Hi @alberto , some comments in no particular order:
1. Continuing on Optics and other Bridges
- Leading on bridge technology is a clever/cheap way to get liquidity and TVL.
2. Getting way more stables out there
- Celo should be adding 3 per year at a minimum.
- This is smart because it’s something that Celo uniquely does.
3. Making transactions easier
- We should learn from China. Rich Turrin’s book Cashless is excellent. China did things very simply with QR codes. In the west we tend to overcomplicate things.
- We need an easy open-source way to make payments. Specifically, cLabs should make it easier to make payments with just QR codes. Right now we have QR codes for wallets, but we should have an open source protocol whereby the QR code is not just a wallet address but an amount and a currency. Yes, this is something that Valora or Paysail or Mugglepay can build (or have built) but there is high value in having a free to use and simple protocol for making payments that is app-agnostic. Then, apps like metamask and valora can use that open source protocol and apply a wallet approval/signature layer. All transfers (individual or merchant) should be free (apart from gas). There should be no need for a layer of companies charging 0.1% or 1% or whatever.
For Celo to be useful, we need some combination of:
a) really good on/off ramps (can be to fiat or can be merchants),
b) really easy transactions (my point above)
c) really easy bridging (to other blockchains that have a or b).
I think the best bang for the buck is to have b) and c). Doing a) to fiat is difficult because of regulatory reasons. Doing a) to merchants is good but hard to get without having b) or c). Doing c) makes a lot of sense because it is a leverage play on what other blockchains can do.
Other random thoughts:
- Natural asset reserve is a tasty mission and, done right, can make economic sense. I again advocate considering including real estate (and potentially NFTs for other assets that are not just forests and carbon credits).
- UBI is ok but I wouldn’t get overcommitted to it yet because I think the jury is still out and I don’t think you should have to endorse UBI to be part of CELO. Unconditional cash transfers I think have a bit more track record and I also like where Impact Market is going.
- I think a clear roadmap on decentralising validators is important for the network to be trusted long term. I’d like to see a plan and progress here (more than going from 100 to 110 validators).