Dan sat down with Anndy Lian, blockchain strategist and thought leader, to discuss the current state of the crypto industry, the challenges of adoption, and the critical role of community. The conversation, rich with practical wisdom and candid observations, offers a roadmap for both newcomers and veterans navigating the ever-evolving world of blockchain.
The Institutional Chill: Why Retail Users Feel Left Out
The interview opens with a frank assessment of the crypto landscape. Dan notes, “Everything is very institutional, very cold, and retail users can’t get involved with most of this stuff.” Anndy agrees wholeheartedly, highlighting a core issue: the barriers to entry remain high, not just because of technical complexity, but also because the industry often fails to make a genuine effort to include everyday users.
Anndy elaborates, “People are not trying hard enough, that’s number one. The second part is they are actually getting into the wrong kind of projects.” He points out that many newcomers are lured into complex decentralized exchanges (DEXs) or swaps, which are difficult to manage and understand. “How are you going to stick, how are you going to extract from what they are buying? It’s very technical,” he says, emphasizing that the steep learning curve can be discouraging.
Lowering the Barriers: The Role of Meme Coins and Gaming
So, what’s the solution? Anndy suggests that the best entry point for new users might be through “fun meme coins or maybe even gaming stuff.” He believes that starting with simple, accessible projects can help users build confidence before tackling more complex aspects of crypto. “Keep it simple, easy to understand, and then you start going to the higher levels, the higher complexities,” he advises.
This approach, he argues, is essential because “no one’s going to understand swapping and wallets and seed phrases right off the bat, and there’s a huge amount of risk with that.” By making the onboarding process less intimidating, the industry can attract a broader audience and foster genuine engagement.
Choosing the Right Chain: More Than Just Technology
Another recurring theme in the conversation is the importance of choosing the right blockchain. Anndy observes that while there are over 200 blockchains, only a handful have real activity, incentives, and communities. “You’ve got to really choose the right chain, even if you’re going to launch a meme or maybe a utility. You’ve got to choose the right chain that gives you the support,” he says.
He warns that launching a project on a chain without financial or community support is a recipe for failure. “If you are on a chain where there’s no support in terms of money, no support in terms of community, it gets a little bit awkward for the project owner. It’s very difficult for people to enter into that particular chain because no one else is using it.”
Dan summarizes the challenge: “If you don’t build a blockchain that could support [a real community], you’re not going to get any users.” Anndy agrees, noting that the lack of users adds to the barrier of entry. “If the entry is easy, I come to my buddy, ‘Are you on X chain?’ You say, ‘Yes, I am, let’s do it.’ But if you’re on some chain where you couldn’t even find it in the wallet, it’s just going to be useless. We’re on different planets at that point.”
Community First: The Heartbeat of Crypto
For Anndy, the most critical factor in any blockchain project is the community. “Whenever we talk about adoption, whenever we talk about users, it goes back to the community. If you have a blockchain that is just a blockchain, it’s useless. You need people to use it, you need people to keep the network sustainable.”
He continues, “It’s no longer about user experience, how much revenue are they generating. Because no user, no experience.” In his view, the technology is largely commoditized—“the technology-wise, it’s almost the same for everybody”—so the differentiator is the strength and vibrancy of the community.
This is why meme coins, despite their reputation, have found success. “It’s not that I love the meme coins, but I love the community. The community is strong, and if the community is strong, there’s going to be more growth. It has to be always community first and there’s nothing else.”
The Reality of Risk: Learning Through Loss
Anndy doesn’t shy away from the risks inherent in crypto. He acknowledges that losing money is “part and parcel of this whole process,” and that it’s often the fastest way to learn. “It depends on how much you want to screw this up, right? But if you are just thinking about trying out, you really need to go through the whole process of how you’re going to onboard your users, how you’re going to manage all these different swaps. Sometimes it’s not easy, man. I have people crying, saying that they sent to the wrong chain.”
He sees these challenges as opportunities for education, suggesting that resources like Dan’s podcast can help newcomers avoid common pitfalls. “It’s part and parcel of education, and perhaps they should listen to your podcast.”
The Social Layer: Where Crypto Communities Gather
The conversation shifts to where crypto communities actually gather online. While X (formerly Twitter) is the hub for the latest news and activity among crypto natives, Anndy points out that Facebook remains surprisingly vibrant, especially among older users in places like Hong Kong. “You’ll be so surprised. When I’m in Hong Kong, when I talk to some of the older folks, they are actually super active on Facebook. They showed me their groups—crazy groups, man. That’s something I’ve neglected for a long time, but it’s amazing to see.”
He shares that some Facebook groups have over 140,000 active members, many of whom are highly engaged. “Whenever they post something, you get so many replies below. I’m actually really, really happy to see that.” This diversity of platforms, he suggests, is a strength, and he encourages multi-platform engagement to reach different audiences.
Building Together: Collaboration and the Future
Anndy closes with a call for greater collaboration and unity within the crypto space. “It’s all about interacting with people. For your audiences who are on YouTube, I also strongly suggest that you get yourself on X as well. We could do some shows together and get the ball rolling because we are literally talking to the same kind of target audience and we should start to unite and make some things work.”
He also sees potential in leveraging Facebook and other platforms to reach new demographics, especially those who may be overlooked by the crypto mainstream. “Let’s do more, and since Eddie is here, he knows restaurant business and Facebook, perhaps you could all do something there. Or maybe you can do a multi-social account stream so that we can get the best traction.”
Conclusion: Community, Simplicity, and the Human Touch
Anndy Lian’s insights cut through the hype and technical jargon that often cloud the crypto conversation. His message is clear: technology alone is not enough. The future of blockchain depends on strong, engaged communities, accessible entry points, and a willingness to learn from both success and failure.
As he puts it, “We need more users, and it has to be an easy onboarding experience or something they really want to use.” By focusing on people—meeting them where they are, supporting their journeys, and building together—the crypto industry can move beyond its institutional chill and realize its promise as a truly inclusive, transformative force.
Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.
Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.
An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.
