In 2025, When New Trends and Narratives Are Emerging Here and There

In 2025, when new trends and narratives are emerging here and there, it might be really challenging to not lose focus

In the ever-evolving landscape of Web3, staying focused on the core aspects amidst emerging trends can be a challenge. As new narratives and technologies unfold, it's essential to keep sight of the big picture.

While the broader crypto market is showing signs of recovery, the true measure of Web3 adoption lies in the engagement of the general population. At the beginning of 2024, we observed a minimal percentage of U.S. households engaging with crypto in any capacity. However, recent data from Union Bank & Trust suggests that this figure has risen to 10%, which is a significant milestone.

Moreover, we're witnessing a shift in the regulatory landscape, especially in the U.S., with institutions like Circle (USDC) going public and USDT introducing its SDK for a payment solution. This signals a growing acceptance and integration of cryptocurrencies within the mainstream financial system.

To gain deeper insights into these trends and the overall trajectory of Web3, U.Today had the pleasure of interviewing Stepan Sergeev, a seasoned global entrepreneur and angel investor with experience in mobile apps development, consulting, and VC investing.

U.Today: Hello Stepan, thank you for coming! Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your background.

Stepan Sergeev: Hi, my name is Stepan. I spent the first 10 years of my career in mobile apps development and consulting, where I implemented various growth hacking strategies that led to 5-10M installs for several companies. After that, I built a network of industry professionals and became interested in VC investing to assist teams in accelerating their startup growth during the early stages.

U.Today: With your impressive portfolio in GameFi, app building, consulting and advising, what’s your core focus today?

Stepan Sergeev: Today, my focus is on seed and pre-seed Web3 startups. There are several reasons for this interest. First, I'm passionate about this field, which feels like a sandbox with opportunities for startup combinations. Second, we have regulatory changes that enable startups to scale, especially through mobile apps.

U.Today: Let’s start with app building in general. What are the main trends right now? Also, please indicate the three hottest verticals for you right now.

Stepan Sergeev: The golden era of mobile apps has passed. Now, the landscape has become a competitive operating system where every $0.01 spent on attracting traffic matters. Growth hacking opportunities have become scarce. I transitioned away from that, as Web3 enables full integration with mobile applications.

U.Today: If there’s one app you’re bullish on in 2025, what is it?

Stepan Sergeev: In this context, I'm closely following GameFi. For Web3 games, the current situation offers a breath of fresh air and the chance to sell high-quality titles through mobile apps.

U.Today: Let’s move to GameFi. What do you think about the current status of the segment? Will the players be back?

Stepan Sergeev: I wouldn't say that players have disappeared; rather, speculators have. After the golden age of Axie Infinity, we entered a phase focused on discovering unique concepts that can attract players with engaging gameplay, moving away from the "invest-and-run" approach. We're witnessing tremendous growth in funding rounds and remarkable examples of Web2.5 projects like GunZ.

U.Today: In the coming 10 years, will GameFi replace traditional games for smartphones? What are the catalysts and obstacles?

Stepan Sergeev: I believe that GameFi will evolve into a successful niche, but it won't be a direct competitor. It's more akin to a conditional EVE Online with a real on-chain economy. Traditional titles are already integrating blockchain elements into their game engines. In those cases, this integration offers users an enhanced level of mastery over their items, transforming them into "officially" registered assets.

U.Today: Let’s talk a little bit about Web3 as a whole. What do you think: did we accomplish something in terms of onboarding normies into crypto?

Stepan Sergeev: When examining simple crypto adoption indexes, the outlook appears promising, with a chance to surpass 10% of the total population soon. Stablecoin adoption has always been crucial for me, serving as a vital link for Web3 to reach regular retail users. Recently, we witnessed the successful IPO of Circle (USDC) and the introduction of USDT's SDK for a payment solution. All of this is driven by improvements in regulations; without them, we would still be facing significant hurdles.

U.Today: What use cases for Web3 are the most inspiring for you, from today’s perspective?

Stepan Sergeev: For me, the goal has always been to eliminate intermediaries. This is particularly vital for those who travel frequently or live