For episode 233, for our third annual Year in Review episode, I’m excited to welcome Sam Flanagan and Abeera Akhtar from Web3ForGood. We reflect on the biggest wins, moments, and lessons from 2025, and what's ahead in 2026, a year that could be defining for how technologies like AI, blockchain, and zero-knowledge tools shape society for the better.

We discuss:

🌍 How Web3 quietly delivered real-world impact in 2025, from stablecoins emerging as vital humanitarian rails to local, community-led models gaining real traction.
🧱 Why infrastructure finally took center stage, with Ethereum turning 10, Layer 2s maturing, and RealFi moving from experimentation to real-world deployment.
🔮 What’s coming next, including the growth of AI & Web3, prediction markets, RWAs, and why stablecoins may soon be the default rails for global cash transfers.
😄 And we’ll even touch on why the Pope ended up debating Silicon Valley, what a Bitcoin Baby is, and how poop-to-earn somehow became a real thing…seriously

‍

--Key Takeaways--

💸 Stablecoins are becoming core impact infrastructure - Stablecoins were a major theme in the 2024 review, an even bigger focus in 2025, and are clearly on track to be one of the defining narratives of 2026. As they mature, stablecoins are increasingly finding their place as global financial and impact rails.

🚧 UX remains Web3’s biggest challenge, but interoperability is catching up - Layer-2 fatigue highlights a broader usability problem in Web3: too much complexity still finds its way to the user. That said, 2025 marked real progress, with better interoperability, modular tooling, and cross-ecosystem collaboration helping abstract away friction and move the stack closer to seamless, user-friendly experiences.

🌐 Decentralized media, identity, and privacy are becoming human rights infrastructure - As democratic institutions face increasing strain worldwide, decentralized media, privacy-preserving systems, and identity and verification tools are emerging as essential safeguards.

--Full shownotes with links available at--
www.cryptoaltruists.com/blog/crypto-altruists-episode-233-2025-web3-for-good-year-in-review-top-crypto-impact-trends-and-predictions

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--DISCLAIMER--
While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, do not take any of this as investment advice and make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity, before making an investment. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More info at cryptoaltruists.com/disclaimer

Episode 233 - 2025 Web3 for Good Year in Review - Top Crypto Impact Trends and Predictions

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