What does Chris Dixon think about Web3

Introduction: The Investor-Philosopher

Chris Dixon is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), where he co-founded and leads a16z crypto, one of the largest and most influential venture capital funds dedicated to the Web3 space. A prolific essayist and thinker, Dixon has become one of the industry's most important translators, articulating the "why" behind Web3 to a broad audience of builders, investors, and skeptics.

This guide delves into the core mental models and arguments that Chris Dixon uses to explain the significance of Web3. From his thesis on computing cycles to his concepts of "idea mazes" and "strong vs. weak technologies," we will explore the frameworks that have guided billions of dollars in investment and shaped the narrative of the decentralized internet.

From Programmer to Investor

Like many influential figures in tech, Chris Dixon started as a programmer. He co-founded two successful startups, SiteAdvisor (acquired by McAfee) and Hunch (acquired by eBay), before transitioning to venture capital. This background as a builder gives him a deep, empathetic understanding of the challenges founders face and a technical grounding that informs his investment theses.

At a16z, he made early and successful investments in companies like Coinbase, Stripe, and Pinterest. But it was his pivot to focus exclusively on crypto in 2013 that would define his legacy. He saw the potential of Bitcoin and later Ethereum not as mere financial assets, but as the seeds of a new computing paradigm, similar to the PC and the internet.

Core Thesis: Web3 as the Next Computing Cycle

The central argument in Chris Dixon's book, Read Write Own: Building the Next Era of the Internet, is that Web3 represents the third major computing cycle, following the PC/internet era (1980s-2000s) and the mobile/cloud era (2000s-2020s).

He frames the history of the internet in three stages:

Web1 (Read): The era of open protocols (like HTTP, SMTP) from roughly 1990-2005. It was decentralized and community-governed. Users could "read" content, but it was mostly static. The value accrued to the edges of the network—the users and builders.
Web2 (Read-Write): The era of centralized, corporate networks (like Google, Facebook, Twitter) from roughly 2005-2020. These platforms made it easy for users to "read and write" content (e.g., social media posts, videos), leading to an explosion of creativity. However, these companies eventually shifted from attracting users to extracting value from them, taking control of data, changing the rules arbitrarily, and censoring content. The value accrued to a handful of corporations.
Web3 (Read-Write-Own): The current era, built on blockchain technology. Web3 combines the decentralized, community-governed ethos of Web1 with the rich, interactive functionality of Web2. The key innovation is ownership. Users can truly own a piece of the internet—their digital assets, their data, their identity—in the form of tokens. The value accrues back to the builders and users who make up the network.

Dixon argues that this "ownership" component is the unlock that will power a new wave of innovation, just as mobile and cloud powered the last one.

Key Mental Models for Understanding Web3

Chris Dixon is known for his use of powerful mental models to explain complex ideas. Here are some of the most important ones he applies to Web3.

1. Strong vs. Weak Technologies

Dixon categorizes technologies as either "strong" or "weak."

Weak Technologies: These are controlled by a single company or entity. They can be changed or shut down at the whim of the owner. Think of the Facebook API or the Twitter API.
Strong Technologies: These are based on open, permissionless protocols. They are not owned by anyone and cannot be unilaterally changed. Anyone can build on them with confidence that the rules won't suddenly change. Think of email (SMTP) or the web itself (HTTP).

He argues that blockchain protocols are the ultimate "strong technologies." Their rules are transparent and enforced by code, providing a stable and trustworthy foundation for developers to build on. This strength, he believes, is why Web3 will attract the best and brightest builders over the long term.

2. The Idea Maze

Dixon often refers to the "idea maze," a concept originally coined by Balaji Srinivasan. The idea maze represents the complex landscape of all possible paths a startup can take, including product choices, competitive responses, market timing, and technological hurdles.

A great founder, in Dixon's view, is someone who has thoroughly thought through the idea maze for their project. They have considered all the dead ends, the potential pitfalls, and have a clear vision for navigating the maze successfully. When a16z crypto invests in a team, they are betting on that team's ability to navigate this maze better than anyone else.

3. "Come for the Tool, Stay for the Network"

This is Dixon's framework for how to build a successful network. The idea is to first attract users with a product that has standalone utility (the "tool"). Once a critical mass of users has been attracted, you can introduce network effects that make the product even more valuable (the "network").

Instagram Example: Instagram first attracted users as a simple photo-filtering tool. Once it had millions of users, the social network component became its primary value and its moat.
Web3 Application: He applies this to Web3 by arguing that dApps should first offer a compelling user experience that solves a real problem. The token and ownership components can then be introduced to turn those users into owners and create powerful network effects that are unique to Web3.

4. Skeuomorphism in New Technologies

Dixon often points out that new technologies initially tend to imitate the old ones—a phenomenon called skeuomorphism.

Early Cars: Looked like "horseless carriages."
Early Web: Was full of digital "brochures" that imitated print media.
Early Web3: Many early dApps are "skeuomorphic" versions of Web2 services, but with a wallet connection. For example, a "decentralized Twitter" or a "decentralized Uber."

His argument is that the true breakthrough applications of a new technology are "native" to the platform and often look strange and toy-like at first. He encourages builders to think beyond simply recreating Web2 applications on a blockchain and to instead discover the new, native possibilities that Web3 enables.

Conclusion: The Optimist's Case for Web3

Chris Dixon is one of Web3's most important and optimistic proponents. His frameworks provide a powerful lens through which to understand the significance of the movement. He sees Web3 not as a niche financial market, but as a fundamental shift in the architecture of the internet—a shift from a centralized, corporate-owned web to a decentralized, community-owned web.

By articulating this vision through clear and compelling mental models, he has provided the intellectual foundation for a generation of entrepreneurs and developers. His work is a call to action for builders to move beyond the limitations of Web2 and to create a more equitable, innovative, and user-owned internet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is Chris Dixon's role at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)? A1: Chris Dixon is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. In 2018, he co-founded and now leads a16z crypto, the firm's multi-billion dollar fund dedicated to investing in Web3 and cryptocurrency startups.

Q2: What is the main idea of his book, Read Write Own? A2: The main idea is that Web3, built on blockchains, represents the next major era of the internet. It evolves from the "Read" era (Web1) and the "Read-Write" era (Web2) to a "Read-Write-Own" era, where users can have true digital ownership of their assets and data through tokens.

Q3: What does Dixon mean by "strong technology"? A3: A "strong technology" is one based on an open, permissionless protocol that is not controlled by any single entity. This makes it a trustworthy and stable foundation for developers to build on, as the rules cannot be changed arbitrarily. He considers blockchains to be the ultimate strong technologies.

Q4: How does Chris Dixon view the relationship between Web3 and AI? A4: Dixon sees Web3 and AI as two powerful, complementary forces. He has suggested that AI models can be run on decentralized compute networks (a Web3 concept) and that blockchains can provide a clear record of ownership and provenance for AI-generated content.

Q5: What is a16z crypto? A5: a16z crypto is the dedicated cryptocurrency and Web3 investment fund within the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. Led by Chris Dixon, it has raised several multi-billion dollar funds and is one of the most active and influential investors in the space, with investments in companies like Coinbase, Dapper Labs, and many others.