The Layer 1 Fallacy: Crypto’s Valuation Identity Crisis
Financial markets have long witnessed startups masquerading as tech firms to command premium valuations. The 2010s saw traditional institutions—banks, payment processors, retailers—rebrand as fintech or data businesses, only to falter when fundamentals failed to match the narrative. WeWork's collapse and Goldman Sachs' retreat from its Marcus platform underscore the peril of such illusions.
Now, crypto faces a parallel reckoning. DeFi protocols aspire to Layer 1 blockchain valuations, yet many lack the network effects or economic moats to justify them. The industry's graveyard of abandoned corporate tech pivots serves as a stark warning: substance, not spin, determines sustainable value.