existing protocols were not built around identity, but the new ones do, and in order to avoid the centralization that is inherent to identity, they have rely on

existing protocols were not built around identity, but the new ones do, and in order to avoid the centralization that is inherent to identity, they have rely on blockchains or something equivalent (which doesnt exist), hence the crypto connection. It doesnt have to involve money, but the solutions are equivalent. E.g. metamask can be a wallet or an authentication mechanism.