Web3. The Wild West of the internet. A land of infinite promise, yet a terrain fraught with possible snares, notably for creatives. We’ve long been sold on the premise of decentralization, but to most creatives, decentralization without privacy seems like decentralized exposure. And that’s a problem. A big one.

Are You Ready To Be Naked Online?

Let's be brutally honest: most artists are terrified of Web3. An atmosphere of constant surveillance and the fear of having their work taken advantage of paralyzes most creatives. The sheer complexity of navigating the blockchain makes even the most technical among us want to retreat to the much more secure shores of Web2. Consider you’ve put countless hours and meticulous detail into a digital creation. Now imagine having your entire creative process, your intellectual DNA laid bare for the entire world to pick apart. It’s no different than doing open heart surgery in a fish bowl.

For artists from Southeast Asia, where I’ve lived most of my career, this fear is compounded. Most of these new creatives have already been working in resource poor, legal precarious spaces. To think about introducing something with even more potential for vulnerability onto the blockchain is just outrageous.

This is where Inco comes in. They're not just building another blockchain. They're building a privacy shield. By doubling down on Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE), they are quite literally providing Web3 the confidence it has been craving in terms of privacy. Think of it as a digital burqa.

Privacy: Not A Luxury, But A Right

Inco has also recently completed a $5 million funding round, a16z crypto CSX leading the charge with Coinbase Ventures also coming on board. This investment is a key turning point in the Web3 narrative. Folks are beginning to understand that privacy is not a sort of exotic ask, but rather a hygiene factor for widespread adoption.

Inco’s fhEVM is designed to enable privacy-preserving smart contracts and computations on encrypted data. Additionally, artists have the courage to go after NFTs, decentralized art marketplaces, and other Web3 technologies. They should be able to do this confidently, knowing that their personal information and creative processes are safeguarded. They have the ability to store encrypted data securely on the blockchain. Further, they can produce on-chain state transitions using that encrypted data.

Take Nandar, a young contemporary artist from Myanmar. She hopes to sell her production as NFTs one day, but she has reservations. Her country’s political climate is unstable. She’s worried about what might happen if she makes a public connection between her artistic persona and her true identity. With Inco, she would be able to mint and sell her NFTs while remaining anonymous. For the first time she would be able to engage with the world art market without endangering her life. This is privacy on the power of action.

From Hangman to Hidden Masterpieces

Inco’s testnet projects, like Hangman, Comfy and Melee, might look like basic games. They do illustrate the great potential that exists with Inco’s tech. They illustrate that you can study the blockchain without giving up your personal information. This is important for building confidence and driving broader adoption, particularly from artists new to the ecosystem.

These are the building blocks for a future where artists can create, collaborate, and monetize their work on the blockchain without fear of being exploited.

  • Hangman: A word-guessing game. Data is encrypted so you don't know exactly what you're guessing.
  • Comfy: Converting USDC to cUSDC ("Shield") and back. Shielding your transactions.
  • Melee: Voting for crypto experts. Anonymously, of course.

Inco's "nanny-level privacy" might sound a bit patronizing, but honestly, maybe that's exactly what Web3 needs right now. A gentle, guiding hand to help artists navigate the complexities of the blockchain and protect themselves from the inherent risks. This isn’t about coddling them, it’s about giving them the tools they need to succeed. It's about building a Web3 that is truly inclusive and accessible to everyone, regardless of their technical expertise or their geographical location.

Well, is Inco’s privacy the onramp for artists to Web3? I think it just might be. And that's a good thing. And that’s why if we want to drive toward a truly decentralized and much more vibrant creative ecosystem, we need to make privacy a really important consideration. Ultimately we just have to make artists feel safe, secure and empowered to even begin exploring the new wonderful possibilities of Web3. Only then will we be able to unlock the true potential of creativity on the blockchain.

So, is Inco's privacy the gateway drug for artists entering Web3? I think it just might be. And that's a good thing. Because if we want a truly decentralized and vibrant creative ecosystem, we need to make privacy a priority. We need to make artists feel safe, secure, and empowered to explore the endless possibilities of Web3. Only then can we unlock the full potential of creativity on the blockchain.