As
the
United
States
grapples
with
modernizing
its
outdated
infrastructure,
we’re
quickly
discovering
that
government
initiatives
and
legacy
providers
aren’t
enough
to
fill
the
nation’s
gaps
–
particularly
when
it
comes
to
telecoms
and
broadband.
While
the
federal
Affordable
Connectivity
Program
promised
Americans
fast
and
cost-effective
internet,
it’s
on
the
verge
of
shutting
down.
Meanwhile,
many
private-sector
internet
projects
have
slowed
amid
high
interest
rates,
leading
to
bankruptcies
and
closures.
For
the
one-in-four
Americans
who
still
lack
access
to
high
speed
broadband,
affordable
options
are
becoming
sparse.
It’s
clear
that
the
traditional
methods
for
expanding
connectivity
–
government
subsidies
and
legacy
telecom
projects
–
aren’t
working.
But
innovative
technologies
exist
to
bridge
this
divide.
A
modern
approach
can
be
found
in
a
technology
that
is
gaining
traction
in
the
blockchain
industry.
Tokenized
real
world
assets
(RWAs)
are
digital
tokens
on
a
blockchain
that
represent
physical
and
traditional
financial
assets,
enabling
more
efficient
and
transparent
management,
trading,
and
ownership.
Despite
some
skepticism
still
surrounding
crypto,
the
underlying
technology’s
capacity
to
enhance
the
development
of
tangible,
real
world
infrastructure
is
substantial.
Recent
attention
to
this
concept
of
RWA
reveals
a
huge
opportunity
–
one
that
Boston
Consulting
Group
projects
will
grow
to
a
$13
trillion
market
by
2030.
The
power
of
on-chain
transparency
and
programmability
unlocks
new
ways
of
managing
and
funding
telecom
and
other
utility
networks;
this
new
paradigm
offers
flexibility
and
risk
mitigation
to
historically
brittle
and
inefficient
systems.
What’s
known
as
“Liquid
Infrastructure,”
removes
barriers
for
large
infrastructure
projects
to
access
capital
and
allows
nontraditional
investors,
smaller
companies
and
communities
to
directly
participate
in
building
the
infrastructure
they
need.
As
blockchain
facilitates
a
machine-to-machine
payment
system
that
supports
automated
settlements,
this
framework
promotes
dynamic
pricing
models
and
automated
transactions
and
empowers
small
investors
and
local
communities
to
have
a
direct
stake
in
infrastructure
projects.
Liquid
infrastructure
is
designed
for
maximum
flexibility
and
allows
for
single-asset
fractionalization
as
well
as
multi-asset
distribution.
This
means
that
the
revenue
of
several
different
liquid
assets
can
be
automatically
distributed
to
a
single
set
of
fungible
tokens.
Hawk
Networks
has
tokenized
most
of
its
wireless
networks
and
recently
used
the
Liquid
Infrastructure
platform
to
build
connectivity
to
a
194
unit
veterans
housing
in
Phoenix
Arizona.
This
apartment
was
built
using
Althea’s
payment
platform
and
Liquid
Infrastructures
coordinates
payments
between
multiple
participants
in
the
funding
and
operation
of
the
build.
In
the
case
of
internet
infrastructure,
RWA
can
enable
communities
to
build
their
own
fiber
optic
network,
or
harness
the
power
of
Starlink
to
serve
entire
neighborhoods.
I’m
often
out
in
the
field
speaking
directly
with
these
communities
in
need
of
broadband
and
how
they
leverage
blockchain
technology,
and
have
seen
it
firsthand
from
the
Arctic
Circle
to
rural
America.
Beyond
internet
infrastructure,
the
adaptability
of
RWA
holds
extensive
benefits
to
other
vital
sectors
such
as
the
energy
grid
and
physical
infrastructure,
and
the
ability
to
transform
how
these
utilities
are
financed
and
managed.
Liquid
infrastructure
doesn’t
aim
to
supplant
government
or
private
sector
efforts,
but
instead
seeks
to
fill
the
gaps
where
these
traditional
approaches
fall
short.
As
the
nation
strives
to
address
critical
infrastructure
deficits,
RWAs
provide
a
unique
opportunity
to
close
existing
gaps
while
fostering
a
more
inclusive
and
equitable
framework
for
future
infrastructure
development.
Note:
The
views
expressed
in
this
column
are
those
of
the
author
and
do
not
necessarily
reflect
those
of
CoinDesk,
Inc.
or
its
owners
and
affiliates.
