Istanbul Blockchain Week: A Confluence of Tech, Innovation, and Inclusive Finance
As we head into the autumn convention season, I needed to speak about how Istanbul not too long ago showcased itself as a hub of innovation, tech consciousness, and inclusive finance. With the profitable conclusion of Istanbul Blockchain Week, which occurred in the course of the last weeks of summer season, the occasion featured thought leaders, {industry} pioneers, and a gathering of pros wanting to discover the convergence of synthetic intelligence, blockchain, and Web3 gaming. And it put Istanbul squarely on the map as a regional drive within the {industry}.
Whereas I couldn’t attend this world-class occasion, I saved up with what was occurring by way of contacts on the bottom. And from my vantage level, this occasion introduced the summer season warmth and set the stage for an thrilling This fall.
Istanbul: A International Tech Hub Providing International Perception
Positioned strategically between London and Dubai, Istanbul is ready on changing into a world epicenter for rising applied sciences. I witnessed first-hand throughout BlockDown Portugal the innovation led by Turkish firms and traders.
One of the crucial fascinating features of this specific occasion, nevertheless, is the truth that as a consequence of the place it’s geographically positioned, there was a eager give attention to Islamic finance and the notion of a Shariah-compliant Web3 financial system, owing to the rising curiosity from the United Arab Emirates in Turkey’s crypto market.
AI – Entrance and Middle, a 2023 Theme
The most important themes for the convention included AI, regulation, Web3 gaming, and sensible blockchain functions. Attendees loved quite a lot of workshops and roundtable discussions masking topics resembling moral finance, AI, Web3 gaming, DAOs, and decentralized id. The occasion additionally hosted a $50,000 bounty hackathon, urging builders to create DeFi platforms geared in the direction of moral monetary companies.
As AI continued to be the subject du jour, one other eye-catching second was the introduction of Desi, the AI robotic from SingularityNET and Yaya Labs, and sibling to Sophia, who offered attendees with a hands-on AI tech expertise.
The intersection of AI and blockchain has been notably notable all through the entire of the {industry}, with discussions emphasizing decentralized generative AI on blockchain platforms and the significance of information possession. These are themes which might be prone to be on repeat at different industry-leading conferences, resembling Permissionless and Token2049.
Participating the Turkish Banking Sector
One other spotlight of the occasion and one thing that I needed to study in-person was the Turkish banking sector’s lively engagement, as manifested by the participation of main Turkish banks in a panel targeted on Central Financial institution Digital Currencies (CBDCs). CBDC’s have been within the information fairly a bit over the previous few years.
Ziya Altunyaldiz, Member of the Republic of Turkey Parliamentary Meeting of the Council of Europe Business, Commerce, Power, Pure Assets, Data and Know-how Fee, was a notable speaker who provided insights to attendees. Extra featured worldwide Web3 audio system and sponsors included PSG, Fireblocks, Crypto. com, ICP and Socios. It was a conglomeration of expertise and information.
Erhan Korhaliller, the founding father of EAK Digital and the organizer of Istanbul Blockchain Week & BlockDown Convention (Portugal 2023), shared his enthusiasm in regards to the occasion, “One of many core tenets of Istanbul Blockchain Week has all the time been inclusivity and schooling. This 12 months, I used to be very excited to see {industry} veterans and newcomers alike come collectively, sharing information, experiences, and visions for a decentralized world. As I watched younger builders work together with Web3 leaders and noticed the spark of inspiration of their eyes, I used to be reminded of why we started this journey. Istanbul Blockchain Week isn’t simply an occasion; it’s a catalyst, a gathering level of minds, and a beacon for what’s doable once we come collectively within the spirit of innovation and progress.”
Istanbul Blockchain Week, which I’ll completely not miss in 2024, has set a precedent for future occasions, positioning Istanbul as not only a metropolis of historic significance however as a beacon of technological innovation and inclusive finance.
As we glance in the direction of the longer term, a minimum of the quick future, it’s clear that this occasion has ignited a spark that can proceed to light up the trail forward for a area that’s cementing its rightful place in Web3.
Kelly Ferraro is an occasions columnist at Grit Day by day. She is the co-founder, CEO & President of River North Communications, touting twenty years of expertise as a company communications and TradFi skilled. Having beforehand labored at Financial institution of America and Guggenheim Securities, she is well-equipped to design and implement media campaigns that align with enterprise aims. Kelly started her profession at a hedge fund, growing a love for numbers as they informed an organization’s true story. She can also be passionate in regards to the blockchain evolution and believes transparency is the important thing to widespread adoption.
