Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has called for the cryptocurrency industry to shift its focus from speculative trading to building real-world applications. In a discussion with Michel Bauwens in Chiang Mai, Buterin emphasized the need for crypto to represent more than just technological prowess. "It felt like the end of the road," he remarked, highlighting the recent memecoin frenzy and the Trumpcoin crash as indicators that the industry must evolve. Buterin advocates for the development of productive economies that leverage blockchain technology for tangible benefits.