Alchemy Releases Web3 App Store to Streamline Dapp Access

Web3 developer platform Alchemy is rolling out a decentralized application (dapp) store, the company said Tuesday.

The marketplace aims to streamline access to decentralized applications for users and developers.

Recently, relationships between centralized entities and Web3 technologies haven’t been very productive. Last week, Coinbase halted mobile non-fungible token (NFT) transfers due to Apple’s app store demanding 30% of the gas fees associated with transfers.

Jason Shah, head of growth at Alchemy, told CoinDesk that while its app store is centralized it's not a monetized product, and aims to provide free access to Web3-curious users and developers eager to put their technologies to use for an audience.

“We are all about getting free resources to the community that we think can grow with it,” said Shah. “Again, we’ve built ways into the system to have the community actually shape it.”

Shah told CoinDesk that while other marketplaces may be motivated by earning royalties, Alchemy is motivated to onboard users new to Web3 by providing an organized, accessible marketplace.

Oftentimes, Web3 products are fragmented, meaning dapps are scattered across different websites and protocols, which can reduce users’ trust when using blockchain technologies.

“We wanted to really step in and help provide an open, community-oriented product while still providing a kind of clarity and trust to consumers,” said Shah. “If we believe in the future of Web3, we really need to make it really simple for [users] to get the word out there, and educate consumers about the benefits that they provide.”

As Alchemy noted in its third-quarter report, Web3 developers are still building applications, and Alchemy continues to develop technologies as well. Last month, it released Spearmint, a product to help developers keep out bad actors in NFT mints. In September, the firm raised $12 million for a new venture capital fund.