Stellar’s CMO says crypto must ditch hype and “get rich slow” to win mainstream trust

Why it matters: Crypto still suffers from a branding gap despite growing institutional adoption, according to Stellar CMO Jason Karsh.

Karsh said the industry leans too heavily on “esoteric words and verbiage” that alienate everyday users.

He argued crypto “peaked in public” too early due to speculative mania, distorting its real potential.

The bigger opportunity: rebuilding global financial rails to move and store value more efficiently.

The big picture: Stellar is positioning itself at the center of tokenization and cross-border payments as institutions enter crypto.

The network has focused on payments and real-world financial use cases since launching in 2014.

That long-term approach is now paying off as regulators warm to stablecoins and tokenized assets.

Karsh said the goal is to eventually move “trillions” of dollars on-chain, beyond early pilot programs.

Between the lines: Stablecoins are emerging as crypto’s gateway product, but messaging remains a hurdle.

Karsh called stablecoins “the killer first use case” because they mirror familiar fiat currencies.

Still, broader audiences remain skeptical or confused about how they work.

He suggested reframing them as programmable dollars that earn yield and move instantly.

What they’re saying: Karsh is pushing a sharp break from short-term, hype-driven crypto marketing.

“You need to try to get rich slow… create value every day,” he said.

He criticized projects that prioritize token launches over sustainable products.

Strong brands, he added, come from consistent execution and aligning product with messaging.

What’s next: The next wave of adoption may come from infrastructure, not speculation.

Karsh expects growth to come from replacing legacy financial systems with blockchain rails.

He predicts both humans and AI agents will drive transaction growth, with agents eventually dominating volume.

But near-term success depends on onboarding “100 million humans” first.