The Internet Was Broken, Too: Why Web3 Needs Its TCP/IP Moment

Before it became the Internet we know today, the web was a mess. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, different networks were built in isolation. Each one had its own protocols, its own standards, and its own rules.

It was a world full of disconnected islands.

If you were on one network, you couldn’t easily communicate with another. There were no websites, no browsers, and definitely no real-time messaging. Only researchers, government agencies, and large institutions had access. Most people didn’t even know what “going online” meant.

That all changed in 1983, when TCP/IP became the universal standard.

What TCP/IP did for the Internet

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) gave all networks a shared language. It allowed different computers to communicate over a unified protocol, no matter what systems they were using.

This didn’t just improve the Internet—it unlocked a new era of growth and innovation.

Suddenly, information could move freely between networks. Innovation exploded:

• Email
• The World Wide Web
• Browsers
• Messaging apps
• Social media

These things were built on TCP/IP. Without it, we never would have seen the Internet as we know it today.

Web3 is having its pre-TCP/IP era

Today, Web3 is in a similar position to where the Internet was in the 1980s. Each blockchain functions as its own separate network, with its own standards, its own infrastructure, and its own set of rules.

• You can’t use apps across chains without bridges
• You need to manually switch networks in your wallet
• Users don’t know (or care) what chain they’re on—but they’re forced to
• Liquidity is fragmented, apps are siloed, and UX is painful

We’ve built incredible tools. But the parts don’t talk to each other. That’s holding Web3 back.

Web3 is missing a shared foundation

This is where Agglayer comes in.

Agglayer is a cross-chain settlement layer that connects blockchains through ZK proofs, enabling them to speak the same language—no matter what tech stack they use. Like TCP/IP did for the early internet, Agglayer creates a shared foundation that unifies previously siloed systems.

It uses a unified bridge, but instead of relying on wrapped tokens or centralized relayers, Agglayer uses ZK proofs to verify state across chains. This means assets and messages can move from one chain to another securely, natively, and trustlessly.

Every connected chain that plugs into Agglayer gains instant access to shared liquidity, composable apps, and a chain-agnostic user experience.

With Agglayer, developers can build once and deploy across many chains. Users can interact across ecosystems without even realizing it. Chains remain sovereign, but the experience becomes seamless.

In short: Agglayer makes Web3 feel like the internet. Simple. Intuitive. Connected.

What Agglayer enables

Once chains can communicate freely, the entire Web3 experience transforms:

• Use any app across any chain without switching networks
• Transfer assets with no wrapping, no bridging
• Build once, access users across all chains
• Users stay on their preferred chain, while accessing anything they need

It also means:

• Unified liquidity across chains
• Faster cross-chain finality (under 5 seconds, coming soon)
• Composability across all chains, like the Internet's browser tabs and hyperlinks

Why it matters now

Blockchains today are multiplying—L1s, L2s, appchains, rollups. Growth isn’t the issue. Fragmentation is.

That means more fragmentation, more UX pain, and more liquidity silos. If we don’t solve this now, Web3 will stay stuck. We’ll be like the internet pre-TCP/IP—powerful but unusable.

Agglayer is building the foundation for the next Internet.

A unified Web3 is already happening

Agglayer is not just an idea—it’s already live and operational.

Several major chains, including Polygon, Katana, Miden, and Moonveil, are in the process of integrating or are already connected to the network. These projects span DeFi, gaming, infrastructure, and beyond, demonstrating how broadly applicable Agglayer is.

Meanwhile, tools like the Agglayer Chain Development Kit (CDK) and VaultBridge make it easier than ever for new chains to launch with native Agglayer connectivity built in. These components eliminate technical barriers and help projects plug into a unified ecosystem from day one.

The network is growing fast, with new chains joining every month—each one expanding the reach and impact of a truly connected Web3.

Just as TCP/IP transformed a collection of disconnected digital networks into the unified Internet we know today, Agglayer is doing the same for Web3.

When chains are truly connected at the protocol level, everything changes.

• Applications become more powerful because they can compose across ecosystems.
• User experiences improve dramatically, with fewer barriers and less friction.
• Real users—not just early adopters—can participate without technical hurdles.

And real adoption becomes possible, at scale. Web3 was never meant to be chain-specific. The future lies in a chain-agnostic, interoperable network of blockchains.

That future is already unfolding—and Agglayer is helping to lead the way.