Why does decentralization in Web3 projects not mean the absence of intellectual property rights?

In Web3, there is a temptation that often turns out to be costly. It sounds simple: if a product is decentralized, then rules are optional. If there is no single center, there is no “owner.” And if there is no owner, then why bother with intellectual property?

This logic is appealing, but flawed. Decentralization changes the technical architecture and the way participants interact, but it does not eliminate the law. On the contrary, in Web3, intellectual property becomes even more critical, because it is what helps preserve value in an environment where copying happens instantly and forks (the creation of a separate version of a project through copying and further modification of its source code) are the norm.

How intellectual property emerges and is protected in Web3, and what kind of evidence base is required to prove an infringement of such rights, was explained to Ukrainian media Mind.ua by Yulia Leshchenko, Name&Fame Co-founder, an intellectual property specialist with international experience, focused on brands, technology, Web3, AI, and modern IP strategies. The original article available here.