Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies and Mobile Devices

Abstract

Mobile devices have been constructed for particular uses, prioritising interaction with externally maintained products and services as opposed to "user-in-control" processes. Attempts to increase web3 mobile adoption have to date focused on app design, device security and speed of payments. Meanwhile, web3 mobile wallets and other applications typically rely on third party services to interact with the blockchain. While resilient blockchain infrastructures seek to be unanchored from geographical and regulatory ties, significant data and computing processing power is required to run a full node of a public blockchain. If mobile devices require users to go through other people's nodes without verification, this produces points of centralisation within the network, making it vulnerable to nation state censorship. This chapter users the concept of "the confidence machine" to unpack web3 mobile futures and provide a conceptual basis for further research into web3 adoption and digital inclusion.