TOKEN2049 Recap: Unpacking the Highlights of Bybit’s HelloSpree (2023 Edition)

In the ever-evolving crypto landscape, one recent event stands out as a beacon of insight and discovery: TOKEN2049. Held annually, TOKEN2049 is a unique convergence of crypto experts, enthusiasts and investors from all corners of the globe — a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, unveil innovative projects and discuss the industry's future. 

This blog showcases some of the outstanding features, keynote speakers, discussions and influencers associated with Bybit. With the kickoff of #BybitHelloSeries, we welcome you to join us on this comprehensive recap to bring you up to speed and provide a glimpse into the future of this dynamic industry.

Starter: The Rise of TOKEN2049 

TOKEN2049’s comprehensive agenda spanned the intersection of AI and web3, DeFi and next-gen web3 gaming, bringing in over 10,000 attendees globally — industry leaders, decision-makers and hundreds of international exhibitors. 

The event kicked off with Alexander Fiskum, Co-Founder of TOKEN2049, welcoming an unprecedented number of attendees. This segment featured a stellar lineup of thought-provoking panels, diving deep into some of the industry's most pressing issues with panel lineups of prominent figures in the industry

Core: Crypto Innovations, Trends and Ideas

TOKEN2049 is a hotbed of innovation, and the 2023 edition was no different. Attendees were treated to a host of exciting ideas and trends, many of which could shape the future of the crypto industry. 

Following are some snippets of Bybit's take on the two-day TOKEN2049 event. 

Bybit at TOKEN2049 was on a HelloSpree, featuring invigorating, brand-new designs and aesthetics to welcome visitors with a friendly, inviting atmosphere. We kicked off the #BybitHelloSeries by welcoming our guests with exclusive merchandise and brochures and sharing info about our products. 

Exemplifying Bybit's motto of Listen, Care, and Improve, our team listened and worked relentlessly to present a booth that brought fun, interactive and immersing activities. 

Featuring the What's Your Web3 Spirit Animal? corner, visitors were encouraged to express and vote for their favorite spirit animals based on the choice of a Whale, Bear, Unicorn, Bull or Shark to best match their personality and sentiment. With overwhelming participation and engagement and intense competition between the Bulls and Unicorns, the Bulls took the throne and crowned the winner. 

Beyond brochures and leaflets, our representatives also provided live demos of our platforms and a customized platform walkthrough. Visitors who stopped by to say #HelloBybitalso got a chance to win exclusive merchandise by spinning the wheel of fortune. 

Bybit's 2023 booth was a big hit, with fantastic feedback from the crowd spreading across social media platforms LinkedIn, Twitter X, Instagram and more. 

Our success doesn’t stop here, however. We want all Bybit users to keep the feedback coming, as we’re committed to making the next event an even better success and providing you with as warm a welcome as possible.

Day 1: The Convergence of AI, Web3 and Crypto

While the discussion topics varied on Day One of the event, one common theme we spotted embodied the rise of AI in utility, and the way in which crypto fuels that utility beyond the industry. In addition, there was discussion of regulatory bodies and how they change the grand scheme of the crypto landscape to accelerate the adoption of web3.

The panel discussion on Convergence of AI and Web3 with Fabric Ventures, Outlier Ventures, CoinFund, NEAR Protocol and Worldcoin addressed urgent questions and concerns regarding the principle of AI and how it reconciles with web3 to amplify their networks. Panelists discussed the potential changes in macro and micro views of market sentiment, contending that AI needs major fine-tuning before it can be integrated into financial strategies. 

Key takeaways from this discussion concerned burning questions about the shift to AI in governmental policy and among entities and individuality value propositions. Drilling deeper into the macro perspective, the question is: Are we all open and transparent enough to promote open-source integration, primarily focusing on tapping into the web3 space? 

Day 2: Crypto Exchanges Roundtable

On day two of TOKEN2049, leaders from the top global exchanges joined forces to discuss the crypto landscape. Bybit’s co-founder and CEO, Ben Zhou, shared the main stage with fellow decision-makers, discussing The Challenges and Opportunities Ahead to shed light on the best practices exchanges provide for advocating transparency and fairness.

Leading the discussion, Henri Arslanian, co-founder and Managing Partner of Nine Blocks Capital Management, began the discussion with questions to each leader about their approach to navigating their exchange’s transparency. 

In response, Ben Zhou emphasized the importance of Bybit’s Proof of Reserves (PoR) for transparency, especially after the downfall of the FTX Exchange. After cautious evaluation, Bybit made the move to trust digital asset custodial providers like Copper and Fireblocks to ensure the safety of investors' funds.

The leaders agreed, highlighting the importance of financial legality and licensing. Lennix Lai, CCO at OKX, further stressed that the importance for financial institutions to get licensed is immense. The leverage of blockchain technology can help prove the reliability of the exchange, and that’s where PoR comes in handy for licensing.

In the next half of the discussion, Henri asked the panelists' views on some of the potential red flags users should watch for in order to avoid another FTX debacle. Panelists shared similar sentiments, discussing licensing and regulations throughout the session. 

From left to right: Gracy Chen, Managing Director of Bitget; Alicia Kao, Managing Director of KuCoin; Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit; Lennix Lai, CCO of OKX. 

Ben responded that there isn’t one single point of entry for reliance. Investors must do their own research and adopt diversification to minimize their exposure. Lennix averred that no investment products are risk-free, and that users should always look into a platform’s security functions and transparency programs. Having contingency plans for regulatory licensing changes is a great cushion for any risk exposure. 

Zooming in on compliance and licensing, all leaders agreed that regulatory licensing has evolved around the transparency of an exchange’s operations and the segregation of users’ funds with operational costs. 

In the next half of the discussion, Henri asked which markets or regions had top potential for crypto expansion, with all leaders sharing a positive outlook. 

Ben said that “Bybit is focusing on the growth of physical and offline expansion following the market trends. For example, Bybit has recently set up a new headquarters in Dubai, UAE, and we’re continuously seeking to comply with regulatory requirements to promote better interoperability. We continue to seek and obtain more operations licenses in Hong Kong, Dubai and Singapore.”

Gracy spoke about the expansion in technology. For example, the Empower US Fund invests in regional expansion, media outreach and data analysis firms to boost mass adoption. 

Alicia focused on blockchain technology expansion and media collaboration to bring newer innovations to the industry. 

Before wrapping things up, all leaders shed light on potential catalysts for the next bull run. 

Ben started off the conversation by saying, “At Bybit, we’ve emphasized building an ever-growing infrastructure and providing a seamless, transparent and reliable service that’s tailored to all users — not only better and faster, but also cheaper.” He believes the biggest catalyst for a bull run revolves around services and product innovation. Regardless of Layer 1 or 2, Bybit believes in building the blocks with trust and scalability.

Lennix's replies focused on improving the customer experience and improving web 3 accessibility on a centralized platform. “We want to take things further, to have the capabilities to provide different on-chain solutions and combine them to make integration on web3 as easy as creating a Gmail account.” 

Gracy responded that she regards the bull market as the golden window for building the blocks: “Bitget wants to position ourselves to capture the market, and agrees with Ben that we need to continue paving the way for the difficult roads ahead.” She sees two main drivers that will drive the market forward — the approval of BTC Spot ETFs and the FED interest hike that can bring a potential influx of investors into the industry.

Alicia asserted that DeFi could be a potential gateway for creativity and innovation. “Like GMX, it offers good liquidity solutions, and we’re taking the responsibility to educate people about these projects, whether in DeFi or with a CEX.”

On a closing note, when Ben was asked about his experience with DeFi, here was his response: “We love DeFi. We take a deep look into what DeFi offers, and our main goal is to get people there. We want to build the pathways fast, building a product users can access in one click.”

The discussion ended with rapid-fire queries about Singapore and some personal questions.

Learn more: New on Web3: Buy Crypto With Credit/Debit Cards or P2P and Join Virtual Versions IDO

Events After Dusk: TOKEN2049 × Bybit Side Events 

No TOKEN2049 is complete without continuing crypto events throughout the evening, some of which are highlighted below.

Bybit × Signal Plus × Copper.co 

The evening started when our VP/Head of Institution, Eugene Cheung, welcomed the guests with an opening speech that highlighted the importance of Bybit’s partnership with SignalPlus and Copper.co. “SignalPlus has allowed us to integrate our products seamlessly on Options trading with its best-in-class dashboard and comprehensive Options pricing and analytics,” said Cheung. “Copper.co, our custodial provider, is a great backbone to boost customers' confidence in our platform.” 

The event was brimming with investors, leaders and decision-makers, everyone was greeted with a warm welcome, food and drinks at the amazing restaurant L'Entrecôte Customs House, overseeing the Singapore financial skyline and the towers of Marina Bay Sands.

Bybit × Paradigm × Pulsar

During the opening speech, Ben Zhou welcomed the guests and stated, “Paradigm and Pulsar have been long-term partners with Bybit. Not only do they provide a unified, noncustodial liquidity network for crypto derivatives traders on Bybit, but they also provide quality trading solutions and market-making on our platform. We welcome everyone to be here to celebrate and commemorate our long-term partnership and together, we’ll continue to drive the market forward toward a coming bull run.”

This beautiful event took place at Bread Street Kitchen in Marina Bay Sands, where we hosted over 200 global participants. 

Bybit × Fireblocks

We wrapped up our last side events at the Customs House, having received over 150 participants to connect and network at the venue. Bybit and Fireblocks welcomed our guests with a speech to express support for this long-term partnership. The evening was filled with geniality and valuable key takeaways from investors, market markers and industry experts. 

Conclusion

The 2023 edition of TOKEN2049 was a landmark event that brought together the global crypto community and provided a wealth of insights and ideas. From revealing talks by industry leaders to thought-provoking panel discussions and exciting announcements, the event was a testament to the dynamism and potential of the crypto world. 

Looking ahead, it's clear that TOKEN2049 will continue to be a beacon for the crypto industry, shining a light on the latest developments and shaping discourse. Whether you're a seasoned crypto enthusiast or a newcomer to the space, TOKEN2049 is an event you won't want to miss.

#Bybit #TheCryptoArk