As digital asset markets face renewed pressure, a senior voice from the Solana Foundation has called for a reset in how blockchains define their purpose. Lily Liu, a key figure at the foundation, argued that the industry drifted too far from its financial roots. Consequently, she urged builders and investors to narrow their focus toward financial infrastructure rather than experimental consumer narratives. Liu’s comments arrive during a period of falling token prices and shrinking risk appetite. Besides market volatility, the industry also faces growing skepticism about real-world value creation. She framed blockchains as tools designed for finance from the start. Hence, she emphasized that secure liquidity and capital movement should remain the primary design priority. According to Liu, many past initiatives misunderstood what blockchains do best. Gaming projects and broad consumer experiments absorbed large amounts of capital. However, they rarely produced sustainable demand. She suggested these efforts distracted teams from solving harder financial problems that actually require decentralized systems. Rethinking Web3 Narratives and Incentives Liu also criticized earlier attempts to explain blockchain value through simplified slogans. The idea that users could simply own everything online failed to capture economic complexity. Moreover, it encouraged shallow product design. Many teams focused on storytelling rather than building functional markets. She noted that venture funding often followed narratives instead of utility. Consequently, projects launched tokens to attract speculative liquidity rather than long-term users. This cycle pushed prices higher without strengthening underlying systems. Over time, the industry built excess infrastructure that lacked clear demand. Additionally, Liu argued that the promise of universal rewards misled participants. The belief that every online action should generate income distorted incentives. Instead of creating useful services, teams optimized for token appreciation. Significantly, this approach weakened trust once market conditions reversed. Open Finance as the Core Opportunity Despite criticism, Liu expressed confidence in blockchain’s long-term potential. She described open financial rails as the industry’s defining achievement. These systems allow capital to move globally without traditional barriers. Consequently, entrepreneurs can form markets in regions long excluded from financial networks. Moreover, open finance enables new forms of capital formation. Individuals can participate directly in economic growth without centralized gatekeepers. Liu connected this shift to greater personal agency and economic freedom. Hence, she framed financial infrastructure as a foundation for broader innovation. In her view, the next phase requires discipline. Builders must prioritize systems that support liquidity, settlement, and risk management. Additionally, narratives must follow functionality, not replace it. As markets mature, Liu suggested that blockchains will prove their value not through hype, but through durable financial utility.
