As folks get into the crypto world, they often ask themselves:

What coin should I have to purchase?

That's a good one to ask.

However, after spending some time playing around in Web3, I've begun putting a new question to the ether:

Imagine, the most precious possession you have is not a coin but something else.

What if it's... you?

Not your name.

Not your passport.

Not your social media profile.

Your digital identity.

We Already Live Two Lives

Consider the amount of your life that is lived on the Internet.

Your GitHub contributions.

Your Reddit history.

Your wallet transactions.

Your gaming achievements.

Your freelance reviews.

Your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other posts.

It would seem that none of them are of much significance on their own.

They each add their own story to your soul that may be the very same one.

For years, large technology businesses have been gathering that tale.

But blockchain is changing that, allowing individuals to own it.

Reputation Is Becoming an Asset

Suppose that two people apply for the same job online.

They both have equal abilities.

One of them has years of verified activity on-chain, contributions to DAOs, attended NFT events, and a track record of successful payments.

The other has none.

Who would you believe?

Reputation is turning into one thing that can journey with you as an alternative of remaining glued inside one platform.

The Next Internet Won't Just Know Who You Are

It'll Know What You've Done

The Internet is forcing you to register an account at every site.

The Internet of tomorrow might just want you to plug in your wallet.

Instead of providing your password, you'll prove yourself through actions.

Have you worked on open source projects?

Repaid loans?

Have you been in communities without cheating?

Your history equals your resume.

This Changes More Than Finance

Crypto seems to be minimized to charts and token pricing.Crypto is frequently simplified to charts and the cost of the tokens.

But now, the infrastructure being constructed today is more than just monetary.

Imagine:

Going for an interview without a résumé.
A group of accounts without creating more accounts.
Verified on-chain reputation for renting an apartment.
Better loan terms due to your digital history of trustworthiness.

These are future concepts.

A few years ago, so did it take seconds to pay someone across the globe.

Why Investors Should Care

There are plenty of investors who only look at the price of tokens.

But value is often created by the problems technology solves.

If decentralized identity becomes a mainstream part of the internet, the platforms building that infrastructure could be just as important as today’s payment networks.

Sometimes the best opportunity isn’t the loudest trend.

It is the silent foundation being laid beneath everything else.

Final Thoughts

Crypto started with one simple question:
“What if we could have our cash?

The next question might be even bigger:
“Maybe we could have our own identity too?

And should that future come to pass, the most valuable asset in your wallet may not be a token.

It may be your good reputation.

What do you think?

Would you trust an on-chain reputation more than a traditional résumé, or should some parts of our identity always stay off the blockchain?