The State of Money

Financial access is at an all-time high.

Money is calling. But how do we answer?

It means opportunities are vast, yet complex. Finance is bigger than ever, yet difficult to navigate. The infrastructure is there, but the interface isn't.

Stablecoins, tokens, RWAs, stocks, commodities. Forms of money that once lived in separate worlds, behind separate doors, now exist on the same rails. Never has there been so much to money, and never has it been so hard to know where to begin.

Before we get into it, a note from us, to you:

We're here to remind you of the positive innovations: the ones that are good for the planet, optimistic for our future, and happening today. Perhaps this will help ease your worries elsewhere, too.

Stablecoins, Crypto, and Stocks

This post is the big picture: the state of money as a whole. It's the first in a series, and the ones that follow will go deeper on each part. Today, we zoom out. We look at what money has become, why access has never been greater, and why complexity has risen alongside it.

Then we zoom in, one form of money at a time:

The state of stablecoins. Cash, onchain. The digital dollar and the foundation everything else sits on.

The state of crypto. Digital finance in full, from crypto to real-world assets (RWAs) and tokenized commodities.

The state of stocks. Onchain equities, and what it means to reach global markets from your phone.

The idea that connects them: true access to money is more than a dollar. It's access to stocks, commodities, and national currencies, no matter the time or place.

Five years ago, you would have...

Five years ago, holding a foreign currency meant a bank account in another country, or a fee-heavy exchange counter at an airport. Buying a share of a company on the other side of the world meant the right brokerage, the right residency, and the right hours. Owning a slice of a commodity meant a vault, a fund, or a middleman.

Access depended on where you were born, what you earned, and which institutions decided you were worth serving.

Today, we tell a different story. One in which someone with a phone and an internet connection might hold digital dollars, trade global assets, and move value across borders in minutes, at any time of day. Finance, at your fingertips.

Crypto then, crypto now

Crypto began as a novel, unregulated industry. It was and still is experimental and fringe, and for many people it was easy to dismiss.

But look at where it has led. As we said in our announcement of the Squid app, crypto made money internet-native: global, programmable, social, and expressive. Now it's converging with traditional finance. Cash, stocks, and commodities are meeting crypto on the same rails, earning yield, spending, and saving, redrawing the lines between markets, technology, and culture.

What was once a separate industry is becoming the infrastructure underneath finance itself. For instance:

These are just a few names that have already integrated blockchain technology into their services for increased financial accessibility.

Crypto = accessibility

Crypto is helping broaden access to everyday money, and more.

Blockchain technology makes stablecoins, stocks, and commodities globally accessible. It doesn't ask for a passport, a minimum balance, or opening hours. A stablecoin can bring a dollar's stability to someone whose local currency swings. A tokenized asset can bring a market to someone who was never invited to it.

This is crypto at its best: opening doors rather than gatekeeping them.

Money today: the bank in your pocket

Crypto was built for the consumer, the everyday person, anywhere in the world. Banks and traditional finance apps weren't founded on those principles. But what got us here, won't get us there. There's now a huge gap between what users experience and what is now possible.

The same openness that makes crypto accessible also makes it vulnerable. When anyone can participate, anyone can also be misled, rushed, or left to figure it out alone. The tools are powerful and the guardrails are thin. Wallets, networks, bridges, gas fees, and addresses are too much to ask of someone who just wants to hold money and use it.

We hear it from our community, and we've felt it ourselves. Perfecting infrastructure is not the same as perfecting the experience. Technology with a bad user experience still restricts money, and a lack of approachable resources keeps many people from understanding what's available to them.

Many of us know there could be more, but can't find a clear way in. Others run in circles: another signal, another trade, another chance to buy the bottom and sell the top. They end up back at the beginning, with less agency and belief than before.

Access without understanding isn't really access. It's a door with no handle.

So, what now?

This is the problem that Squid has spent years solving. Since 2022, our team has been responsible for safely getting your assets to, from, and across 100+ chains. We've seen how much is possible, and how much friction still stands between people and it.

That's why we're building the Squid app: our first step into consumer crypto, bringing crypto, RWAs, stocks, and stablecoins together in one place. We believe finance can be useful without becoming sterile, and that products should feel like an experience rather than a chore. Early access is coming soon, and you can join the list at squid.inc.

But an app is only part of the answer. Understanding is the rest. That's what this series is for.

Coming up next

That's the state of money, from above. Next, we get specific, starting with the state of stablecoins, followed by the state of crypto and the state of stocks.

There has never been more to money. And the more you understand it, the less there is to miss.

Please Note

This blog is provided for educational and informational purposes only. This is not investment advice or a recommendation or solicitation for on-chain participation in any mentioned chains, tokens, or assets. Please do your own research before swapping any on-chain assets.

About Squid

Squid is the leading cross-chain platform, delivering unlimited access to blockchains and digital assets for both users and builders alike. Since 2023, Squid has processed over $6 billion in volume. Its frontend bridge app has served over 1 million users, and its API, SDK, and Widgets are trusted by more than 1,000 teams worldwide. The Squid app will be launching on mobile soon, with the early-access list now open to join at squid.inc.