DeCom
Discussion
Source: https://x.com/orishim/status/1882064487718777094
Reproduced in toto from X, by Ori Shimony:
"The original aim of peer-to-peer cash and smart contracts was to disintermediate commerce, not just finance. Yet here we are years later with endless ways to issue, derivatize, and trade assets while the massive market of everyday commerce—from hiring a cleaner to buying used furniture—remains firmly in the grip of corporate platforms.
This platform-dominated landscape has created a system of algorithmic control, high fees, and fragmented corporate silos. Walled gardens trap users' reputation and transaction history, preventing the emergence of open, interconnected markets.
Enter DeCom: a movement to build credibly neutral marketplaces for real-world goods and services. DeCom aims to deliver on the cypherpunk vision of peer-to-peer commerce without a middleman. Think of it as the sharing economy reborn with composable building blocks and shared standards for an interconnected web of commerce.
DeCom encompasses person-to-person marketplaces for human services and tangible goods that require trust and reputation:
- Online services: from software engineers and designers to copywriters and video editors
- Local services: drivers, cleaners, skilled trades, tutors, caregivers
- Rentals: homes, vehicles, equipment, event spaces
- Goods: second-hand items and new products from independent sellers
Currently, centralized marketplaces charge 20-30% fees to intermediate these markets. DeCom can do better.
Why now?
Until recently, DeCom has been held back by two key challenges:
First is the subjectivity problem. Blockchains excel at handling "complete contracts"—transactions where all outcomes can be precisely specified in advance, like token transfers or collateralized loans. But real-world commerce involves "incomplete contracts" where human judgment is necessary: Did the freelancer deliver satisfactory work? Was the rental property left in good condition? While mechanisms like Schelling games and third-party arbitrators can resolve these subjective conditions onchain, they introduce additional costs and delays compared to objectively verifiable transactions. AI agents are emerging as an efficient solution to bridge this gap.
Second is the technology gap. Everyday commerce requires infrastructure that has become viable only recently: scalable L2s with affordable transactions, account abstraction for intuitive wallet experiences, battle-tested stablecoins, and seamless fiat onramps. At the same time, developers are progressing on the next wave of essential primitives: private transactions, anonymous credentials, attestation frameworks, and social graphs using ZKPs and FHE. These advances make it possible to build decentralized marketplaces that surpass the convenience and trust guarantees of Web2 platforms.
The path forward
As the core DeCom building blocks mature, critical questions remain:
- What standards and design patterns will enable decentralized marketplaces while maintaining the user experience people expect?
- Which markets are most disruptable, and how will their dynamics change when freed from platform intermediaries?
- Will the catalyst be existing marketplaces adopting crypto standards or new crypto-native challengers?
- How could pop-up cities, crypto-friendly jurisdictions, and special economic zones serve as proving grounds for DeCom?"
(https://x.com/orishim/status/1882064487718777094)
More information
See Ori Shimoni's full article on Decentralized Commerce