Consensus concludes sold-out debut event in Hong Kong and announces return to Asia in 2026

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• The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre reached maximum capacity, with nearly 10,000 in-person attendees from over 100 countries, solidifying the conference's position as a marquee event of the region.
• The conference, and its 350+ side events held over the week, are estimated to have contributed HK$275m to the economy.
• Sold-out event highlights the conference's success in bridging East-meets-West dialogue, with industry-altering announcements made throughout the week.

HONG KONG, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Consensus Hong Kong, which took place between February 18 and 20, 2025, has officially wrapped up its sold-out debut. As the world's biggest and longest-serving event series for critical conversations on Web3, digital assets and blockchain, Consensus attracted nearly 10,000 in-person attendees, from 102 countries, to Hong Kong, with a combined AUM for attendees estimated at more than US$4 trillion. The success of the event has garnered international attention, so much so that it has officially announced today that it will be returning to Asia again next year in 2026.

The event's arrival in Hong Kong coincided with several key regional milestones, with notable announcements during the week taking place, including:

• Hong Kong's financial regulator, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), unveiled a new road map with 12 initiatives designed to "future-proof" Hong Kong's virtual asset ecosystem;
• Standard Chartered publicized its joint venture with Animoca Brands and Hong Kong Telecom (HKT) to seek a licence from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to issue a Hong Kong dollar-backed stablecoin.
• Other announcements came from Hex Trust, Robinhood, WisdomTree, Pundi AI, zkMe, and more.
• Bullish Group, the parent company of CoinDesk, announced that its Hong Kong digital asset trading business has received licensing approval from the SFC;

Seventy-five percent of the nearly 10,000 in-person attendees traveled from overseas, driving up tourism in Hong Kong and bringing in an estimated HK$275m to the city. Over 450 media registered to report on the event and hear from over 300 high-caliber speakers from the Hong Kong government, Web3 regulators and brands like Binance, Blockstream, Circle, Coinbase, Google, Pantera, Robinhood and Solana Foundation. Supported by over 125 sponsors and over 160 community partners, including Auros, Hex Trust, TRON, Aptos, CoinW, Dimitra, First Digital, Genius, Zeebu, and many more, the team was able to fulfill its mission of making Consensus the most important platform for digital assets and Web3.

In addition to the main conference line-up, over 350 side events took place over the course of the week in iconic Hong Kong venues. Cloud 39 at the Henderson, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Wonderland (West Kowloon Cultural District) the Grand Hyatt and Iron Fairies hosted special events, such as the opening Rooftop Revelry, Consensus Cup, Token of Love music festival, Crypto Fight Night and the Closing Party. Additional community-hosted side events took place in venues across the city including at Trilogy, Soho House, Popinjays, The Kerry Hotel, Luk Yu Tea House, Faye, K11, Dragon-I, Ozone, Cardinal Point, and dozens of others.

Its signature experiences, including the Hackathon and PitchFest, drew tech talent from all over the world:

• Over 500 top developers - including from Thiel Fellows, and quants from top investment banks JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley - joined the two-day, in-person Hackathon run in partnership with EasyA. In total, 67 ground-breaking blockchain projects were launched to compete for more than US$400K in prizes and grants. There were six tracks at the Hackathon: Aptos, Ripple, MozaicNFT,  Crust, Original Trail and Polkadot, which were won respectively by ProfitX, Xeno, MozaicDot, MoME (Mixture of Multi-chain Experts) and Pix x Origintrail Telegram Bot.
• Over 400 of the world's most promising early-stage Web3 start-ups attended, with 12 competing live onstage at CoinDesk PitchFest for investor attention. TransCrypts, a leader in digital identity and credentials, backed by Mark Cuban, GSR Ventures, and others emerged as the winner. The competition was judged by top investors from Spartan Ventures, Titan Fund, CMCC, Foresight Ventures, Animoca Brands, and more.

Michael Lau, Chairman of Consensus Hong Kong, said, "Consensus Hong Kong was an overwhelming success. The combination of our nearly 10,000 in-person attendees and over 350 side events is independent validation proving our conference achieved incredible product-market fit. It is clear that the global Web3 industry has been asking for a truly world-class conference in Hong Kong for a while, and Consensus Hong Kong was the answer.  Hong Kong has worked hard to strategically position itself as a forward-thinking digital assets hub with a vibrant ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurial spirits, so we hope to return again next year—at an even bigger scale."

Brad Spies, Managing Director of Consensus said, "Consensus has always had a laser focus on bringing together all of the different parts of the crypto ecosystem: traditional finance, DeFi traders, regulators, developers, entrepreneurs, investors, startups, academics, and artists. We are humbled to host heavyweight attendees from around the world looking to connect, and share singular experiences from day to night. Consensus Hong Kong has taken that mission to a new level, bringing together all sides of the industry, east and west, and using Hong Kong's unparalleled venues, restaurants, and community as a way to bring people together to share ideas, create business opportunities, and have an excellent time doing it."

Media contact:
Cognito on behalf of Consensus Hong Kong
[email protected] 

About Consensus

Since 2015, Consensus has been the world's largest and most influential gathering of the digital assets, blockchain and Web3 communities. Consensus now heads to Hong Kong, bringing together the industry's most important voices from East and West for pivotal conversations and deal-making opportunities.

Consensus Hong Kong convenes global leaders in tech and finance to debate pressing issues, announce key developments and deals, and share their visions for the future. Consensus is produced by the award-winning media outlet CoinDesk and is guided by its commitment to independent, unbiased journalism. Consensus sets the agenda for the next wave of innovation and deal-making in the crypto and Web3 space.

About CoinDesk

CoinDesk is the most trusted media, events, indices, and data company for the global crypto economy. Since 2013, CoinDesk Media has led the story of the future of money and investing, illuminating the transformation in society and culture that comes with it. Our award-winning team of journalists delivers news and unparalleled insights that bring transparency, comprehension, and context. CoinDesk Events gathers the global crypto, blockchain, and Web3 communities at annual events such as Consensus, the world's largest and longest-running crypto festival. CoinDesk Indices offers expertise in digital asset indices, data, and research to educate and empower investors. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by Bullish group. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. For more information on CoinDesk media and events, please visit CoinDesk.com. For breaking headlines, data, and indices, visit CoinDeskmarkets.com.

SOURCE Consensus