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For years, Web3 builders have faced a frustrating bottleneck, that's centralized app stores. Whether it’s Apple’s 30% tax or Google’s inconsistent crypto policies, launching a blockchain-based app has often meant compromise or rejection.

But 2025 is telling a different story. Crypto-native app stores are gaining momentum, and Solana and Worldcoin are leading the charge.

Solana’s Saga vs Worldcoin’s World App: Which One Will Onboard the Masses First?

Let’s do some explanations.

Solana Mobile: Turning Phones into Web3 Portals

Solana didn’t just build a phone, it built a crypto-native hardware-software ecosystem. The Saga phone, launched by Solana Mobile, comes with:

1.Seed vault integration for secure wallet key storage

2.DApp Store access with zero fees for developers

3.Integrated wallet with Solana Pay and NFT support

4.No gatekeeping from Apple or Google

The idea is simple: remove the friction of installing, using, and trusting decentralized apps. On a Saga phone, you don’t download a wallet, you get one by default. DApps are as accessible as Instagram or Uber.

This creates a “Web3 first” user experience, something that’s been sorely missing from mobile for years.

World App: Worldcoin’s Bold Bid for Global Identity

On the other side of the spectrum is Worldcoin’s World App, designed as a universal crypto identity + finance tool.

Instead of building a phone, Worldcoin is building around identity:

1.Iris scan → World ID → app onboarding

2.A lightweight app offering a unified wallet, gasless transfers, and access to DApps

3.Integrated identity layer for anti-bot protection, KYC-lite verification, and Sybil resistance

World App’s edge lies in scale. With millions of sign-ups across the Global South and incentives to join, it’s growing like a viral Web2 app, but fully crypto-native underneath.

Why Crypto Needs Its Own App Stores

App store monopolies have slowed down crypto adoption more than most people realize. Between deplatforming, transaction restrictions, and a poor UX for wallets and DApps, Web3 apps often feel broken compared to Web2.

But crypto-native app stores flip the model:

1.Developers avoid high fees

2.Users discover DApps easily

3.Data sovereignty and self-custody are prioritized

It’s not just about phones, it’s about changing digital ecosystems from the protocol up.

Who Wins This Race?

While Solana’s Saga is winning hearts among devs and power users, World App may win the numbers game in the short term. Its viral onboarding, identity layer, and global incentives make it easy to imagine a future where billions access Web3 via Worldcoin.

Still, Solana has the edge on developer experience and performance. And its app store model, if widely adopted, could do for crypto what Android did for mobile apps.

Conclusion

Crypto app stores aren’t a fad, they’re a response to centralized gatekeeping. Whether it’s a phone (Saga) or a global identity wallet (World App), Web3 is building its own onramps. And the battle for the future of mobile crypto is just beginning.

In 2025, onboarding the masses doesn’t depend on Web2’s permission anymore. It's a crypto move.