Introduction
Dr Gavin Wood, the creator of Polkadot and co-founder of Ethereum, visited Santiago del Estero as part of a series of public talks focused on blockchain, decentralised finance, and the future of Web3. The discussion, held around activities at the province’s technology hub, placed blockchain not only as a technical innovation but also as a possible foundation for new forms of digital cooperation, public administration, and social trust.
In the interview with Canal 7 and Diario Liberal, Wood explained how blockchain technology could eventually support everyday services, help institutions operate more efficiently, and create new opportunities for regions that have not traditionally held global authority over digital trust systems.
Blockchain as a New Layer of Trust
One of the main points Wood raised was that many systems people rely on every day involve organisations, companies, or third parties whose internal processes are not always visible to the public. People may not notice these systems directly, but they are present in daily life through identity services, records, licences, financial processes, institutional procedures, and other forms of coordination.
Wood explained that blockchain has the potential to improve or replace some of these trust-based systems by making interactions more transparent and less costly. In his view, trust remains essential in society, but traditional models of trust can be expensive and inefficient.
As he explained in the interview:
“Information is valuable and trust is crucial, but unfortunately very expensive in the thinking of the 1900s.”
This is one of the clearest ideas from the conversation. Wood is suggesting that many existing systems were built for an earlier era, where trust often depended on central institutions, paperwork, manual verification, and slow administrative processes. Blockchain could offer a different model by allowing data, verification, and coordination to happen through shared digital infrastructure.
He added that this technology could make certain interactions possible at a much lower cost:
“This technology will facilitate those interactions at an extremely low cost, and this can open all kinds of opportunities.”
For Wood, the value of blockchain is not only about crypto assets or financial markets. It is also about creating infrastructure that can allow people, institutions, and governments to coordinate more effectively.
Why Blockchain Could Matter for Latin America
When asked whether Argentina and Latin America are far from adopting these technologies, Wood gave a balanced answer. He acknowledged that the technology itself has gone through many years of development, but he also suggested that practical products are now getting closer.
He said:
“The technology has gone very far over many years. I have been in this industry for many years and have spent a lot of time, thought, and energy developing the technology.”
However, he also pointed out that the next stage is not only about building the underlying systems. It is about creating products that ordinary people and institutions can actually use.
“I think it is reaching its moment, and the products will make sense once the technology is ready.”
This part of the interview is important because it frames Web3 as a technology that is still moving from infrastructure into practical adoption. Wood did not claim that every product already exists or that adoption will happen instantly. Instead, he described it as a process where stronger products will emerge as the technology becomes more mature.
He also suggested that this progress could become more visible soon:
“I think even next year we will see interesting products, and they will only increase in terms of speed and magnitude.”
For regions like Latin America, this could be significant. Blockchain infrastructure may create opportunities for places that were not historically central to the global trust economy. Instead of relying only on legacy institutions or external systems, local developers, governments, and organisations could build new services on open digital infrastructure.
The Internet Comparison
Wood also compared the current stage of blockchain and Web3 to the early development of the internet. In the beginning, the internet was mainly associated with email and the World Wide Web. Over time, however, it expanded into many different products and platforms that now shape everyday life, such as social networks, messaging apps, and digital commerce.
He explained:
“Much like the internet, although initially it was characterised by email and the World Wide Web, over time many more products were developed.”
This comparison helps explain why Wood does not see blockchain adoption as a single product or use case. Instead, he sees it as a broader technological foundation. Just as the internet eventually produced platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and TikTok, blockchain may eventually support products that are difficult to fully predict today.
Wood also noted that the internet’s largest impact was not only in commerce, but in people’s everyday lives. It changed how people communicate, maintain relationships, discover communities, and interact with one another. In the same way, blockchain and Web3 could evolve beyond finance and become part of everyday digital interaction.
Blockchain and Public Administration
Another key part of the conversation focused on government services. The interviewer asked whether blockchain could help governments make public procedures easier for citizens, especially when it comes to administrative processes.
Wood responded that blockchain could allow governments to offload some of their more mechanical responsibilities. These may include identity documents, licensing, verification processes, and other forms of record based administration.
He said:
“This technology allows the government to offload many of its more mechanical responsibilities.”
He then mentioned identity documents and licensing as examples of areas where blockchain-based systems could make processes more efficient and more agile.
“We can imagine all kinds of ways in which this could be done much more efficiently, but also much more agilely.”
This does not mean replacing the government entirely. Rather, Wood’s point is that governments could use blockchain infrastructure to reduce repetitive administrative burdens and improve how citizens access services. If properly designed, this could make public systems faster, more transparent, and easier to verify.
For citizens, the practical result could be simpler access to documents, faster licensing procedures, more reliable verification, and less dependence on slow manual systems. For governments, it could reduce operational friction and improve service delivery.
The Bigger Message from Gavin Wood’s Visit
The main message from Wood’s interview is that blockchain should be understood as more than a financial tool. While crypto markets often dominate public attention, Wood described blockchain as a deeper infrastructure for trust, coordination, and digital cooperation.
His comments in Santiago del Estero presented Web3 as a long-term shift in how digital systems can operate. The technology is still developing, and many of the most useful products may not yet be obvious. However, Wood believes that as the infrastructure matures, more practical applications will emerge across public services, private organisations, and everyday digital life.
For Argentina and Latin America, this opens an important conversation. Blockchain adoption is not only about following global trends. It could also become a way for local institutions, developers, and communities to build systems that are more efficient, open, and adaptable to regional needs.
Wood’s visit highlighted Santiago del Estero as part of a wider global discussion about Web3, decentralised infrastructure, and the future of trust. As he suggested throughout the interview, the real opportunity is not only in the technology itself, but in the products, services, and public systems that can be built on top of it.
Prime-time news and current affairs television program on Canal 7, one of Santiago del Estero’s main broadcast channels, covering key political, social and regional events.
Source: Canal 7