Opinion: Dominique Schventer, Chief Operating Officer of Risk
The United States is in the middle of the crypto boom. The approval of funds traded on exchanges has opened the door to institutional adoption, increased liquidity, and regulatory clarity is beginning to take shape under more encrypted administration. Applications from the Securities and Exchange Commission, which referencing blockchain, reached an all-time high in February 2025, changing the wider range of how serious technology is taking it at its highest level.
This momentum is good for the industry. The US-based crypto company has spent nearly a decade buildings through regulatory uncertainty and deserves the attention and rewards that have finally arrived. Is institutional support finally emerging? It’s late – and earned well.
However, zooming in too much into the US puts the industry at risk of missing out on what’s going on elsewhere. Some of today’s most important cryptography adoptions have roots in places outside the spotlight.
The most exciting adoption of cryptography has not happened on Wall Street. It’s unfolding in a growing market where people don’t use cryptography to guess, but inevitably. These communities did not wait for the headline. They’ve been built through every cycle and are currently setting the pace where Web3 moves next.
High-growth markets lead the adoption
Of Chain Orisis’s top 20 countries in 2024 Global Crypto-Adoption Index, 15 are in high-growth regions such as Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Nigeria. These are more than just speculative hotspots. In many of these countries, codes are part of everyday life. Unlike the boom and bust market, adoption here has not wavered. Based on utility.
In many of these economies, Crypto helps families promote remittances, provides a safer way to preserve value when the local currency is not stable, allowing small businesses to move their money without friction. In the West, Crypto still has a high-risk investment luster. In high-growth markets, they are already incorporated into everyday life. That’s what a real adoption looks like.
Builders are moving into a growing market
Builder activity continues as stable, practical use rises. Today, global developer maps are changing rapidly.
According to the 2024 Electric Capital Developer Report, Asia currently accounts for 32% of active crypto developers. This is a major jump from just 12% in 2015. During the same period, the US share fell sharply from 38% to 19%. The blockchain talent pool has not been reduced. It’s moving to a place where it has momentum.
Additionally, 41% of all new Crypto developers come from Asia, indicating a growing pipeline of builders emerging outside traditional high-tech hubs. These are not just enthusiasts, but the next wave of founders, architects and engineers who choose to approach problems that Crypto can solve.
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This shift is not limited to Central Asia. Africa, South America and Southeast Asia all see a steady increase in developer activity, while North America and Europe continue to have a decline in relative share. The message is clear: Web3 innovation is no longer fixed to a single geography. It is driven by builders that are close to real-world needs and designed for them.
Blockchain solves real problems
The surge in developer activity and adoption across high-growth markets is not happening in a vacuum. Instead, it is tied to actual effects.
A clear example is that PepsiCo in South Africa uses blockchain for supply chain tracking in the informal trade sector. In areas where traditional infrastructure is often fragmented or absent, this implementation does what the blockchain was intended to do. Solve the problem.
Using blockchain-powered end-to-end digital payment solutions such as lov.cash, Pepsico allows cashless payments between small, often unbanked retailers and wholesalers. The system also clearly sees what is being sold and where it is being sold to wholesalers. There is no token speculation here. There are no shiny, non-fan tokens. A real solution to actual supply chain problems.
Stories like this rarely get the best bill, but they are where technology actually offers. Where basic infrastructure is lacking, blockchain is not an experiment. This is a workaround. If the industry continues to pursue the hype while ignoring this impact, you will miss out on the most important opportunity to make a difference.
Calling for Action for Web3 Builders
What’s going on in the US is worthy of celebration, but that’s not the whole story. Real-world adoption, momentum from builders, and real-world use cases are accelerating in a growing market where Crypto is already making a difference.
This is where the long-term effects of Web3 are formed. Builders and investors must stop waiting for verification from Washington or Wall Street and start paying attention to where the technology is currently solving real problems.
Crypto was not waiting for the US to be important. If the goal is to really build something global, it’s time to already use it to follow people to make things work.
Opinion: Dominique Schventer, Chief Operating Officer of Risk.
This article is for general informational purposes and is not intended to be considered legal or investment advice, and should not be done. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect or express Cointregraph’s views and opinions.
