Enterprises Are Finally Moving Their Businesses Onchain: RJ Catalan of Aligned

Camila Russo
Camila RussoMar 9, 2026

Why It Matters

The move positions Ethereum as the backbone for mainstream finance, accelerating crypto’s scale and unlocking new revenue streams for traditional businesses.

Key Takeaways

  • Enterprises migrating full financial stacks to Ethereum
  • Rollups now commoditized infrastructure layer
  • Vertical crypto stacks simplify user onboarding
  • Stablecoins fuel enterprise onchain demand
  • Global opportunities arise from integrated onchain services

Pulse Analysis

The convergence of traditional finance and blockchain is reaching a tipping point as large enterprises adopt Ethereum for end‑to‑end financial operations. By replacing legacy settlement layers with roll‑up based solutions, firms gain near‑instant finality, lower transaction costs, and programmable compliance. This commoditization of roll‑ups removes a major technical barrier, allowing businesses to focus on product differentiation rather than infrastructure maintenance. As a result, the cost of building onchain services drops dramatically, encouraging broader participation across industries ranging from payments to supply chain finance.

Beyond the technical foundation, enterprises are constructing vertically integrated crypto stacks that bundle wallets, decentralized identity, and stablecoin liquidity. Such stacks enable companies to onboard existing customers with familiar interfaces while delivering onchain benefits like transparency and programmable incentives. Decentralized identity protocols, for instance, replace fragmented KYC processes with reusable, privacy‑preserving credentials, reducing onboarding friction. Meanwhile, embedded stablecoins provide a reliable medium of exchange, mitigating volatility and facilitating real‑time cross‑border transactions without traditional banking intermediaries.

The strategic implications are profound: mainstream users may transact on Ethereum without ever realizing they are using blockchain technology. This silent migration expands the addressable market for DeFi services, drives demand for compliant stablecoin ecosystems, and spurs regulatory dialogue around enterprise onchain activity. Regions with high remittance flows and under‑banked populations stand to benefit most, positioning Ethereum as a global financial infrastructure layer. Companies that master this integrated approach will capture early mover advantage, shaping the next era of digital finance.

Original Description

Crypto’s next wave of adoption may not come from crypto startups — but from existing companies with millions of users.
In this episode of The Defiant Podcast, Camila Russo sits down with RJ Catalan, co-founder of Aligned, to discuss how enterprises are beginning to migrate their entire financial stack onto Ethereum.
The conversation explores why rollups are becoming commoditized infrastructure, why companies increasingly want vertically integrated crypto stacks, and how wallets, identity systems, and financial services are converging into a new onchain architecture.
Rather than chasing crypto-native users, many companies already have distribution — what they need is infrastructure that allows them to bring their existing users onchain seamlessly.
We discuss:
- Why the next stage of crypto is migrating full financial stacks to Ethereum
- Why rollups are becoming a commodity
- How enterprises are approaching wallets, identity, and onchain infrastructure
- The difference between crypto-native apps and enterprise adoption
- Why stablecoins and new financial markets are driving demand
- Where the biggest opportunities are emerging globally
If crypto succeeds at scale, millions of users may come onchain without even realizing it.
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