A seasoned engineer with over 15 years of experience in the software and Web3 industries, Xiao Wu (Ling) is a visionary entrepreneur and the inventor of several blockchain projects. He is the founder of ChainIDE, the biggest cloud-based blockchain integrated development environment in the world, and the CEO of White Matrix Inc., a blockchain company supported by Ant Group. Having worked in China, Canada, and the Middle East, Wu has emerged as one of the key players influencing the upcoming decentralized technology era.
Wu discussed his experience, his products, and the worldwide competition for cryptocurrency leadership in an exclusive conversation with CoinHeadlines.
From Cryptokitties to building tools for builders
Wu’s Web3 journey began nearly a decade ago when he experimented with early Ethereum applications. “Around eight years ago, I first entered the Web3 industry. I saw CryptoKitties… and later we found out maybe we should build some tools that can help all the engineers and all the builders accelerate the process,” he explained.
ChainIDE, a platform created to streamline and expedite smart contract deployment, was born out of this realization. ChainIDE swiftly rose to prominence as a preferred tool for developers globally by doing away with the necessity for manual module and library configuration; in 2023, it was recognized and recommended on Ethereum.org.
A Coder first, an entrepreneur second
Despite his global influence, Wu remains deeply connected to his roots as a programmer. “As a coder, I’m more like the coding monkey,” he said with a laugh. “I feel proud if people, our users, can use my product to help with the Web3 industry. I want Web3 mass adoption not only meme coins, but real products that builders can use.”
This philosophy drives his long-term approach. “We want to help coders accelerate the process and help them bring mass adoption faster. That’s the self-motivation for me,” he emphasized.
World3: bridging AI agents and Web3
World3, a startup that began as a metaverse initiative, is another significant endeavor led by Wu. It developed into a platform that uses AI agents to communicate with Web3 smart contracts over time.
“There are many powerful AI agents today, but they cannot call smart contracts. They cannot connect to MetaMask or interact with Web3. That’s the gap we want to solve,” Wu explained.
The pivot has been successful: World3 was recently listed on Binance and already onboarded over 300,000 users in just two weeks. “There are more than 100,000 tweets already done by our agents. We want to make sure it’s useful for customers,” he said.
The global race: U.S. vs. UAE
When asked about the competition between the United States and the United Arab Emirates to become the global hub of crypto innovation, Wu was pragmatic. “The U.S. is more top-down, with listed companies and funds driving adoption,” he noted. “But the UAE is more like a hub. It’s free, everyone can have their own innovation, test the markets, and build. For startups, the UAE is much more suitable.”
His perspective reflects the UAE’s growing appeal to founders seeking regulatory flexibility and an environment that fosters experimentation.
Advice for the next generation of entrepreneurs
Wu closed the interview with candid advice for builders entering the space. “The builders should build the products that they have faith in. If you really believe something should happen, then you should build it and insist on it,” he said.
He warned against chasing hype cycles: “Each cycle has its own storytelling ICO, DeFi, NFTs, meme coins but only real products survive. You can only overcome struggles and obstacles if you truly believe in what you are building.”
A lasting impact
Wu’s contributions have influenced the ecosystem, from taking first place in the 2020 China Blockchain Development Contest to co-organizing more than 100 developer events across the globe, including ETH Riyadh and ETH Shanghai. The next generation of Web3 innovation is still motivated by his combined roles as an engineer and an entrepreneur.
As Wu put it simply: “The only thing we can do is survive the next cycle by building real solutions that help people.”