GM. This is Milk Road PRO, the newsletter that sniffs out the next big opportunities, so you can stay ahead of the crowd.
Something big is brewing.
If you’ve been following us for a bit, you’ve probably noticed something.
We’ve been talking about apps a lot recently. And that’s no coincidence.
Blockchains have finally matured. They’re no longer just experimental tech — they’re stable, scalable, and ready to support the demands of 2025 and beyond.
But here’s the catch: a blockchain is only as good as the apps built on top of it.
That’s where the real impact happens.
👉 It’s the apps that take the tech and turn it into something people actually use — something that changes how the world works.
And if there’s one sector that’s overdue for that kind of shake-up, it’s finance.
In the last five years, the finance sector (blue) has consistently underperformed the S&P 500 (red).
While other industries are evolving, finance seems stuck and we know why:
- Traditional banks are slow to adapt to what users want
- Regulations have protected them from real competition
- They charge high fees and deliver mediocre products
- The financial system remains opaque, fragile, and full of hidden risks
It’s a setup that has resisted innovation for years, but that also means it’s perfectly positioned for disruption.
Finance isn’t a niche corner of the market either.
It accounts for 13% of the S&P 500 and the total market cap of those financial companies is around $14.2T.
👉 This is a sector waiting to be reimagined and the apps that get it right will lead the next big shift.
In the past, companies like PayPal, Venmo or Stripe made a big splash by bringing fresh ideas to the table. But even though they felt new, they were still built on the same old TradFi rails and played by the same rules.
That’s because real disruption was held back for years.
Mostly because U.S. regulators were busy pushing back against crypto, protecting the interests of lobbyists and the old guard of traditional finance.
But that chapter is closing.
The U.S. is shifting its stance.
👉 Instead of shielding outdated, slow-moving companies, it’s starting to embrace innovation.
This new wave of support opens the door for the next generation of apps — ones ready to tap into blockchain tech and challenge the status quo.
And this time, they’re not just taking a seat at the table — they’re coming to eat the lunch of the legacy players.
Still thinking about that $14.2 trillion opportunity?
Think bigger.
Finance 2.0 is going global and has the potential to reach ALL 8.25 billion people worldwide, including the 1.7 billion who still don't have access to banking services today.
That’s not just disruption. That’s transformation at a global scale.
✍️ So that market could easily grow past $14 trillion as finance goes global and starts serving the billions left behind.
And It’s no coincidence you’re hearing buzzwords like “neobanks” and “superapps” everywhere right now.
The opportunity is massive and everyone wants a piece of it.
Over the past few months, we’ve been deep in the trenches, studying the top contenders fighting to redefine the future of finance.
Along the way, we’ve gained a clear view of what it really takes to win in this space. And that’s what we want to share with you today:
- The strategies that set the winners apart
- The must-have features and how the lead contenders are solving them
- Who’s likely to fall behind
- And who’s on the edge of breakout growth
But let’s be clear: this isn’t a love letter to crypto or blockchain. We're not here to hype the tech just because we are in crypto.
This is a clear-eyed look at the space, focused on one thing: what users actually want. Because if this industry is really going to change finance, it has to work for the people who use it.
So let’s get into it.
WHY NOW
In our last report, we explored the idea of turning stocks into digital tokens — a trend we see gaining serious momentum.
But that’s just one piece of a much larger puzzle.
What’s really happening is a broader shift in how the entire financial system may soon work.
It’s not obvious at first glance, but when you start connecting the dots, the picture becomes clearer.
Take this for example: On October 21, the Federal Reserve hosted a conference on digital assets and payment innovation.
It brought together major crypto and fintech players like Chainlink, Galaxy, Circle, Coinbase, Jito, and many others to talk about the future of crypto and stablecoins.
Fed Governor Christopher Waller summed it up clearly: “Payments innovation moves fast, and the Federal Reserve needs to keep up”.
He went on to say the Fed is now looking into a new kind of account that would give fintechs and crypto firms direct access to its payment system—something they currently need banks for.
If that happens, it would be a massive shift. Here’s why:
- Transactions could be faster and cheaper. Stablecoins could move money instantly through the Fed’s own system instead of waiting on bank transfers.
- Reserves would be safer. The money backing stablecoins could be held directly at the Fed, rather than in commercial banks that might freeze or lose access.
- Trust would grow. People and institutions would start to see stablecoins as real digital dollars—backed by central bank money, not just promises from private banks.
- It would bring regulatory clarity. If the Fed starts allowing this, it signals that stablecoins are becoming a recognized part of the financial system.
That alone would be a big green light for institutions to get involved.
And there’s more.
On October 16, at DC Fintech Week, Paul Atkins — the current SEC Chair — openly said the U.S. is “probably 10 years behind” in crypto regulation and innovation.
He made it clear that closing that gap is now the SEC’s top priority.
This marks a big shift from the previous hardline approach to something far more open and supportive of innovation.
The momentum is building fast. You can already see a few big names jumping in and embracing crypto in their own ways.
Regulators are opening up, and the system looks ready for a major shakeup.
The disruption we’ve been talking about? It’s not far off.
If we compare a basic index of potential disruptors with traditional U.S. banks, the message is loud and clear — the shift is already underway.
At this point, you’ll probably want some exposure to the rising players in the market.
They’re the ones best positioned to ride the wave of change — unlike the old-school banks still stuck in the traditional system.
👉 Some people (including us) are already paying attention and getting ahead of the curve – betting on the coming shakeup, where fresh, innovative players start taking the lead from the old guard.
The good news? The pie is growing big enough for several winners to emerge.
In past reports, we’ve highlighted names like Robinhood, EtherFi, Galaxy, and Jupiter — all hungry for their slice.
But there’s no clear winner yet. That all-in-one super app that does everything people want? It still doesn’t exist.
That’s why we want to share the compounded knowledge we’ve gathered in this space — insights that could help us all spot the next real contenders in the race to build the future of finance.
Because once you know what to look for, the signal becomes a lot easier to see through the noise.
Uh, Oh… 😧 The rest of this report is exclusive to Crypto PRO or PRO All Access members!
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WHAT’S LEFT INSIDE? 👀
- What users want
- Where the space is heading
- Which companies/projects are most likely to succeed
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