All 5 recommendations
Est. prices as of Feb 18, 2026
#1 · Web3 Evangelists, 2017-2024 · Most Overhyped
The 'Banks Will Become Obsolete' Promise
$Billions in Lost Investments
Replace traditional finance with permissionless, trustless systems
- âś“ Technically possible in theory
- âś“ Made venture capitalists very rich
- âś“ Inspired some genuine innovation in payment rails
- âś— Every major crypto exchange required KYC anyway, recreating traditional banking gatekeeping
- âś— No regulatory framework = no consumer protection when you get scammed
- âś— Banks still process 99.9% of actual transactions
#2 · Art Gallery Owners & Twitter Profile Pic Investors
The 'NFTs Are the Future of Digital Ownership' Promise
$40,000 for a Bored Ape
Own digital art and collectibles on the blockchain forever
- âś“ Actually enabled some artists to reach collectors directly
- âś“ Created genuine use cases for supply chain tracking
- âś“ Proved blockchain immutability works
- âś— JPEGs you don't actually own still live on centralized servers
- âś— 99% of NFTs worth less than the gas fees spent to mint them
- âś— Rug pulls were so common they became a meme
#3 · Code-is-Law Idealists
The 'Smart Contracts Will Replace Lawyers' Promise
$100K+ in unexpected smart contract exploits
Automate agreements without intermediaries—trustless transactions
- âś“ Some DeFi protocols genuinely reduced fees for specific use cases
- âś“ Enabled faster settlement times in limited scenarios
- âś“ Proved automated enforcement is possible
- âś— One typo in the code = permanent loss of funds with no recourse
- âś— Flash loan attacks and sandwich attacks exploited the very trustlessness promised
- âś— Still need lawyers to write the contracts defining what the code does
#4 · Mastodon, Bluesky, Nostr Enthusiasts · Hidden Gem
The 'Decentralized Social Media Will Kill Twitter' Promise
Free (still waiting for users)
Own your social graph with decentralized alternatives
- âś“ Some genuinely interesting technical architecture
- âś“ Bluesky actually has engagement from journalists and creators
- âś“ Proved decentralized identity can work
- âś— Network effects = everyone still on centralized platforms
- âś— Moderation becomes impossible at scale without centralization
- âś— Communities fractured into echo chambers with zero growth for 5+ years
#5 · Crypto Exchange Marketing Teams
The 'Staking Will Give You Passive Income Forever' Promise
5-20% APY (until it doesn't)
Lock up your tokens and watch passive income roll in
- âś“ Mathematically sound in isolated systems
- âś“ Actually pays yield until token crashes 90%
- âś“ Made wealthy crypto holders feel productive
- âś— Unsustainable yields always collapse when new money stops flowing
- âś— Tax implications worse than promised (you owe taxes on unbacked gains)
- ✗ Staking withdrawals locked while token plummets—paper losses become real