When Ken Brook founded the blockchain ad-tech startup MetaX in early 2017, the notion of applying the decentralized ledger system behind cryptocurrency to the ills of digital advertising was still relatively novel. A prolonged rally in the price of bitcoin had brought buzz to all things blockchain, and the company received plenty of early attention. Other startups soon followed in droves.

But the transparency and security promises that the tech promised failed to materialize. Some blame the lack of technical infrastructure and the fact that even to this day, many people are at a loss to explain exactly what blockchain is and even conflate it with bitcoin. Others suggest the established ad-tech order was naturally resistant to such subversion.

Read the full Adweek article here.