 EigenLayer, Cartesi core devs push mainstream adoption via AI, DeFi 'killer apps' 
2025-01-30
Category: None

Ethereum restaking protocol EigenLayer and modular blockchain protocol Cartesi have launched an initiative to build the next “killer app” and bolster mainstream cryptocurrency adoption
The two blockchain protocols are calling on their core developers to build more transformative decentralized applications (DApps) capable of driving more end-user adoption.
The core developers of the two firms will host an invite-only hackathon between Feb. 10 and Feb. 18 to ideate and investigate prototype consumer DApps with new use cases, according to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph.
Through the third edition of the Cartesi Experiment Week, the firms aim to expand the Web3 design space by “bringing real-world computation onchain,” according to Erick de Moura, founder of Cartesi.
The founder told Cointelegraph:
EigenLayer is Ethereum’s largest restaking protocol, which holds over $13.7 billion in total value locked (TVL), according to DefiLlama data.
While blockchain infrastructure has seen significant growth, end-user-facing products require simpler interfaces and more innovation to facilitate wider adoption.
Removing the most pressing friction points from the crypto onboarding process remains one of the biggest hurdles of mass crypto adoption, Chintan Turakhia, senior director of engineering at Coinbase, told Cointelegraph.
Verifiable AI is blockchain’s next “killer app”
Industry experts are increasingly looking at the intersection of blockchain and artificial intelligence as a source of the next significant crypto use case.
The verifiability of blockchain-based AI could introduce “blockchain’s next killer app for mass adoption,” according to Nader Dabit, director of developer advocacy at EigenLayer.
Dabit told Cointelegraph:
Logging key AI decisions, such as loan approvals or medical diagnoses, on an immutable blockchain ledger can prove the authenticity of the output, which may be a “game-changer” for both industries, Dabit said. 
AI-powered crypto trading to gain prominence in 2025
The field of AI and AI-powered crypto projects received significant investor attention in 2024, emerging as a key focus for venture capital firms, despite the proliferation of AI-powered scams in the crypto industry.
AI-based cryptocurrency trading may be the next significant market trend, and continued AI agent development could result in AI bots surpassing human investors, according to Jawad Ashraf, co-founder and CEO of Vanar blockchain.
“KOLs, traders, and influencers will find themselves outpaced by AI agents capable of precision, 24/7 presence and even being more engaging than their real-life counterparts,” said Ashraf. 
The symbiotic relationship of AI and blockchain is set to reshape the crypto ecosystem. Ashraf said this “evolution is going to challenge our notions of trust, control and creativity, creating a less human-centric crypto economy.”