practical Archives • Anndy Lian

Cutting Through the Hype

Web3 has long promised a decentralized internet, but Lian argues that many platforms only offer an illusion of decentralization, replicating centralized power structures behind a blockchain veneer. Speaking on the “Infra Wars” panel, he presented a grounded approach, prioritizing functionality and security over rigid adherence to decentralization for its own sake.

“Full decentralization, you know right now, remains a big challenge,” Lian said. “I just want to keep things very simple: computing part is definitely a must, storage if you can do it decentralized, I think it’s great, but we should always find ways to make sure that the security part of things in the infrastructure is well managed.”

Lian’s stance positions him as a pragmatist in an industry often dominated by idealists. Success, he argues, is measured not by how decentralized a system is, but by how effectively it operates without hacks or user losses.

Introducing Web4

Lian coined the term Web4 to describe a next-generation internet built with AI as a native infrastructure component. Autonomous AI agents could function as independent economic participants, such as AI-powered liquidity providers or community moderators that operate and earn within the system without direct human intervention.

“If there’s a chance for us to redo it again with all these AI experts, something like Web4 will be a lot better,” he said.

A cornerstone of this vision is the “zero data AI architecture.” In this model, AI operates without storing raw user data, while blockchain serves as a trust layer, cryptographically verifying that user data was not retained. This approach addresses privacy concerns while allowing AI to function efficiently—a balance between Big Tech data monopolies and the ideals of full decentralization.

Driving Adoption Through Incentives

Beyond technical design, Lian emphasized the challenge of bringing mainstream users to decentralized platforms. Economic incentives, not ideology, are the most effective driver.

“The best way for people to experience AI and blockchain is to teach them how to make money,” he said, highlighting AI-powered trading agents as a practical entry point. This focus reflects a broader industry shift toward creating tools with real-world utility, moving beyond speculative applications.

The Pragmatic Path Forward

Ultimately, Lian’s Web4 framework proposes a middle path: balancing technological ambition with human behavior and market reality. “Success isn’t about AI or decentralization alone,” he concluded. “It’s about protecting users, creating value, and making technology approachable. Web4 is my roadmap for that balance.”

Anndy Lian

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”.

www.anndy.com

Blockchain technology has moved beyond its peak in the innovation hype cycle, marking a significant shift over the past two to three years, according to a new report.

Global Uncertainties Shaping Innovation

The past five years have been anything but normal, marked by the global COVID-19 pandemic and escalating armed conflicts, the report by International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications states.

These disruptions have fundamentally reshaped industrial priorities and policy agendas, particularly in the tech and IT sectors.

The energy price hikes following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent disruptions to global supply chains have necessitated a complete overhaul of industrial strategies.

“Blockchain technology is not at the top of the innovation hype cycle anymore, nor has it been for the last 2–3 years,” the report notes, attributing part of this shift to the cyclical nature of the industry, driven by the Bitcoin halving cycle every four years.

The Future Of Innovation

The report emphasizes that the next decade will see entire industries either thriving or struggling amid increasing cyber-criminal attacks, industrial asset threats, and a skilled labor shortage impacting hyper-automation and hyper-acceleration.

“Exponential technologies will have to deliver a lot more than parroting chatbots or meme coins,” the report states.

It argues for a thorough assessment of technological capabilities to ensure they serve as integral components of future industrial frameworks.

Blockchain’s Practical Capabilities

Blockchain technology, according to the report, offers several key capabilities: flexible transparency options, secure automation, a rich governance toolbox, strong cryptographic building blocks and efficient settlement capabilities.

These features make blockchain particularly suitable for registry use cases and enhancing sector-wide performance through gamification and new financing options.

“Blockchain technology can gamify the key performance tableau of entire sectors and bring new financing options and processes to drive efficiency across and in between industry sectors,” the report highlights.

It also points out that blockchain can enhance the resilience of infrastructures using on-chain logic and a unified tech stack.

Anndy Lian, an intergovernmental blockchain expert, praised key initiatives like EBSI, Catena-X, and DIVE for their potential to revolutionize sectors from supply chain to energy.

“The emphasis on sustainability and regulatory compliance is particularly commendable,” Lian said, adding that interoperability challenges and fostering a robust ecosystem of developers and entrepreneurs are crucial for maximizing blockchain’s impact.

Basile Maire, co-founder of D8X, emphasized the significant influence of regulatory landscapes on innovation.

“The report illustrates the transformative potential of tokenized assets in financial markets,” Maire noted, highlighting D8X’s role in this transformation by offering derivatives collateralized in tokenized yield-bearing tokens.

Michael Repetny, a core contributor at Marinade, said blockchain projects are no longer in a ‘hype’ phase.

“There are a lot more practical use cases and applicability across public and private sectors,” he said. Repetny also highlighted the role of regulatory frameworks like the EU’s MiCA in fostering growth and partnerships among blockchain projects,” he said.

Blockchain In Finance

The report underscores that blockchain has already made significant inroads into the heavily regulated finance sector.

It argues that the coming decade of exponential technologies will offer more financial leverage options, not fewer.

“It is not an echo of Silicon Valley’s techno-optimism – but if we extrapolate the trend of technological breakthroughs at various fronts, the demographic erosion of our educated workforces in the first world and our tumbling democratic foundation, then innovation is a must, not an option,” the report states.

Source: https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39891731/how-blockchain-technology-is-transitioning-from-hype-to-practical-applications-report