I came across this Article (Link below) and I think its imperative that anyone looking to invest in crypto assets, or anyone who has done beforehand should read and digest this article- as its an incredible way of comparing and understanding how the future of the Internet will work.
This article goes into detail about how protocols like Ethereum could become valuable, by allowing applications to be built upon them more fluidly and far more simply. The diagrams in the article go into great detail about this, and it puts it into quite simple and understandable terms. It made me personally understand how, if Ethereum manages to deliver a robust system that allows DAPPS to be built on it with great fluidity and ease, the very ability to create DAPPS on the system will give Ether the token value. Why? Because companies and startups will need less money to create the DAPP they intend to design, as as protocol will allow relatively simple creation. Indeed Vitalik Buterin (ETH creator) says that cloud storage systems could be created with as little as 7 lines of code, Which is truly incredible!
I urge you to read and digest the article below. It is fascinating.