are flawed, and those flaws will always find expression - regardless of the system. We don’t ban cars because they can be used to hurt people. We don’t stop people using cash even though it’s the easiest way to avoid paying tax. We educate, regulate and design better systems. The same should apply to Web3. Yes, Bitcoin is used for crime, but nowhere near as much as dollars, pounds and Euros. And Web3 can be used for liberation, connection, and empowerment. The challenge is to build safeguards without crushing the potential. 

I should also point out that big tech is more than happy for us to view a decentralised internet in negative ways. Web3 threatens to weaken - or even destroy - the multi-billion dollar castles they have built. The same can be said for a broad range of established institutions who have made their fortunes through traditional systems. Dig deep, and you will find that many are themselves investing in Web3, while simultaneously warning the public away from it. I think that fact alone tells you all you need to know about Web3’s future. 

The Window of Opportunity 

Right now, we find ourselves in the very early stages of a brand new internet. I’m not exaggerating - it really could be that big of a change. The technology is here, and the vision is clear, but the applications have not yet matured. The interfaces aren’t intuitive and the value hasn’t yet trickled down. And that means one thing. Opportunity. 

At present there exists an obvious, asymmetric opportunity in this space. What does that mean? Well, it means that there are chances available to plant your own flag, with a greater probability of upside than there is downside. And this doesn’t just apply to those with a huge amount of capital. The decentralised nature of Web3 means that these opportunities exist for everyone. But the window of opportunity is closing, and before long it will be gone. 

So, this is the moment to plant your flag. Whether that means investing in infrastructure tokens, accumulating some Bitcoin, building on-chain, or simply learning more about how it all works - now is the time. Once Web3 becomes seamless, the pioneers will already be established. I am not a crypto expert, and I’m not a programmer building on blockchain, so it would be wrong of me to advise you on any specific things you could or should do. Instead, I am choosing to let you know that opportunities exist. I’m making my own inroads, and planting my own flags, but it’s up to you to decide if or how you might take advantage of the Web3 revolution. 

Final Thought 

Web3 isn’t just a new phase of the internet - it’s a reclamation. It’s the original vision of the web - decentralised, open, and fair - finally taking form. And like all revolutions, they are easy to miss while they’re happening, and impossible to go back to once new systems have been established.

Web3 is being built, and the engine room is almost complete. The only thing missing is public awareness and the ability to seamlessly navigate this powerful network in the ways it should be used. By the time everyone sees it, the gates will already be closed to early positioning, so start your journey of understanding now – research, grow your knowledge, and (for goodness’ sake) leverage AI to help guide you. 

A quiet revolution is unfolding. The internet is about to be reborn. 

Disclaimer: This article does not constitute financial advice in any way, shape, or form. If you choose to invest in cryptocurrency or explore Web3, please be aware that this is a highly speculative space. Only ever invest money you can afford to lose. At this early stage, both Web3 and the broader crypto market remain extremely volatile. Anyone considering investing their time or money should carry out thorough, independent research before making any decisions. I am not a Web3 expert, crypto expert, licensed financial advisor, tax professional, legal expert, or securities/commodities trader. The content shared on this blog — whether written, spoken, or otherwise distributed — is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional or financial advice.

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