Why it matters: Crypto still suffers from a branding gap despite growing institutional adoption, according to Stellar CMO Jason Karsh.

• Karsh said the industry leans too heavily on “esoteric words and verbiage” that alienate everyday users.
• He argued crypto “peaked in public” too early due to speculative mania, distorting its real potential.
• The bigger opportunity: rebuilding global financial rails to move and store value more efficiently.

The big picture: Stellar is positioning itself at the center of tokenization and cross-border payments as institutions enter crypto.

• The network has focused on payments and real-world financial use cases since launching in 2014.
• That long-term approach is now paying off as regulators warm to stablecoins and tokenized assets.
• Karsh said the goal is to eventually move “trillions” of dollars on-chain, beyond early pilot programs.

Between the lines: Stablecoins are emerging as crypto’s gateway product, but messaging remains a hurdle.

• Karsh called stablecoins “the killer first use case” because they mirror familiar fiat currencies.
• Still, broader audiences remain skeptical or confused about how they work.
• He suggested reframing them as programmable dollars that earn yield and move instantly.

What they’re saying: Karsh is pushing a sharp break from short-term, hype-driven crypto marketing.

• “You need to try to get rich slow… create value every day,” he said.
• He criticized projects that prioritize token launches over sustainable products.
• Strong brands, he added, come from consistent execution and aligning product with messaging.

What’s next: The next wave of adoption may come from infrastructure, not speculation.

• Karsh expects growth to come from replacing legacy financial systems with blockchain rails.
• He predicts both humans and AI agents will drive transaction growth, with agents eventually dominating volume.
• But near-term success depends on onboarding “100 million humans” first.