DigiTalk Podcast EP28 Recap — How Global Instability Drives Demand for Crypto Assets
The recent DigiTalk Episode 28, titled “How Global Instability Drives Demand for Crypto Assets”, examines how global macro uncertainty — from inflation to currency risk — is pushing users toward Bitcoin and stablecoins. In this episode, top voices unpack why crypto assets are gaining momentum in uncertain times.
Introduction
Bitcoin Ecosystem Builder
Our focus is on expanding Bitcoin beyond a store of value into a full-fledged tokenization platform. We work on protocols like Stamps and SRC-20 to enable the issuance of digital assets — ranging from art and gold to real estate — directly on Bitcoin’s immutable layer. By leveraging Bitcoin’s security and permanence, we aim to bring real-world assets on-chain and broaden financial decentralization.
This aligns with the broader theme of financial decentralization by using Bitcoin as both money and infrastructure. Tokenization on Bitcoin lets anyone anywhere hold, trade, or build new markets on an open, permissionless network — undermining the exclusivity of traditional financial systems.
Omnity Network
Omnity Network builds fully trustless bridges and execution layers between Bitcoin layer‑1 and high‑throughput layer‑2 chains. Our infrastructure lets DeFi protocols settle on Bitcoin, marrying its robust security with the speed and composability of modern smart-contract platforms.
By anchoring cross-chain interoperability in Bitcoin, we contribute to financial decentralization — ensuring that liquid assets and services can flow freely without custodial intermediaries. Our products (e.g., Rich Swap, Tai Chi) and events like WindAsia 2025 showcase Bitcoin’s potential as a programmable monetary base.
BitSky Services
BitSky (BSCymore) is a Web3 social-five platform that connects KOLs, projects, and communities through on-chain incentives. We run “QB Talk” meetups and airdrop campaigns on X, Telegram, and YouTube, distributing rewards from our USDT prize pools to participants.
This model decentralizes marketing and community growth: instead of centralized ad buys, we empower individuals worldwide to earn by engaging, sharing, and creating content — democratizing access to crypto benefits.
Protofire
Protofire is a Web3 DAO of developers and growth hackers offering end-to-end DeFi product development. From idea validation to full product launches, we build secure, yield-generating platforms and craft growth strategies that drive sustainable user acquisition.
By delivering high-APY savings products, remittance tools, and cross-border DeFi workflows, we equip both retail users and institutions to navigate volatile markets — spreading financial power outside traditional banks.
SUEDE AI
SUEDE AI is a Web3 music platform enabling creators to compose, collaborate, and monetize their IP on-chain. We combine generative-AI tools with live-streaming features — letting artists retain ownership while earning from performances, airdrops, and platform rewards.
This furthers financial decentralization by removing intermediaries in the music industry: artists can directly engage and transact with fans, bypassing labels and gatekeepers.
Q1: What kind of macro trends (inflation, FX risk, capital flight, etc.) have most impacted crypto adoption in your view?
Bitcoin Ecosystem Builder
Inflation and FX risk are driving retail and institutional users to seek peer-to-peer hedges. People around the world — especially in high-inflation regions — are converting local savings into Bitcoin to preserve purchasing power. Institutional recognition (e.g., the GenX Act in the U.S.) further cements Bitcoin’s role as a programmable reserve asset.
Simultaneously, capital controls and unstable banking systems push users to crypto as an alternative conduit for cross-border transactions. From remittances to corporate treasury management, crypto offers quicker, cheaper settlement than legacy rails.
SUEDE AI
The narrative has shifted from “crypto as scam” to “crypto as infrastructure.” With credibility largely established, the market now rewards projects on merit — real-world utility and user experience — rather than hype alone.
This maturing mindset is driven by macro concerns (inflation, regulatory uncertainty) and investor sophistication. Stakeholders expect tangible value — be it decentralized music monetization or DeFi protocols — before committing capital.
Omnity Network
We observed VC capital flooding speculative paper-projects in 2019–22, only to see market stagnation when value propositions failed. Today, investors (both retail and institutional) demand grounded solutions that address real macro needs — like cross-chain settlement on Bitcoin.
Regulated environments and enhanced due diligence have made capital allocation more efficient. Projects must now prove technical robustness and security (e.g., Bitcoin’s consensus) to attract significant TVL.
BitSky Services
Inflation fears, FX devaluation, and capital controls are the top drivers of crypto adoption in emerging markets. Users turn to hard assets like BTC and stablecoins to protect savings, while also leveraging crypto for instant, permissionless remittances.
The combination of unstable local currencies and restrictive financial policies has accelerated on-chain adoption — people simply need tools that work beyond traditional systems.
Protofire
Inflation remains the dominant catalyst. Although many users lack smooth onboarding, they increasingly use crypto as a hedge against eroding purchasing power — especially in regions like Venezuela and Nigeria.
Furthermore, the promise of DeFi yields (often eclipsing bank rates) entices users seeking higher returns. This macro environment fuels demand for cross-border remittance platforms and yield-optimizing protocols.
Q2: In regions with unstable currencies or financial systems, what decentralized assets or use cases are gaining traction?
Protofire
In Latin America and Africa, stablecoins are the primary entry point: they offer dollar-pegged value for savings and remittances, at fees far below legacy providers. Users routinely transact in USDT or USDC to buy everyday goods, from coffee to groceries.
Bitcoin also retains prominence for larger transfers despite higher on-chain fees. Its ubiquity and brand recognition make it a trusted tool for cross-border payments and value storage.
BitSky Services
Stablecoins solve multiple pain points in unstable economies: users can save in USD without a bank account, send value instantly, and avoid currency devaluation.
However, to fully realize this potential, the industry must improve UX, clarify compliance, and build robust cross-border rails — so stablecoins feel as seamless as traditional payment apps.
Q3: Do you see stablecoins becoming the go-to solution for global transactions and savings in uncertain times?
BitSky Services
Yes. Stablecoins let users lock savings in a familiar fiat equivalent, transact instantly, and sidestep burdensome banking requirements — ideal in volatile or capital-controlled regions.
Yet we need better onboarding flows, clearer compliance standards, and stronger payment-rail integrations to make them truly frictionless for mass adoption.
Omnity Network
Stablecoins occupy a middle ground: they combine fiat-like stability with crypto rails, making them indispensable today — especially for retailers.
At the same time, regulators push for clarity (AML/KYC) to ensure on-chain funds remain clean. Balancing decentralization with compliance will determine whether stablecoins can sustain global utility.
Q4: How does your project help users or institutions mitigate macro risk?
Bitcoin Ecosystem Builder
By leveraging Bitcoin’s robust security as collateral, we enable tokenized real-world assets (art, commodities, real estate) to settle on-chain — diversifying holdings beyond fiat or equities.
Our protocols (Stamps, SRC-20) allow both retail and enterprise to hedge inflation, FX risk, and centralized failures by holding diversified, on-chain portfolios backed by Bitcoin’s immutability.
Omnity Network
Our trustless bridges and execution layers let DeFi protocols anchor on Bitcoin, reducing counterparty risk and enhancing settlement finality. Institutions can move large sums across chains without custodial intermediaries.
By building on Bitcoin’s consensus, we offer a secure backbone for programmable assets — mitigating volatility and systemic risks inherent to less-secure networks.
BitSky Services
We distribute rewards (USDT airdrops) and run incentive campaigns that give users in fragile economies tangible crypto earnings — diversifying income streams beyond unstable local wages.
Our social-five model connects global projects with on-chain participants, letting users mitigate local economic shocks by participating in broad, decentralized incentive programs.
Protofire
We architect yield-optimizing savings products that outperform traditional bank rates — protecting users from inflation while offering transparent smart-contract mechanisms.
For institutions, we develop remittance and treasury-management tools that leverage stablecoins and DeFi rails, ensuring liquidity even when local banks impose capital controls.
Q5: Is Bitcoin still viewed as a safe haven or digital gold in 2025, or has that narrative shifted?
Bitcoin Ecosystem Builder
Bitcoin remains the premier peer-to-peer transaction medium and reserve asset, buoyed by regulatory clarity (e.g., U.S. GenX Act) and growing institutional adoption across China, Nigeria, and Europe.
Its narrative as “digital gold” endures, now bolstered by active tokenization use cases — cementing Bitcoin’s dual role as both store of value and programmable monetary layer.
Omnity Network
Bitcoin’s unmatched security consensus continues to underpin our work. It’s no longer just a speculative asset but the preferred settlement layer for emerging DeFi markets — especially for stablecoin issuance and RWAs.
We see protocols (Runes, Ordinals) building atop Bitcoin, demonstrating that it can both preserve value and host complex financial applications — reinforcing its safe-haven status.
Q6: Are we seeing a rise in demand for RWAs and tokenized treasury assets as part of this trend?
Bitcoin Ecosystem Builder
Absolutely. Organizations are exploring tokenization of art, gold, commodities, and even real estate on Bitcoin — drawn by its permanence and auditor-friendly immutability.
As stablecoin market caps swell (approaching trillions), demand grows for settlement chains with proven security. Bitcoin fits this role, so tokenized RWAs on Bitcoin are increasingly viewed as a natural evolution.
Q7: What’s your outlook: will global instability accelerate the shift to Web3, or is adoption still too early?
Protofire
Global volatility undeniably accelerates interest in crypto as remittance and savings vehicles. Over the next six months — and certainly long term — usage will rise as more people seek cheaper, borderless alternatives to traditional finance.
However, mass adoption hinges on solving onboarding pain points. Until wallet setup, gas fees, and UX flows match Web2 ease, many potential users will remain on the sidelines.
Omnity Network
We’re optimistic. The emergence of email-based wallets, simplified gas-payment abstractions, and omnichain aggregation will make Web3 as instinctive as Web2 within 5–10 years.
Bitcoin’s role as the mother chain — providing security and cross-chain settlement — will be central to this transition. As infrastructure matures, global instability will only hasten the move to decentralized systems.
Conclusion
The AMA highlighted how leading projects are turning Bitcoin from a simple store of value into a versatile financial infrastructure. From Omnity Network’s trustless cross‑chain bridges to the tokenization of real‑world assets, the speakers underscored the critical role of Bitcoin’s security in driving decentralization. BitSky Services and Protofire demonstrated how on‑chain incentives and high‑yield DeFi products empower individuals — especially in volatile economies — while SUEDE AI showcased novel use cases that remove intermediaries and return control to creators.
Macro trends such as inflation, FX volatility, and capital controls continue to accelerate crypto adoption, with stablecoins and tokenized assets emerging as practical solutions for global payments and savings. Yet, broad uptake hinges on improving user experience, compliance clarity, and seamless onboarding. Looking ahead, as wallets become as intuitive as Web2 apps and omnichain liquidity matures, participants expect decentralized finance to become the default paradigm for managing risk, preserving value, and unlocking new economic opportunities worldwide.
