From dinner table debates to exchange common knowledge—seven years of transformation in cryptocurrency

Do you remember? Seven years ago, those debates about Bitcoin around the family dinner table? One side said it was the currency of the future, the other called it a scam. The discussions often went on until the food got cold and everyone gave up. And now, those things once mocked at the dinner table have quietly rewritten the underlying logic of how the world operates.

The moment CZ walked out of prison and stood under the spotlight at Davos, he calmly said: “Exchanges and stablecoins have matured.” No grand speeches, no emotional fluctuations. But it is this calmness that suddenly makes us realize—we have been brought into a different world, and most people haven’t even reacted yet.

Memory of Controversy vs Current Consensus

From “Is this even a pyramid scheme” to “Without it, we can’t do without,” cryptocurrency has completed a complete cognitive flip.

In 2017, the debate at the dinner table was still: “Bitcoin is worthless, it’s a bubble.” Back then, mentioning digital assets usually drew frowns and head-shakes. By 2021, an NFT of a cartoon monkey could sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and people started to wonder if they had missed the boat. By the end of 2024, Bitcoin stabilized at $100,000, and Wall Street bigwigs who once sneered at it are lining up to apply for spot ETFs, just like grabbing limited-edition sneakers.

Trump’s team even publicly discussed including Bitcoin in the national strategic reserves. This is no longer a game for tech geeks in small circles but has become a matter of national policy considerations.

Those who once called cryptocurrencies “rat poison” at the dinner table are now quietly entering under the guise of “strategic deployment.” Cognitive reversal often happens like this—no one announces “the old era is over,” but when you look back, the dividing line is already unmistakably clear.

Maturity Arrives, Infrastructure Becomes the New Battlefield

The era of wild growth is over. When an industry begins to say it is “mature,” the real test has just begun.

What does a mature market need? Not stories of rapid surges, nor the frenzy of speculators, but stable, reliable, self-sustaining infrastructure.

This is why, from trading depth, settlement speed, to the credibility of stablecoins and the sustainability of yield protocols, these “behind-the-scenes heroes” are gaining unprecedented attention. The industry’s value is quietly shifting from surface-level applications to the foundational infrastructure layer.

Take stablecoins as an example. Once, stablecoins were just a trading medium—you needed them to hedge volatility or as trading pairs. But in a mature market, stablecoins are evolving into a hub for asset preservation and yield generation.

Investors who shed tears in volatile markets are now reconsidering a question: how to protect principal while generating real, sustainable returns? At this point, well-designed yield-bearing stablecoin protocols become the answer.

How Yield-Bearing Stablecoins Redefine Risk Management

Take USD1 launched by ListaDAO as an example. It’s not just a simple digitization of the dollar.

The architecture of USD1 is as follows: it is backed by over-collateralized crypto assets (like BNB, ETH), ensuring transparency of security. But more importantly, holding USD1 allows participation in yield within the protocol. It’s like installing a “profit engine” on your stablecoin position—regardless of market ups and downs, this part of the assets grows automatically.

The logic behind this is simple: as more users adopt USD1, more assets are staked to generate yield certificates (like lisBNB), creating a positive cash flow cycle for the entire ecosystem. This is not a yield maintained by latecomers taking over; it is driven by the protocol design itself, a sustainable profit model.

Smarter users have even discovered a “triple yield” strategy: stake mainstream assets to get yield certificates → retain the upside potential of the original assets → simultaneously obtain liquidity (by lending USD1) → and earn additional income. This design embodies the maximization of capital efficiency in a mature market.

How Ordinary People Can Keep Up with This “Mature Train”

As the industry is no longer driven solely by stories, our strategies must also change.

First, shift from “speculation” to “allocation.” Allocate part of your stable assets into yield-bearing stablecoins like USD1, treating it as a “cornerstone” of your crypto portfolio. No matter how the market fluctuates, this part of your assets is automatically growing for you. This mindset shift is often the dividing line between a novice and a mature investor.

Second, focus on “genuine cash flow protocols.” When choosing which ecosystem to participate in, ask yourself: where does the yield come from? Is it from real cash flow within the ecosystem, or from continuous new investor capital? The former is sustainable; the latter will eventually peak.

Third, become an early participant in infrastructure. The process of industry maturation is a process of value redistribution. Understanding and engaging early with protocols like ListaDAO, which have real moat, not only provides stable current income but also offers long-term benefits as the ecosystem develops.

From “Should I Join” to “How to Participate Better”

The true meaning behind CZ’s words has already gone far beyond Bitcoin itself. It marks a turning point: cryptocurrencies no longer need to prove their value to the world.

Back then at the dinner table, people debated whether it was “useful.” Now, the debate is about “how to use and earn.” This shift may seem subtle but is profoundly significant.

Smart people no longer ask “Will it rise,” but instead think: “In this new financial system, what position should I occupy? What strategies are best suited for this new era?”

Perhaps the most solid step is to start with owning a stable asset that can grow on its own, and to take seriously those protocols with real cash flow and sustainability. Because by then, you will no longer be arguing right or wrong at the dinner table, but already seeking opportunities in the new world.