Is leaving the crypto world and turning to AI a sign of sober thinking?

Original author: DeFi Teddy, founder of Biteye

Recently, I've clearly noticed a trend:

More and more of my friends are clearing out their Web3 stocks and going all in on AI.

I don't completely agree; let me briefly state my opinion.

Conclusion first: It's not about taking sides, but about finding a balance.

Crypto & AI: Not an either/or choice

AI and Web3 are not in conflict; on the contrary, they are converging.

While learning Vibe Coding and leading a team in AI entrepreneurship, I also continued to research new Web3 opportunities.

What is truly underestimated is:

AI × Crypto: an "enlightenment-level track".

Agents, on-chain data, decentralized computing power, AI payments, stablecoins...

Giving up now might mean missing out on the early stages.

Is the crypto world really finished? History has already provided the answer.

The cry of "The crypto world is dead" has appeared countless times, for example:

Following the ICO crash in 2018 and subsequent global regulation, many people left the market, believing the industry was dead.

But 2020 saw the DeFi Summer.

Wall Street and regulators are starting to truly embrace crypto.

Although BTC is currently under pressure, the trend of traditional finance being revolutionized by blockchain is irreversible.

Nasdaq is pushing forward with stock tokenization.

SWIFT explores blockchain solutions.

Stablecoin cross-border payments already account for approximately 15%.

AI is essential to learn, but don't mythologize it.

If you don't learn AI, you will definitely be left behind.

But AI itself is not a money-printing machine; it is merely a tool.

AI has lowered the barriers to entrepreneurship.

This also raises the bar for success.

Just like the mass entrepreneurship movement in 2015:

Super individuals will definitely emerge.

But the vast majority of people are simply more efficient wage earners or small business owners.

The reality is harsh, and we must recognize that AI will accelerate the gap between rich and poor because the biggest beneficiaries are centralized companies.

AI stocks are worth watching.

deepseek data:

Nvidia's stock price increased 200-300 times in 10 years.

The only comparable examples are Bitcoin at 300x and Ethereum at 1200x.

A domestic example is the previously popular Moore's Threads, where early investor Peixian Qianyao achieved a 6000-fold return and a 12 billion yuan paper return – an investment myth. However, such opportunities are inaccessible to ordinary retail investors. Early investment opportunities that are more accessible to the average person are still found in Web3.

Summarize:

In 2026, I will continue to study Web3 + AI, while researching AI stocks, with a focus on the cross-opportunities of AI × Crypto.

It's not about escaping the crypto world, but about upgrading our understanding. What do you all think?