Understanding Web3.0: Corporate Initiatives, Evolution from Web1.0 to Web3.0, and Future Scenarios

This is the 1665th original article of Plain Talk Blockchain Author: Leno Publisher: Plain Talk Blockchain (ID: hellobtc)

Facebook renamed itself Meta, making the term "metaverse" explode in popularity and setting a new direction for the future of the Internet. At the same time, the concept of Web3.0 was introduced as the next evolutionary step.

Web3.0 has long been a cutting‑edge topic; its ideas date back to 2006. The mainstream view today is that Web3.0 combines blockchain’s decentralized architecture with NFTs, crypto‑finance, and other technologies to create an ecosystem that meets future societal and user needs.

Are these ideas still speculative, or have they already arrived? The deployments by Google Cloud, Walmart’s Flipkart, and the NBA provide concrete references.

01 Major Enterprises’ Web3.0 Projects

Google Cloud forms a Web3.0 team to support blockchain‑related technologies.

In early May, CNBC reported that Google Cloud is building a blockchain team to provide services for developers running blockchain applications. The team will leverage cryptocurrency and related projects to promote the initial realization of Web3.0.

According to Amit Zaveri, Google does not intend to become part of the crypto wave itself; instead, it aims to provide enterprise‑level technology that enables businesses to use and benefit from the distributed features of Web3.0.

Google’s relatively optimistic stance on Web3.0 is backed by its 2021 research on crypto‑payment systems, which gave the company a solid foundation for blockchain exploration.

Walmart’s e‑commerce arm Flipkart India Pvt creates an internal innovation department, Flipkart Labs, to explore the metaverse and Web3.0.

Flipkart Labs will initially focus on NFT‑related use cases, virtual immersive storefronts, “play‑to‑earn” models, and other blockchain applications, aiming to set commercial standards for the metaverse.

The department has already begun collaborating with Web3.0 communities and testing virtual‑world business standards.

Analysts note that Walmart sees broad potential for Web3.0 in e‑commerce and is already laying the groundwork for virtual‑world commerce standards.

The NBA launched official Web3.0 Twitter and Discord accounts (NBAxNFT) as its official Web3.0 homepage.

On April 13, 2022, the NBA announced the launch of its NBAxNFT Twitter and Discord accounts, with the Twitter bio stating “NBA official Web3.0 homepage.” The league has also filed multiple NFT‑related trademarks covering virtual collectibles, tickets, trading cards, memorabilia, and jerseys.

The NBA’s influence makes it a strong example of how Web3.0 can become more tangible in everyday life.

02 Why Are So Many Big Companies Driving Web3.0?

Beyond Walmart, Google, and the NBA, many traditional and internet giants are exploring Web3.0. The driving force is the recognition that Web3.0 will reshape the Internet’s value chain.

Web3.0 Concept

Web1.0 digitized information, making knowledge and media easily accessible. Web2.0 added interaction, enabling users to create value through comments, social networking, and platforms, ushering in the mobile‑Internet era.

Web3.0, the third generation, grants users true data ownership, turning personal information into controllable assets and allowing participants to earn revenue from data circulation and transactions.

Thus, Web3.0 is often linked to the metaverse, but the metaverse is only one manifestation; the core themes are interoperable information, value exchange, and collaboration.

Big‑Company Era Anxiety

History shows that each Internet generation creates winners and losers. Companies that embraced Web1.0 (e.g., Fox, CNN, BBC) survived, while those that ignored it vanished. Similarly, Web2.0 propelled Tencent, Alibaba, and JD.com, while static directories and early e‑commerce sites faded.

In the upcoming Web3.0 era, firms that fail to adapt may be left behind, while early adopters are poised to dominate.

03 Future Scenarios for Web3.0

Web3.0’s future can be viewed from two perspectives:

Markets will no longer tolerate “bridge‑burning” practices.

Previously, platforms attracted users with free services, then monetized them through ads, paywalls, and premium features, effectively extracting value from users. Web3.0 aims to record user‑generated value on the blockchain, ensuring creators receive compensation.

Fair “dividend distribution”.

Recent plagiarism controversies (e.g., the “Mango” ad copied by Audi) highlight the broader issue of unfair reward distribution in the Internet economy. Web3.0 promises to resolve ownership of digital assets, personal privacy, and public‑safety concerns.

04 Conclusion – A 27‑Year‑Old Mockery

In 1995, David Lightman mocked Bill Gates, asking “What is this Internet thing?” Yet Web1.0 made Gates the world’s richest person.

In 2000, officials questioned the reliability of online shopping, yet Alibaba and JD.com became China’s e‑commerce giants.

In 2010, many dismissed blockchain as a scam; today the industry’s market cap exceeds $2 trillion.

In 2022, most people still know little about Web3.0, but the technology is steadily entering daily life.

The future has already arrived.

References: • 未央网 – “Google Cloud establishes a Web3 team to support Web3 and crypto technologies” • Bloomberg – “Flipkart India Pvt, an e‑commerce company of Wal‑Mart, has set up an internal innovation department named Flipkart Labs” • Carbon News – “NBAxNFT official Twitter and Discord accounts launched” • 甲子光年智库 – “A brief analysis of Web3.0 scenario ecology”