Consensus HK 2025: A Catalyst for the Next Wave of Web3 Innovation

Gm! We’re thrilled to bring you exclusive highlights from Consensus Hong Kong 2025 — a week that marked a milestone for blockchain innovation in the city.

This wasn’t just another conference. It was the first-ever Consensus held in Asia, and the energy here was unmatched.

Picture the world’s top protocol builders, exchanges, VCs, policymakers, and Web3 pioneers converging in Hong Kong for three jam-packed days of insights, connections, and innovation.

If you’ve ever wondered why Hong Kong</b>, this week gave us the answer.

Hong Kong has positioned itself as a global digital asset hub, balancing opportunities with regulatory clarity. It’s a sandbox for bold ideas, a gateway connecting East and West, and a city with the liquidity and financial infrastructure to support thriving projects. It’s also where we are based, so we might be a little biased as we truly think it’s an amazing city for Web3 projects!

For those looking ahead, Hong Kong might just be the key to unlock the floodgates for crypto in Asia—and beyond.

Why We’re Here: Your Eyes and Ears

As a foundation, our mission is simple: to bring you insights that matter.

We’re here to go beyond the surface, get into the weeds, and explore the ideas, collaborations, and developments shaping the future of Web3.

This week wasn’t just about attending. It was about learning, building, and making meaningful relationships. Every panel, conversation, and pitch added to our understanding of how this space is evolving—and we’re here to share it with you.

Let’s jump into the key takeaways!

Institutions, Builders, and Momentum

The opening day was electric. More than 8,000 attendees from around the globe under one roof, the energy even extended to side events in every hidden corner of Hong Kong.

We’re definitely seeing less hoodies and more suits this year—a clear sign of the growing interest from institutional and TradFi players. Names like Standard Chartered Bank and Hong Kong Telecom, partnering with Animoca to release a stable HKD, are making waves.

The mood was optimistic but realistic.

The opening panels addressed the elephant in the room—regulation, trust, and the path forward for digital assets. Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, delivered a bold keynote, cementing the city’s commitment to Web3 innovation.

Along with the recent court issuance, the first ‘Tokenised Injuncture Order’ shows advances in virtual asset regulation in the city.

Crypto, unlike most technologies, has grown from the grassroots up. Institutions are now catching up—and that’s not a bad thing. It’s legitimizing the industry and building a strong foundation for long-term growth.

Leaders on Crypto’s Most Urgent Challenges

Every stage at Consensus Hong Kong stayed laser-focused on crypto progress without the noise. The discussions were sharp, relevant, and forward-looking, led by some of the most influential figures in the industry.

For instance, Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, explored the co-existence of centralized (CEX) and decentralized exchanges (DEX), emphasizing how both can complement each other in the evolving landscape of digital assets.

Meanwhile, Evan Cheng, Co-Founder of SUI Protocol highlighted the critical role of building momentum and fostering strong communities, underscoring that innovation alone isn’t enough—the people behind the projects are what truly drive long-term success.

Lily Liu of Solana Foundation reflected on the impact of the Libra meme token, acknowledging the hit it dealt to the ecosystem. Despite this, she expressed optimism, emphasizing Solana’s strength as a leading general-purpose blockchain that serves a broad range of users, with memes being just one facet.

We spotted a growing narrative around purpose-built infrastructure, like Avalanche, highlighting a clear trend toward a multi-chain future. As ecosystems diversify and specialize, these chains aim to address specific use cases, signaling collaboration rather than consolidation.

AI and Crypto: Bridging the Gap to Mass Adoption

The buzzword of the conference has been AI.

Multiple panels delved into the integration of AI within decentralized ecosystems, moving beyond theory as developers actively build tools to make it a reality.

Projects like Virtuals are tackling crypto’s UX challenges, enabling scalable solutions for adoption while empowering other builders to leverage AI for diverse use cases.

Prominent VCs highlighted the untapped potential of AI as true power users of crypto, envisioning a future where AI agents facilitate seamless machine-to-machine interactions — from executing smart contracts to acting as payment rails.

Such advancements could drive an enormous surge in transaction volumes, shifting the landscape of blockchain.

Proactive on the Ground: Planting Seeds for the Future

This week wasn’t just about attending panels—it was about forging meaningful connections.

By engaging with partners and builders, we saw the seeds of future collaborations being planted, laying a strong foundation for innovation and shared growth within the OAX ecosystem.

Meanwhile, startups took center stage, pitching bold ideas to investors. From supply chain solutions for commodities to on-chain privacy with ZK and token transaction security, it’s clear that significant problems remain to be solved—and builders are rising to the occasion.

The EasyA Hackathon was a buzzing hub of activity, with developers joining forces to tackle real-industry issues. The level of talent on display was nothing short of inspiring, with one unifying sentiment spreading through the crowd: “The future of Web3 is being built here.”

Backed by tech support from Aptos, Polkadot, and Ripple, builders had the opportunity to experiment with emerging protocols and explore creative solutions - and we have already initiated a dialogue with a number of teams.

While these connections won’t yield results overnight, they are essential for long-term growth. As our support on Polkadot’s steady evolution has demonstrated, meaningful progress takes time—but it’s the key to building a resilient and thriving ecosystem.

What’s Next: Our Commitment

As we wrap up this incredible week, we want to reaffirm our commitment to you:

• Education: We’ll keep sharing insights and demystifying blockchain.
• Collaboration: We’re exploring opportunities and building partnerships that add real value.
• Listening: We want to hear from you. Your ideas and questions matter.

From hackathons to pitch fests, we’re actively contributing to this space. This is about building for the long term, and we’re honored to have you with us on this journey.

This blog is just the beginning. We’re here to share insights, but more importantly, we’re here to start a conversation.

What excites you about Web3? What challenges are you facing? Let us know—we’re all in this together.

Until next time, stay curious, keep building, and let’s shape the future of Web3, one step at a time.

The OAX Foundation Team

Disclaimer: The above is an opinion piece written by an authorized author, but in no way represents the official standpoint of OAX Foundation Limited, nor should it be meant to serve as investment advice.