HTX Ventures Head Alec on the Key to Web3 Development: Focus on Real-World Applications and Risk Management
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HTX Ventures Head Alec on the Key to Web3 Development: Focus on Real-World Applications and Risk Management
Alec believes that the Web3 market will become more mature in 2025 and gain widespread mainstream recognition.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsAs the saying goes, ducks are the first to know when spring river water turns warm. When it comes to gauging an industry's prospects, venture capital firms—putting real money on the line—are often the most perceptive. After two relatively quiet years, the crypto industry is regaining investor attention. According to CryptoRank, in the first quarter of 2025, VC investment in the crypto sector reached $4.8 billion—60% of the total VC funding deployed in all of 2024. This surge is driven by improved regulatory environments, global capital flows, and project innovation, signaling that the Web3 space is entering a new phase of growth.
As head of HTX Ventures, the global investment arm of cryptocurrency exchange HTX, Alec Goh stands as a key observer and catalyst in this revival. Drawing on his strong traditional finance background and deep understanding of the Web3 ecosystem, Alec recently shared his insights on 2025 industry trends in an interview with Tech In Asia.
Alec previously worked at Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank, focusing on mergers and investments—a background that gave him profound expertise in risk management, asset allocation, and institutional frameworks. On the resurgence of the Web3 sector, Alec noted: "The industry landscape is undergoing profound change." He believes the Web3 market will mature significantly in 2025 and gain broader mainstream recognition.
In the United States, supportive policies from the new administration have become a key driver. Alec highlighted the executive order signed by the Trump administration designating Bitcoin as a strategic national reserve asset, which has greatly boosted confidence among institutional investors worldwide. Meanwhile, countries like Bhutan are also advancing initiatives to use Bitcoin in public spending. Recognizing this global trend, HTX Ventures made forward-looking investments in high-potential projects such as Babylon back in 2024, actively building exposure in Bitcoin staking and yield ecosystems.
Despite these positive developments, Alec urges investors to remain rational and cautious: "A more mature ecosystem does not mean past investment successes will automatically continue performing well."
Looking ahead to 2025, Alec emphasized that the Web3 industry must focus on "real-world use cases." Stablecoin cross-border payment networks and tokenization of real-world assets, he said, will be crucial drivers for healthy industry development. "By strengthening practical applications, we can reduce excessive speculation within the Web3 space," Alec explained.
To project founders, Alec recommends establishing clear and sustainable business models; to investors, he stresses that every investment must be grounded in rigorous commercial logic.
As an investor with experience in both traditional finance and crypto markets, Alec particularly underscores the importance of "risk management" in Web3. Traditional finance has developed robust risk control systems through decades of experience—something the Web3 space still lacks. Many Web3 projects focus heavily on product delivery while neglecting risk management, ultimately leading to losses. "If we want large-scale institutional capital inflows, we need to change this," Alec said.
"The key lies in having strong security infrastructure and appropriate compliance policies," he added. Regular smart contract audits and well-structured token vesting mechanisms to prevent premature capitalization—and thus systemic risks—are effective measures moving forward.
Looking to the future, Alec expects more jurisdictions to align with the U.S. approach by establishing digital asset reserves. This convergence could lead to greater consistency in global regulation, lowering compliance costs for businesses and further unlocking the industry’s potential. Still, he cautions that Web3 must move beyond its speculative past and earn broad societal recognition through genuine technological innovation and real-world adoption.
"The human impulse to speculate will never disappear," Alec admitted. "But if we, as industry participants, want to be taken seriously, we must confront these issues head-on and drive Web3 toward maturity and sustainable growth."
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