All Platforms Need a Killer App — Cryptokitties is the one for blockchain

I’ve always loved investing in companies that can become platforms but not investing in platforms. What does that mean? Well, to be succinct, it’s quite hard to sell a platform. You need to show users/customers how your platform can solve problems. Every platform needs a killer app to demonstrate the power of the platform — show don’t tell. Going back to webmethods, it was how DHL used WIDL (precursor to XML) to embed tracking information in other websites. For twilio, it’s first big opportunity was becoming the SMS provider for Uber. For the blockchain, it’s bitcoin and for ethereum and smart contracts, it’s Cryptokitties. Yes, cryptokitties.

It’s taking over the ethereum blockchain and despite all of the ideas for enterprise smart contracts and tracking assets on the blockchain, cryptokitties is the first killer app (outside of the currencies) showing end users how they can create unique assets on the blockchain and create, share, track, trade and sell digital goods. To date, estimates have transaction volume of over $10mm and individual kitties selling for over $100k. Yes, those numbers sound insane but my point is that decentralized apps like this open the world to the power of the ethereum blockchain.

According to the cryptokitties site:

CryptoKitties is one of the world’s first games to be built on blockchain technology — the same breakthrough that makes things like Bitcoin and Ethereum possible. Bitcoin and ether are cryptocurrencies but CryptoKitties are cryptocollectibles. You can buy, sell, or trade your CryptoKitty like it was a traditional collectible, secure in the knowledge that blockchain will track ownership securely.

To get onboarded, we need to start with a Metamask.io plugin to connect our browser to the ethereum blockchain and the world of distributed apps. It’s pretty simple and once you get up and running, you need to add some Ethereum to your account via Coinbase or direct transfer. Once you have Ether in your account, you can buy a kittie and enter the world of blockchain without even knowing it.

So despite all of our discussion on putting car titles, real estate titles, and other unique assets on the blockchain, cryptokitties, a fun and addictive game, is the one application showing how powerful the blockchain can be for asset tracking and ownership. And it’s not so far a leap to think about what other enterprise digital assets can be similarly put on the blockchain.