Legacy brands hold the key to web3’s next adoption wave | Opinion

Web3 has had its booms. DeFi summer pulled billions into new protocols. NFTs turned avatars and collectibles into cultural phenomena. Millions opened wallets, experimented with dapps, and speculated on a future built on-chain. But after those surges, adoption slowed. Exchange collapses, speculative excess, and unclear regulation pushed many retail users away. Institutions have continued to build — ETFs, custody solutions, corporate treasuries — but the average consumer hasn’t come back in force.

The missing piece is cultural relevance. Most projects still don’t give everyday people a reason to care. Until there are products that connect directly with people’s passions, web3 will remain a niche technology for insiders rather than a mainstream system for billions.

Speculation isn’t enough

Speculation excites early adopters and those in the know, but long-term adoption requires something deeper: cultural connection. The average person won’t gamble, but will engage when digital assets tie into the entertainment, community, and culture they already value. Startups often pitch jargon that doesn’t translate well to daily life: “a decentralized future,” or “programmable money.” Without cultural hooks, these platitudes mean nothing. It is not enough to argue that blockchain is faster or more transparent. Consumers must feel a direct benefit in their lives, whether that means easier access to concerts, verifiable ownership of collectibles, or exclusive interaction with communities they admire.

This pattern isn’t new. Every technological wave needed established players to normalize it for the public. The internet became mainstream when companies like AOL and Yahoo packaged it into accessible products. Streaming shifted from niche to default once media giants brought their catalogs online.

The same dynamic will apply to web3 — with legacy brands perfectly positioned to bridge the gap.

Why legacy brands matter

Legacy brands hold what newcomers lack: decades of cultural capital, pre-built reputations, and communities that span generations. Examples are already aplenty in web3. Adidas partnered with web3-native projects like Bored Ape Yacht Club and Gmoney to release tokenized wearables and experiences. Gucci accepted payments through crypto wallets and released blockchain-based collaborations that gave collectors digital and physical crossover value. Breitling issued blockchain-backed digital passports for its watches, letting buyers verify provenance.

Each case shows how quickly mainstream audiences engage when the digital asset has a clear real-world meaning. These initiatives highlight a key principle: people do not need to understand blockchains to participate in them. They only need to recognize that a trusted brand is offering something valuable, scarce, and secure.

Equally important is that legacy brands carry trust. After years of exchange collapses and rug pulls, many consumers hesitate to touch web3 products. A Nike or Disney experiment reassures people in a way a startup cannot, because reputations built over decades are at stake. For hesitant newcomers, a brand they already know lowers perceived risk and makes engaging with digital ownership feel safe rather than speculative. Trust, as much as culture, is a prerequisite for broad participation.

Ownership and utility beyond loyalty

Web3 add-ons are new forms of ownership and access for these cultural heavyweights. A tokenized membership can function as an all-access pass to a fan ecosystem: granting concert entry, unlocking merchandise, or connecting collectors in private communities. Unlike traditional loyalty programs, these assets are transferable, provable, and portable across platforms. Ownership becomes something users can hold, trade, or build upon.

The next adoption wave will be driven by tokens as gateways to experiences. Event access, merchandise, gamified rewards, and fan memberships are areas where cultural brands can lead. Instead of asking “what’s this token worth tomorrow?” the question becomes “what does it let me do today?” For brands, it builds loyalty, fosters two-way engagement, and turns consumers into participants. Blockchain ensures scarcity and authenticity in ways that feel intuitive: if you own the token, you own the experience, and no one can fake it.

A cultural bridge to the future

This cultural pivot is happening alongside institutional progress. Regulators in Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S. are clarifying the rules of the road. Global financial firms are rolling out custody, tokenization platforms, and on-chain settlement rails. Together, these moves build trust and infrastructure — but they don’t automatically bring in people. Without cultural resonance, web3 risks becoming a system designed for traders and institutions, not the public.

Legacy brands will bridge the gap, with the opportunity to introduce blockchain to millions who would never read a white paper but will eagerly claim a token if it connects to a favorite brand, community, or cultural experience. Web3’s future won’t be defined by startups or institutions. It will be shaped at the intersection of culture and technology. Legacy brands sit squarely at that intersection. They carry credibility with mainstream audiences and can translate blockchain utility into experiences that matter. If they step into web3 with clear utility and authentic experiences, they will drive the next adoption wave.

If speculation defined the first wave and institutions are building the rails for the second, legacy brands will define the third — where culture meets utility, and web3 finally goes mainstream.