Will Every Brand Develop a Web3 Strategy?

# The Evolution of Web3: Will Digital Shopping Embrace Blockchain Ownership? In recent years, the digital landscape has been remarkably transformed by emerging technologies that promise to redefine our relationship with online platforms. “Is it possible for every shopper model to have a web3 approach in 2022? Inquiring as to whether every model will have a webpage come 2022? In 1994. ” This thought-provoking comparison from Forum3 co-founder Adam Brotman highlights the growing intersection between traditional commerce and blockchain technology, though its immediate feasibility remains an open question that deserves thoughtful exploration. Web3, the notably improved third iteration of internet architecture, represents a fundamental shift in how we interact with digital spaces. While web1 offered static reading experiences and web2 revolutionized our ability to create and engage with content—giving birth to social networks and self-publishing platforms we now take for granted—web3 introduces something exceedingly powerful: ownership. At its core, this new paradigm empowers individuals with unprecedented control over their digital assets, content creation, and financial transactions, effectively decentralizing power structures that have dominated online experiences for decades. For medium-sized businesses and global corporations alike, understanding cryptocurrency’s role in this evolution becomes particularly crucial. The infrastructure of web3 is incredibly versatile, relying on blockchain ledgers that meticulously track digital ownership in ways previously impossible. This technological foundation enables users to truly possess digital assets and transport them seamlessly between decentralized applications, creating an ecosystem where ownership transcends platform limitations. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have emerged as surprisingly significant components within this developing landscape. By focusing on unique digital item ownership, NFTs are transforming industries by automating workflows and establishing verifiable provenance. The current perception of NFTs—often dismissed as speculative JPEGs traded for cryptocurrency—represents just the awkward adolescence of a technology with far greater potential. Think of it as judging smartphones solely by their earliest, clunkiest prototypes; we’re only glimpsing the beginning of something profound. Over the past decade, cryptocurrency markets have experienced dramatic volatility, with spectacular booms followed by equally impressive collapses. These financial rollercoasters, while discouraging to some, have been exceptionally effective at clearing away less substantive projects. Much like how the dot-com bubble eventually gave way to genuinely valuable internet companies, this market purification might be setting the stage for a new generation of blockchain projects focused less on speculation and more on practical utility and meaningful commerce. The business implications of web3 extend far beyond financial speculation. By collaborating with consumers through ownership models, forward-thinking companies are reimagining traditional customer relationships. Highly efficient NFT projects demonstrate this by creating communities where digital items serve dual purposes—both as artistic assets and as membership credentials granting access to exclusive experiences or benefits. It’s similar to how country clubs operate, but with significantly faster evolution and globally accessible membership. While some existing web3 initiatives might appear unfocused—often implementing features before defining clear endpoints—they offer extremely reliable blueprints for innovation that established businesses would be unwise to ignore. Traditional companies actually possess a notable advantage in this space: they already fulfill concrete market needs. By integrating cryptocurrency wallets and ownership mechanics into existing business models, these companies can potentially bridge the gap between conventional commerce and decentralized economies. The coming years will likely witness an incredibly diverse landscape of experimentation as businesses of all sizes explore web3 integration. Rather than viewing this as a binary choice between old and new paradigms, the most successful approaches will likely blend established business fundamentals with these emerging ownership-based frameworks—creating hybrid models that are both familiar enough to adopt and innovative enough to thrive in our rapidly evolving digital future.