Why InterLink is targeting the NYSE - Not just Crypto hype

In an industry often driven by speculative frenzies and token hype, one blockchain startup is charting a markedly different course. InterLink Labs, a Web3 project focused on digital identity, has its sights set not on the next flashy coin offering, but on a public listing at the venerable New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The company’s leaders say this move isn’t about chasing clout or crypto buzz. It’s about establishing trust, credibility, and infrastructure that can stand the test of time in both decentralized and traditional arenas. Below, we explore why InterLink is preparing to IPO on the NYSE and how it’s laying the groundwork to become one of the first crypto-native tech companies on a major U.S. stock exchange.

From Web2 Roots to a Web3 Vision

Born at the intersection of Web2 experience and Web3 opportunity, InterLink was founded on a simple but powerful belief: people should have control over their digital identity. In practice, this means providing a decentralized identity verification network – often called a “Real Human Network”  that lets individuals prove they are real and unique, without surrendering privacy. The company’s core product, InterLink ID, leverages advanced facial recognition and AI to verify users, helping combat bots and fraud while keeping data in users’ hands. This mission of self-sovereign digital identity isn’t just theoretical. According to the company, its verification technology has already authenticated over 30 million real individuals through partnerships with leading banks, telecom providers, and e-commerce platforms. (In other words, InterLink’s tech has been quietly battle-tested in real-world, regulated industries.) Having recently surpassed 2.5 million registered users on its own platform, InterLink is aiming far higher – its long-term goal is to onboard one billion verified humans into a trusted global network bridging the decentralized internet with the regulated real world.

This expansive vision positions InterLink as more than just another blockchain startup. The company sees itself as building critical infrastructure for the next-generation internet – a “global pioneer in AI-powered identity and decentralized human verification,” as its internal documents put it. If successful, InterLink’s network could serve as a foundational layer for countless applications requiring proof-of-personhood, from fintech and e-commerce to voting and social media. But to reach that kind of scale and credibility, the team recognizes they must earn trust on a global stage. That conviction is driving InterLink to prepare for something few Web3 projects have attempted: going public on the NYSE.

Beyond the Crypto Hype: Why Aim for the NYSE?

The decision to target an NYSE listing  rather than just issuing a token and riding the crypto market rollercoaster – is a deliberate statement by InterLink. It reflects a strategic bet that long-term trust and compliance will outweigh short-term hype in determining which Web3 companies thrive. “Hype can only take you so far” is a sentiment often heard around InterLink’s team. By pursuing a traditional initial public offering (IPO) on the NYSE, they are signaling to investors, regulators, and users that this project plans to be around for the long haul, subjecting itself to the transparency and scrutiny of the public markets.

This approach stands in stark contrast to the playbook followed by many crypto ventures in recent years. It’s not lost on observers that the crypto industry’s reputation has been bruised by high-profile collapses and scandals – from the implosion of FTX to various token pump-and-dumps – which have eroded public trust. The collapse of FTX in 2022, for instance, caused a “massive erosion of trust” and reinforced widespread skepticism about crypto’s governance and integrity. In the aftermath, regulators worldwide have tightened oversight, and experts now argue that crypto firms must “behave as if they’re regulated, adopting traditional finance’s best practices around governance and risk management” even before any law forces them to. Simply put, trust is now the rarest currency in the crypto realm, and earning it requires more than cool tech – it requires compliance, transparency, and accountability.

InterLink’s vision is anchored in innovation and institutional credibility. The team believes an NYSE listing would provide a level of trust no token sale can signaling readiness for SEC oversight, quarterly reporting, audited financials, and public-company governance. Few Web3 firms have entered U.S. public markets (e.g., Coinbase on Nasdaq), and none with InterLink’s identity-first profile. If successful, InterLink could reset the bar for trust and compliance in Web3 showing that a blockchain startup can gain mainstream legitimacy without abandoning decentralization.

It’s worth noting that InterLink’s emphasis on credibility comes at a time when other digital identity projects have stumbled by going all-in on hype. Take Worldcoin, for example the much-publicized crypto ID initiative co-founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman. Worldcoin launched amid a frenzy, rapidly distributing tokens to users willing to scan their irises. But almost immediately it ran into regulatory trouble: authorities in several countries objected to its biometric data collection practices, with courts in Kenya even ordering Worldcoin to delete all iris data gathered and halt operations due to privacy violations. The episode highlighted how bold Web3 ideas can backfire without careful regard for legal and ethical standards. InterLink appears determined to avoid a similar fate by engaging regulators and adopting rigorous standards upfront, rather than asking forgiveness later. The NYSE plan fits that narrative – it’s a bid to anchor the project in real-world trust rather than ride a speculative wave.

Laying the Groundwork for a Public Debut

Targeting an NYSE listing is one thing; actually achieving it is another. What has InterLink done to prepare for life as a public company? Over the past year, the startup has been busy “aligning every layer of [its] business with the rigorous standards of public markets,” according to internal reports. This has meant upgrading its financial systems, legal structure, and governance practices to meet the high bar investors and regulators expect. In practice, InterLink’s preparation falls into three key areas:

• Financial Readiness: The company has engaged a Big Four auditing firm to thoroughly review its finances and implement U.S. GAAP accounting standards. All internal financial controls have been tightened with an eye toward the kind of quarterly reporting and disclosure required of NYSE-listed firms. In short, InterLink aims to hit the ground running with investor-grade financial transparency. It has even begun working with analysts to help them understand the business model, so that the market can accurately assess the company’s value once public.
  
• Financial Readiness: The company has engaged a Big Four auditing firm to thoroughly review its finances and implement U.S. GAAP accounting standards. All internal financial controls have been tightened with an eye toward the kind of quarterly reporting and disclosure required of NYSE-listed firms. In short, InterLink aims to hit the ground running with investor-grade financial transparency. It has even begun working with analysts to help them understand the business model, so that the market can accurately assess the company’s value once public.
• Governance & Transparency: Internally, InterLink has implemented robust corporate governance policies, anticipating the accountability needed as a public enterprise. This includes establishing a formal board of directors (with independent members expected post-IPO), instituting regular quarterly reporting, and creating dedicated investor relations functions. The company’s operating procedures now resemble those of a much larger, publicly-traded firm – from how decisions are documented to how risk management is conducted. By putting these controls in place early, InterLink’s leadership aims to ensure they can “operate as a public company” smoothly from day one. As one example, an investment bank is already being lined up to serve as lead underwriter for the eventual IPO, a move usually seen in more mature companies. The message is clear: InterLink is treating its IPO not as an aspirational idea, but as an impending reality, and it’s doing the homework to be ready for the NYSE’s spotlight.

Collectively, these preparations are far more than box-ticking exercises – they are fundamental shifts in how a young Web3 company conducts itself. They also reflect a broader trend: the maturing of the crypto sector. Gone are the days when a whitepaper and a dream were enough. Now, “crypto firms have a responsibility to proactively show investors that funds are safe and secure,” as a recent industry analysis noted, and must adopt traditional best practices even in the absence of clear regulations.

A New Path for Crypto to Main Street?

InterLink’s journey toward a public offering is still underway, and many hurdles remain (market conditions, regulatory approval, execution of the IPO, etc.). Yet, even the attempt marks a significant development in the cryptocurrency and Web3 landscape. It suggests that at least some projects are pivoting from a growth-at-all-costs mindset toward a sustainability-and-trust mindset. Rather than hype up a token and worry about compliance later, InterLink is trying to build a real business that can stand up to mainstream scrutiny from day one. If it succeeds in listing on the NYSE, it will demonstrate that the gap between decentralized tech and traditional finance can be bridged in a compliant, transparent way. It could also pave the way for other serious Web3 companies to follow a similar path, blurring the lines between “crypto startup” and just “startup.”

For now, all eyes in the community are on how InterLink executes this ambitious plan. The upside could be huge: a flood of capital, credibility, and users that propels the network toward its goal of a billion verified humans. With that scale, the network effects would be immense – making InterLink’s ID the de facto passport for the internet’s next era. The risks, of course, include the stringent demands of being public and the challenge of pleasing both crypto enthusiasts (who often favor decentralization and rapid innovation) and traditional investors (who prioritize steady growth and compliance). Striking that balance will be critical.

In any case, InterLink’s NYSE gambit is a refreshing counter-narrative in a sector that often swings between utopian optimism and cynical speculation. It’s a reminder that the true promise of Web3 – empowering individuals with technology – doesn’t have to come at the expense of the rules and norms that protect people in the real world. Trust, credibility, and lasting impact: those are the values InterLink is betting on, and they’re making a very public commitment to see them through. As the company’s own vision statement declares, the mission is to become “a global leader in identity and trust infrastructure — serving billions, powered by real people, and ready to meet the demands of tomorrow’s digital world”. And that, far more than any crypto hype, is what they hope will ultimately win over Wall Street and Main Street alike.