So, for those that complain about how Ethereum has become a platform for whales, let me tell you something…sadly, you’re right. For the time being, it has become completely unusable for the layman. Until the Merge, we’re looking at a norm where it can cost $500 to register an ENS domain name. Which, without doubt, is insane. So what projects can even be feasible in this period of boutique pricing?

As it turns out, there is one: Spruce ID. Sponsored by the Ethereum Foundation, it’s finally trying to do something with Ethereum that requires minimal gas (i.e., operational costs) and has a finite scope, something that’s actually very plausible and achievable. Basically, it’s the “EAuth” version of OAuth, so that you can have a universal login without Big Tech looking over you shoulder. (We’re looking at you, Zuck.)

Even though other Ethereum projects are still interesting, I think that this one is probably the most exciting, for a number of reasons. On top of being a major bridge for mainstream adoption, this project has the potential to become a common meeting ground for many blockchain developers. Basically, it could become a major catalyst for future development (especially in Ethereum), and it’s a refreshing departure from the constant talk of DeFi. If I hear one more pitch from a green-eyed monster about liquidity pools in Uniswap or some other DeFi yada yada…

In any case, drop by the Spruce online meetings or their Discord channel to hear some good developer talk without the buzzwords. These people might carry Ethereum on their shoulders, out of the shadows and into the light.