nChain’s Gareth Roberts: Philippines is well-positioned to adapt Web3 innovations

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A great understanding of blockchain technology and applications built on it is crucial to spurring mass adoption, but according to Gareth Roberts, this is not the only thing that companies in the space should focus on to get people to use and support their products and services on the chain.

Roberts, Product Manager at nChain, told CoinGeek Backstage on the sidelines of the Philippine Blockchain Week that the blockchain space—or the technology industry in general—is full of technical terms often unfamiliar to the common people. What firms need to do, he said, is get people to support their applications by building consumer trust.

Further elaborating on this, Roberts stressed that ordinary people do not need to have the same level of understanding as developers and only need to have confidence in the product they are looking to utilize.

“I think, to the point, we basically need people—well, they don’t need to technically understand these things we’re talking about—they do need to have confidence and security in what we’re offering,” he said, adding that showcasing the ability of blockchain applications in terms of reliability and addressing their demands is what gets people onboard.

On the topic of the Philippines’ readiness to use blockchain and Web3 applications, Roberts said the country is “very well-positioned” to adopt such technologies, pointing to its tech-savvy generation and their eagerness to learn, making it easier for firms—albeit small, medium, or large enterprises—to integrate these into their services.

“I think, honestly, the Philippines is gonna be one of the best-positioned places to adapt to the kind of changes in business that are a result of Web3,” he noted.

However, he pointed out that the country should have access to the resources for the smooth adoption of Web3 innovation, including having the right talent pool, such as developers, who will spearhead the tech revolution, and analysts to help businesses and the government map out their targets. This is where nChain enters.

Roberts said nChain has the necessary tools to support the Philippine government and businesses in implementing blockchain technology, thereby allowing them to build applications on the chain.

“And then you need a whole project delivery life cycle,” such as architects and project managers, he added, stressing that these people would serve as the building blocks toward realizing the goal. He also pointed out the need to upskill workers to help them ride the changing technological landscape.

Meanwhile, when asked about his opinion on the Philippines’ potential to become Southeast Asia’s blockchain hub, Roberts agreed that the country could be a major player in the blockchain technology race.

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