Katherine Monroe

Money has always played a central role in society, and control over it has long been a subject of contention. For hundreds of years, banks have managed payments, provided loans, and acted as trusted go-betweens. Then Bitcoin arrived. A digital currency created out of skepticism toward the banking system. With Bitcoin, finance gained a new competitor: one that is decentralized, global, and operates outside traditional institutions. Now, the real question is not whether Bitcoin and banks can exist together, but who will shape the future of money. Will established financial giants continue to remain in control, or will decentralized currencies alter the rules of the game? This struggle is about more than just technology; it’s about trust, control, and who decides how value moves around the world.

The internet is changing again. First came Web1, the static web of the 1990s, where you could only read. Then, with Web 2.0, the social web, we can read, write, and interact with others. Today, we scroll feeds, post updates, stream videos, and shop online. Now, people are talking about Web3. If Web2 was participation, Web3 is ownership. Though today’s internet is powerful, a few companies still control our data and digital spaces. Web3, the “next internet revolution,” aims to change that by shifting control to users through decentralization and blockchain technology. Simply put, it’s an internet where you own your identity, content, and money, with no middleman.