Why web3 needs clear, simple UX

The decentralized web promises freedom from banks and intermediaries – but for most beginners, the first encounter feels like trying to read a foreign manual without a translator. The technology isn’t short on potential, but its future hinges on a single question: Can we design web3 so users learn just by using it?

“Web3 is a grand composable tapestry of different toolchains,” Ian Davis, Senior Staff Technologist at Filecoin Foundation, told The Crypto Radio. 

“You have data storage networks like Filecoin, contract execution platforms like Ethereum, key management solutions like the LIT Protocol – but navigating the broad array of options without a tangible use case in mind is often overwhelming for newcomers.”

Despite minor gains, most people around the world still don’t fully understand web3. In the U.S., familiarity rose from 32% in 2023 to 33% in 2024, according to the 2024 Global Survey on Crypto and Web3 conducted by Consensys and YouGov. 

Conducted between February and May 2024, the survey reached 18,652 people across 18 countries. It also found that web3 is generally better understood by younger males, with increased participation in activities like wallet usage and staking. 

When UX makes or breaks the experience

Crypto platforms tend to prioritize features over user-friendliness, often overwhelming newcomers with jargon and unclear design. A significant hurdle is the steep learning curve involving concepts like seed phrases, private keys, gas fees, and wallet management. 

“UX is everything. It dictates how seamlessly you can immerse someone into the process – whether the experience feels natural or like a constant struggle,” Oleksandr Iurkin, Marketer at Hacken, told The Crypto Radio. 

“The moment a user must stop and figure out how to interact with your product, you’ve already lost their attention.”

Iurkin stressed that attention to detail in educational products is critical, and “if the onboarding isn’t smooth and almost invisible, the focus is gone before learning even begins.”

Language as a gatekeeper

Jargon still dominates web3 education – but even small moments of clarity can spark genuine understanding

In web3, jargon isn’t just confusing – it can feel exclusionary. “In closed clubs and niche industries, jargon is a bonding tool. But for anything aiming at mass adoption, it’s poison – it alienates, confuses, and kills growth before it starts,” Iurkin said.

Davis adds that new communities need to create new language to describe new ideas – but warns it mustn’t become a barrier. “The best educational experiences come from working with communities who have a strong need for what web3 provides and then teaching them how to solve that need with the right tools,” he said.

For example, Filecoin Foundation partnered with Gray Area to create the DWeb for Creators course – a web3 onboarding program helping artists and activists apply DWeb tools to their work. 

“One of my favorite phrases to use in trainings is ‘jargon alert!’ It’s something I invite anyone to say any time a piece of jargon needs to be defined,” Davis said. “It makes newcomers feel welcome, and it teaches insiders which terms are most confusing.”

Education vs monetization

Many of the best early web3 learning experiences came from the community – until monetization crept in.

“Once ‘education’ became another sales funnel, quality collapsed,” Iurkin said. “If someone thinks selling ‘educational’ materials is harmless – unlike shilling a token for whoever pays more – they’re wrong. Bad or biased knowledge can do even more damage in the long run than an outright scam.”

Still, he believes genuine communities are alive and thriving. He points to TrustArmy.com, Hacken’s Research2Earn platform built on its DYOR (Do Your Own Research) methodology, which drew around 5,000 users during its pilot.

“35% joined just to make money, while 65% came to learn, build careers, or create value – and over 1,000 total beginners (20%) still submitted at least one correct on-chain analytics report,” Iurkin shared.

When TrustArmy paused for a rebuild, its most dedicated users launched Hacken Alpha Intelligence – an independent group publishing weekly and quarterly reports. “Now their DYOR reports draw 200K+ views,” Iurkin said. “It proves a clean, non-monetized community still works.”

The next step for web3 may not be another protocol or feature – it’s building an onboarding process so clear that people hardly notice they’re learning.