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The way we utilize and profit from personal assets is undergoing a groundbreaking shift.
Roundtable anchor, Rob Nelson, and Aly Madhavji, Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund, explored how tech companies like Uber and emerging technologies in the DePin (decentralized physical infrastructure) space that are helping people leverage unused resources are similar in changing the dynamics of ownership.
Projects like Akash, Koii, and others in the DePin arena have seen significant added attention as the rise of AI calls into question whether or not there will be enough computing resources to go around.
Like with cars and Uber, technology is now enabling individuals to turn underutilized resources into revenue-generating assets, redefining the relationship between consumers and their possessions.
Nelson outlined the broader implications of this trend, saying, “We’re moving to a model where you can actually monetize that asset, pay it off, make it make you money. Your phone can make you money versus cost you money. That’s a whole new way of thinking about assets and our basic economy.” He emphasized the shift as not merely a change in products but a transformation in how society thinks about ownership and monetization.
Aly Madhavji highlighted the trajectory of this evolution, noting, “If you think about where we were, for example with Uber, it allowed you to better utilize that resource [of a car] but not entirely effectively.” He pointed out that new models like Koii take this further, explaining, “Koii is taking that next step and really bringing this together to allow you to essentially monetize while you sleep. That’s the bigger shift we’re heading toward.”
By building on existing trends and leveraging cutting-edge technology, the shift to asset monetization represents more than an economic change — it signifies a cultural rethinking of value and utility. As Nelson summarized, this transition underscores a "whole different way of thinking about how we pay, monetize, and own."