Public Chains to Fade? Alliance Co-founder: Future Battles Will Be Won by User Relationships and Applications

The Battle Shifts: From Underlying Tech to Applications & User Relationships

In a recent social media post, Alliance co-founder Imran Khan presented a thought-provoking thesis: for the vast majority of end-users, the underlying public blockchain technology itself is poised to become far less relevant. He posits that the true competitive arena of the future will be the application layer—the products and services that interact directly with users.

Commoditized Infrastructure, Differentiated Value Wins

Khan observes a rapid "commoditization" of foundational infrastructure, including launch platforms. As basic functionalities become standardized and widely accessible, the platforms that thrive will do so primarily through two avenues: cultivating profound network effects that create robust ecosystem moats, or carving out defensible niches by offering unique, differentiated value—such as exclusive trading pairs.

Front-End Aggregation Erodes Loyalty, User Relationships Are King

This shift is particularly evident at the front-end. Aggregated chain-front ends are dissolving traditional user loyalty and tribal affinity to any single venue. The reason is straightforward: users can now access multiple venues neutrally and seamlessly through a single interface, dramatically reducing switching costs.

The same dynamic applies across other verticals: lending protocols, swap routers, cross-chain bridges, and most trading infrastructure are finding it increasingly difficult to retain users based on technology alone.

So where does loyalty go? Khan's conclusion is decisive: Future user stickiness and value capture will decisively flow to the entities that truly "own the user relationship." This points to a new paradigm where applications and platforms that engage users directly, understand their needs, and deliver indispensable experiences will become the primary value centers.