Last year Consensys launched Builder Stories, a series featuring the latest web3 innovation through the stories of the builders creating it. To produce the series, we traveled the globe: from the UK, to Canada, Colombia, India, and the United States—to sit down with builders and document how they’ve been innovating, creating value, and empowering communities on Ethereum.
The diversity of each story and the exciting technological use cases we uncovered to produce the series are a testament to how far the blockchain industry has come. And yet, this next iteration of the World Wide Web is already under threat from overzealous regulators who refuse to give it a chance, and it’s the people the Builder Stories feature who are now directly in harm’s way.
To date, the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission has engaged in an aggressive campaign of regulation by enforcement, suing Consensys and numerous other crypto companies for what they claim to be unregistered securities activity. Since the SEC is an American government agency, this means U.S. builders are now particularly at risk.
To stand behind builders in the United States and across web3, Consensys is renewing the Builder Stories series, showcasing to policymakers and regulators exactly what's at stake for those working towards decentralized innovation.
You may think you know the history of the World Wide Web—now meet the builders who are shaping its future, and learn why U.S.regulators must provide clear policy for blockchain innovation to foster, not fail.
Empowering builders on the forefront of tech innovation in the US
The advent of the internet changed the world forever—connecting the global commons, and fostering creativity like we had never seen before.
Starting in the 1990s, cypherpunks and PC enthusiasts tamed the “read-only web,” creating technological marvels like email and file transfer, while conquering vast geographical distances using nothing but open-source code.
By the early 2000s, web2 had made users the creators of their own digital experiences. The “Social web” saw the dawn of near-instantaneous e-commerce, the ability to book medical appointments online, and in some places, even vote for elected representatives.
Now we’re living through a new revolution. Thanks to the ingenuity of blockchain technology, the world has the chance to embrace web3—the next iteration of the World Wide Web. With this “read-write-own” internet, users can begin to take back their sovereignty. Just like it did when the internet was born, we know this will transform the way we create and share value forever.
Underpinning the future of web3 is a community of talented founders we call builders. From the bustling streets of Bangalore, to the stylish neighborhoods of London, millions of these builders are returning the internet to its decentralized roots, developing Ethereum-based apps and platforms designed to give people more ownership over their digital assets.
We all want these builders to succeed, but we also want U.S. regulators on our side to help ensure they do. Our mission at Consensys has always been to help steward the next wave of the decentralized web, and we work to make this success possible every day. It’s in our DNA. Over the years, Consensys has built the tools that empower these builders, with applications such as MetaMask—the world’s leading and most-trusted self-custody wallet—connecting people to the decentralized web. Through initiatives like MetaMask Learn, our open source products are already inspiring change in communities that need it most.
Disconnecting US builders from the next generation of the web and digital innovation
Mika Black is a builder committed to bringing that change to her own community. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Mika is the founder of Anuu Way, a non-profit organization connecting underserved communities to decentralized financial innovation.
“Web3 removes the boundaries, and inspires people to go seek out their tribe, and grow together,” she explains. “It’s empowering to the world changers.”