The web has been evolving continuously over the years, we started with a simple read-only webpage (Web1) to a more complex social media platforms that connected the world together adding value through information sharing (Web2). Now we are entering a new era by adding a layer of value sharing and monetization of content (Web3).
Prominent Web3 influencers are on the rise, they are focusing on empowering people through building on the blockchain and sharing their knowledge and experiences. We want to highlight some of the Web3 figures that have a big impact on the space and contribute to building the decentralised ecosystem.
Web3 Influencers & Learning Opportunities
• Vitalk Buterin
A young genius from Russia who managed to change the world by introducing smart contracts to blockchain technology propelling it to the next level. Co-Founding Ethereum has enabled individuals, projects, and companies to implement solutions that are complex in a completely decentralized and autonomous way.
Learning opportunities – Vitalk is the mind behind Ethereum and the creation of smart contracts, you can learn from him the essence of building & coding decentralised systems.
• Changpeng Zhao
Better known as CZ is the Founder of Binance the world’s largest and leading crypto exchange. Binance has grown significantly over the past few years with a strong team and a great leadership that has a vision to create an interlinked ecosystem enabling Web3 solutions to be accessible by everyone.
Learning opportunities – CZ created Binance the world’s largest crypto exchange, he always seeks new opportunities and works hard to create products that make crypto available for everyone in the world.
• Chris Dixon
Since early 1990s Chris has been a prominent figure in anything related to technology and advancements. He is very well respected and helps spread awareness and guidance on Web3, Crypto, NFTs, and Blockchain technologies. Chris is also a partner at a16z and has over 800k+ followers on Twitter.
Learning opportunities – Chris is a wealth of knowledge, he shares important information that helps you explore different possibilities that the blockchain and Web3 have to offer.
• Gary Vaynerchuck
Throughout his career Gary has always been the voice of promoting content creation on social media as he believes in personal marketing and information sharing. With the era of Web3, Gary entered the space by creating VeeFriends a project that played a key role in showcasing the endless possibilities of NFTs and collectibles. Gary remains to be a key voice in the Web3 community.
Learning opportunities – Gary created VeeFriends from scratch after learning about NFTs for only 90 days, he is an inspiration for entrepreneurs and has helped people enter the Web3 & NFT space. VeeFriends generated over $500+ million in all-time sales as of September 2022.
• Brian Armstrong
By being the Founder of Coinbase a well-established cryptocurrency exchange based in the US, Brain managed to penetrate the industry and become a voice for Web3, Blockchain, and Crypto technologies. He is a strong believer in the capabilities of blockchain technology to revolutionize the world.
Learning opportunities – Brian always seeks to build blockchain solutions to empower people and help them enter the crypto space. Coinbase went IPO on April 14 with the approval of the SEC which is the regulatory authority in the USA.
Also known as Pomp, he is a prominent figure that has been a strong crypto advocate since the start with a lot of focus on Bitcoin and the potential of it being the next safe-heaven through coining the term Gold 2.0 that is completely digital and decentralized with a scarce number of coins available.
Learning opportunities – Pomp hosts one of the biggest podcasts focusing on different topics related to mostly to Bitcoin, but also broader topics surrounding crypto, decentralisation & Web3. Pomp interviewed prominent figures inside and outside the crypto space in an effort to spread awareness about Bitcoin and the importance of decentralisation.
• Michael Saylor
Biggest Bitcoin (BTC) holder in the world, currently is the Chairman & Founder of MicroStrategy an investment firm that owns over 129,699 BTC. Michael has always been an advocate of Bitcoin speaking highly about the capabilities that can be achieved using decentralized means of payment and wealth storage.
Learning opportunities – Michael is fearless, he put his reputation behind the bet that Bitcoin is the new global reserve and he built the largest BTC holding. Michael talks about the future of banking and the importance of decentralised currency globally.
• Kevin Rose
A prominent & well-respected NFT & Web3 figure in the community. Kevin is the Co-Founder of PROOF Collective one of the biggest NFT projects in the market. Kevin is well known for his marketing skills and the way he curated loyal members of the community. He also created a number of successful projects including Moon Birds, showcasing the power of Web3 and the results that can be achieved through collaborative work with the community.
Learning opportunities – Kevin created multiple NFT projects that are leading the charts in sales with a solid community behind them. You can learn marketing and building a community from Kevin by following his work on PROOF Collective & MoonBirds.
The former CTO of Coinbase and General Partner at VC firm Andreessen Horowitz, Balaji Srinivasan, has nearly 632k followers on Twitter. Balaji speaks highly about the potential gain that can be achieved from investing and developing blockchain solutions. Balaji has also recently taken interest in Decentralized Science (DeSci) where he is helping fund projects through a16z to grow and build unique solutions to advance the scientific industry.
Learning opportunities – Balaji is an active voice promoting Web3 projects and actively seeking opportunities to invest in different projects. He focuses on the people behind the project and explores new possibilities that are trending.
• Justin Sun
Arguably the most known crypto and blockchain advocate Justin Sun has worked on multiple Web3 projects, including Ripple Labs and Tron. He has over 3 million Twitter followers. Justin always shares ideas that challenge thought leaders and presents solutions for problems that exist in our society.
Learning opportunities – Justin has over 3m+ Twitter followers with a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience by creating Tron and other crypto and blockchain projects that helped create the Web3 space and bring it to fruition.
• Ryan Sean Adams
Founder of Bankless, a project that aims to spread awareness, news, and updates on everything related to crypto, blockchain, and Web3. Bankless runs one of the biggest podcasts in the space featuring important guest speakers and thought-leaders spreading the importance of Web3 and its impact on the future.
Learning opportunities – Ryan runs a large Web3 & Crypto podcast Bankless which became the go-to place for everything related to the latest news & updates in the Web3 space.
A well-known speaker and author in the blockchain space, Antonopoulos is a Bitcoin advocate and is known for his ability to explain complex technical concepts in a clear and easy-to-understand manner. Andreas has been a true advocate of Bitcoin and blockchain since 2013, teaching rooms of very few people when no one really knew about Bitcoin.
Learning opportunities – Andreas is a great teacher, he has been teaching about Bitcoin and blockchain for over 10 years now. Andreas also teaches in Universities and has been a professor of many prominent people in the blockchain and crypto space. Read his book about “Mastering Bitcoin” and “The Internet of Money” he covers a lot of different and important topics about the world that we are moving towards.
• Nick Szabo
A computer scientist and legal scholar, Szabo is known for his contributions to the field of digital contracts and smart contracts. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of the blockchain and cryptocurrency space. Nick’s work on smart contracts is considerably the biggest propeller to the technology, he developed the concept of smart contracts in 1996. He was among the first developers to welcome the Bitcoin project by writing and reviewing it.
Learning opportunities – Nick has been labeled as potentially being “Satoshi Nakamoto” the founder of Bitcoin by many, however, this still remains a theory he has done a lot of work in the industry and managed to take it over and beyond. If you are a Web3 programmer, you must read some of Nick’s work as it is considered the foundation for all of the Web3 innovative technologies.
• Joseph Lubin
Co-founder of Ethereum and the founder of ConsenSys, a blockchain software development company. Lubin is known for his work in the blockchain and decentralized technology space, and is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the industry.
Learning opportunities – Working closely with Vitalk there are a lot of cross-overs and lessons to be learned from Joe, he managed to disrupt the industry and utilise blockchain technology in a unique way creating Ethereum and putting Smart Contracts to use. Joe is a leader, creative thinker, and most importantly a problem solver.
• Roger Ver
Also known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” Ver is a prominent figure in the Bitcoin community and an early investor in the cryptocurrency. He is known for his strong support of Bitcoin and his efforts to promote its adoption. An early adopter of the first digital currency, he integrated Bitcoin payments into Memorydealers.com, allowing customers to make payments in Bitcoin. By moving to collect Bitcoin in its earliest days, when each coin was valued at under $1, Ver amassed a total collection of more than 400,000 bitcoins by some estimates.
Learning opportunities – Roger has been the voice of Bitcoin for a long time, he has been advocating for Bitcoin and guiding people about the importance of decentalised finances “DeFi”, Roger hosted a great podcast interviewing thought-leaders from the community to continue promoting Bitcoin and sharing awareness about the underlying technology.
• Beeple
Mike Winkelmann, better known as Beeple, is an American digital artist, graphic designer and music video director. He is well-known for his digital art and in particular for his NFTs which sold for a record-breaking $69 million in March 2021.
Learning opportunities – If you are an NFT artist, you must know about Beeple, he is arguably the most influential NFT artist in the space showcasing dedication and discipline to his craft. Beeple has been creating digital art long before NFTs for over 20+ years, however, with the NFT boom Beeple has become a multi-millionaire through his edgy artwork and creativity.
• Tim Ferriss
An angel investor and author, Tim Ferriss is well-known for his support of blockchain and cryptocurrency projects. He is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space, and has been instrumental in promoting the adoption of these technologies.
Learning opportunities – Tim has been an advocate for cryptocurrency and blockchain since a long time, he has done some amazing investments and through his journey you can learn about investing in companies with strong visions and aspirations. Tim showcased to the world the power of innovation and being in the right place at the right time.
• Alex Tapscott
Co-founder of the Blockchain Research Institute, Tapscott is a well-known figure in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space. He has worked a lot on different aspects of the blockchain and continues to explore ways to integrate the technology of blockchain into artificial intelligence “AI” especially in the wake of Chat-GPT and other AI algorithms.
Learning opportunities – Alex published a number of researchers on the blockchain and cryptocurrency technology along with his work in the artificial intelligence space. His work is defiantly worth reading and exploring.
• Brian Armstrong
CEO of Coinbase, Armstrong is a well-known figure in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space. He is known for his efforts to promote the adoption of these technologies and is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the industry. With the leadership of Brian, Coinbase managed to reach the majority of U.S citizens and allow them to enter and explore the crypto space.
Learning opportunities – Brian always manages to show discipline and consistency regardless of the challenges he has faced. Brian is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to risk-taking and exploring innovative technologies.
• Elizabeth Stark
Co-founder of Lightning Labs, a leading blockchain infrastructure provider, and is a well-known figure cryptocurrency space. She is an advocate for the use of blockchain technology for decentralized finance and is known for her contributions to the development of the Lightning Network.
Learning opportunities – Bitcoin’s upgrade the Lightening Network has the potential to take Bitcoin to the next level. Elizabeth’s work is integral for the growth of Bitcoin and the Web3 industry as a whole. She has been a long advocate of Bitcoin and is very open to sharing knowledge about the space with everyone who seeks it.
• Brendan Blumer
CEO of Block.one, a blockchain software company that is behind the EOS blockchain. Blumer is known for his leadership in the blockchain space and is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the industry.
Learning opportunities – Dedication, problem-solving, and leadership are some of the many traits that Brendan has, you can learn a lot from Brenden by following his work and learning about his journey in Block.one.
• Eric Voorhees
Founder of ShapeShift, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, and an early Bitcoin advocate. Eric’s work focuses on Decentralised Finance “DeFi” by finding ways to create blockchain-based decentralised solutions in the finance industry. Eric has become a prominent name in the industry and continues to explore more ways to expand the space.
Learning opportunities – Exploring Eric’s work in the blockchain space allows you to learn about utilising innovative solutions across different industries, we are seeing the rise of different innovations through integrating blockchain across many other spaces. This is an opportunity to learn and grow your knowledge and contribute to the overall industry.
Conclusion
Web3 influencers come in different levels and ideologies, some of them enable people, while others enable projects and industries. Nevertheless, you can learn a lot from each and every single one of them, the most important part is to explore Web3 influencers that share your interest and align with your requirements. Influencers can also be integral part of your Web3 project and NFT marketing, networking is key in any emerging industry, especially crypto.