Announcing Blocktober #24: Hong Kong’s month convening flagship Web3 events

[PRESS RELEASE – Hong Kong, China, March 15th, 2024]

Web3 Harbour, a nonprofit industry association for the advancement of a decentralized internet and economy, and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the government department responsible for foreign direct investments into Hong Kong, today announced Blocktober #24, a first of its kind strategic public-private collaboration that will bring three weeks of world-class events and experiences dedicated to Web3 innovation and exploration to Hong Kong from October 14 to November 1, 2024.

Hosted by Web3 Harbour with InvestHK as a strategic partner, Blocktober #24 will feature anchor events organized by global Web3 leaders that examine and advance the state of decentralized technologies, while dozens of community events will allow builders from around the world to connect, share, and collaborate on Web3 initiatives. Many of Hong Kong’s world-renowned restaurants, bars, galleries, and public spaces will also open their doors to the Web3 community, as the city becomes a sandbox for cultural transformation through technology. Over 50,000 global attendees are expected to convene in Hong Kong for Blocktober.

Mr Joseph Chan, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said, “Hong Kong recognises and stands ready to embrace the positive impact of Web3 technology. We are fully committed to fostering a progressive and open environment for the Web3 ecosystem to thrive in a sustainable and responsible manner. This reflects our belief in its capacity to transform different industries and real-world applications.”

Mr Gary Liu, Chair of Web3 Harbour and the Co-founder and CEO of Terminal 3, added, “There is growing momentum for Web3 innovation across Asia, and Blocktober presents a unique opportunity for builders from around the world to collaborate and learn over multiple weeks of events and activities. Blocktober is an incredible collaboration between Hong Kong’s Web3 community and many global industry leaders, which highlights the importance of this city as a hub for blockchain technology and its applications.”

Three flagship events will be part of the anchor schedule for Blocktober #24. The city’s annual Hong Kong FinTech Week, one of the largest and most influential fintech events in Asia led by InvestHK, will take place from October 28 to November 1. It will bring over 30,000 attendees together with global top industry leaders, regulators, investors, and entrepreneurs to discuss the latest trends and innovations in fintech. Chainlink SmartCon, the industry-leading convergence point for the worlds of blockchain and finance, will make its Hong Kong debut and cap off Blocktober #24’s final week with a full stack of speakers, workshops, experiences, and hacker events. In addition, Animoca Brands will host an inaugural event celebrating Web3 gaming and culture, which will bring together technologists and creatives for discussions and experiences around Web3’s potential as a catalyst for global change.

Ms Alpha Lau, Director-General of InvestHK, said, “The intersection of Web3 technologies with diverse sectors such as fintech, art, gaming and entertainment ushers a new era of experience and innovation. Hong Kong is an international financial centre and one of the three largest art markets in the world, making the application of Web3 highly complementary. As a value-adding super connector, we are well positioned to bring these cross-disciplinary applications to life, showcasing how blockchain and Web3 technologies can redefine the financial and cultural landscape.”

Todd Barr, Chief Marketing Officer at Chainlink Labs, said, “This year’s SmartCon will be monumental. Chainlink and the blockchain industry are at a key inflection point, with DeFi and TradFi converging into the new arena of onchain finance. As an international financial center and a hub of Web3 innovation, Hong Kong is the perfect fit for SmartCon. We’re excited to headline Blocktober’s Onchain Finance Week with an experience that showcases the converged future of global markets.”

Mr Yat Siu, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Animoca Brands, commented, “Web3 and the digital property rights that it empowers continue to change culture around the world. Animoca Brands is excited to join Blocktober #24 and celebrate these impactful innovations, and to host global builders and creatives in our hometown of Hong Kong.”

Other anchor events and organizers for Blocktober #24 include:

• CoinDesk – The global crypto news leader has announced an expansion of its flagship crypto conference, Consensus. In addition to its annual event, CoinDesk is launching Consensus Hong Kong, set to debut in February 2025. Leading into Consensus Hong Kong, CoinDesk will convene Web3 leaders and communities during Blocktober #24 to discuss and advance the impact of blockchain technology.
• ETH HK – Organized by Scroll, a zero-knowledge EVM Layer-2, ETH HK will bring together the Ethereum community across Asia to drive further innovation in the ecosystem.
• Solana Foundation – The Solana Foundation – a non-profit foundation dedicated to the decentralization, adoption, and security of the Solana network – will host a three day Hacker House that will provide opportunities for builders to gather, learn, and collaborate with the Solana community.
• Smart Contact – Web3 Harbour’s flagship series of leader deep-dives and gatherings returns during Blocktober #24 to connect and inspire builders from around the world.

Blocktober #24 will also coincide with the StartmeupHK Festival curated by InvestHK, a week-long series of events focused on various industry sectors and activities for startups, investors, industry leaders, tech enthusiasts and government officials to exchange ideas, make connections and chart a course for the future. Guided by the theme ‘A Future Unlimited’, the Festival will run from October 21 to 25.

Mr King Leung, Global Head of Financial Services and Fintech at InvestHK, said, “Blocktober will showcase a rich tapestry of sectors, highlighting the versatile nature of Web3 technology. The series promises to match the energy from our thriving Web3 ecosystem with exciting events and experiences, together with our flagship events, the Hong Kong Fintech Week and the StartmeupHK Festival. It is a testament to our position as a hub for rich innovation, finance, arts and creativity.”

For more information on Blocktober #24, and to stay updated as more events and details are announced, please visit: https://www.blocktober.xyz.

About Web3 Harbour

Web3 Harbour is a nonprofit association based in Hong Kong dedicated to engaging and representing Web3 builders, investors, users, and leaders to promote a pro-innovation, pro-collaboration, and truly inclusive environment for the development of the decentralized internet and virtual asset economy. The association’s core activities convene stakeholders from across sectors for open knowledge-sharing, upskilling, critical discourse, and networking.

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