During Binance Blockchain Week Istanbul 2023, global cryptocurrency exchange Binance will hold its flagship event in Turkey from November 8-9, where business will be conducted in Turkish lira, the leading trading pair on its platform.
Although Binance CEO Changpeng "CZ" Zhao was absent from the event, Binance executives as well as senior executives from the event's entire sponsor roster were on hand to make Binance Blockchain Week the biggest Web3 event in Istanbul. never seen
As a city that connects Europe and Asia, Istanbul is no stranger to international cryptocurrency and blockchain summits. While most events choose the city center for easy access and nearby hotels, Binance chose a location on the banks of the Bosphorus, away from the metro and many other modes of transportation, to show its visitors the true beauty of Istanbul.
For most events in Turkey, it is usually not difficult to get to the main event area without registering or getting a last minute ticket at the entrance. But during Binance Blockchain Week, security was tight and tickets were sold out. Binance's events team created a two-story format for over 2,000 attendees from around the world.
Visitors were welcomed in a spacious hall which led to the upper floor where the main stage and stands were located. The first floor offers various activities, including a small hair salon where visitors get the Binance logo tattooed on their hair, two vintage slot machines, and an innovation stage aimed at startups.
The importance of the Istanbul event from Binance's perspective was clear, as the crypto platform made a big announcement about its Web3 wallet for the event, not to be confused with the Binance-owned Trust wallet .
Richard Teng, Head of Regional Markets at Binance, kicked off the event by introducing the Binance Web3 wallet to Binance's 150 million users.
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Starting on a positive note, Binance Blockchain Week Istanbul features keynotes and discussions from the biggest names in blockchain, cryptocurrency, web3, gaming and entertainment gathered in Istanbul over two days. Organized work groups or networking opportunities for people of all backgrounds and experience levels.
Rachel Conlan, Binance's chief marketing officer, told Cointelegraph that the exchange considered several cities before choosing Istanbul for this year's Binance Blockchain Week.
“The city has an incredibly active crypto community, and the strong support we continue to receive from this local community played a significant role in our decision.”
With surveys ranking Turkey among countries with the highest levels of cryptocurrency adoption, Conlan noted that this participation and adoption “affirms our long-term commitment to investing in and growing the blockchain ecosystem in Turkey , making Istanbul a natural choice for our flagship product. event".
Absent from the main event was Binance's CEO, known for embracing a decentralized culture at Binance and even suggesting he might be ready to step down as CEO.
“Effective decentralization means not only the distribution of power and responsibilities, but also transparency,” Conlan said.
Binance wants to continually engage users and maintain a consistent presence across multiple forums and regions, and to achieve this, it is important to have an experienced team that can represent the company independently, he added.
Binance and the wider Web3 ecosystem
Although this is a Binance event, several other companies and platforms participated in the conference. Tron, Chillies, Animoca Brands, Zignali, Alchemy Pay and Trust Wallet were among the booths set up in the sponsor area.
“Binance Blockchain Week has always been about much more than Binance; It’s about building a community,” Conlan explained, adding that Binance aims to expand its influence in the broader Web3 ecosystem by developing partnerships with partners.
The participants of the event were also satisfied with the lively and dynamic atmosphere in Istanbul. “We were blown away by the energy and enthusiasm of the Turkish crypto community during Binance Blockchain Week,” said David Ugriniak, head of ecosystem development at Tron, adding that the most exciting aspects of the The event was the panel on stablecoins and “fantasy location”. "Next. to the Bosphorus."
Abdul Rafay Gadit, co-founder of cryptocurrency exchange Zignali, had further praise for Istanbul's charm and hospitality. Commenting on Binance Blockchain Week, Gadit told Cointelegraph: “The Istanbul event was a success with various crypto projects demonstrating their long-term efforts, especially considering the long-term downtrend.”
According to Tomas Ojevod, Head of Business Development at BNB Chain, one of the highlights of the event was the direct interaction with the developers who are building Web3 for the next billion users. “It was great to meet the many developers building the BNB on-chain ecosystem and hear first-hand how they benefit from opBNB’s low gas fees and BNB Greenfield’s decentralized storage,” he said. declared.
Blockchain entrepreneur Bilal Bin Saqib, who is featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, told Cointelegraph that he is fascinated by discussions about the future of blockchain. “I think launching the first Web3 self-managed wallet on Binance was a huge milestone for me,” Saqib said, adding that the launch “opens up countless possibilities for the future of Web3 to the public.”
For Conlon, the Women in Web 3 session on the Innovation Stage was the highlight of the entire event. “The discussion intersects with women's empowerment and the future of technology, bringing perspectives from several female leaders in the industry,” Conlan said.
Turkey as a center of Web3 innovation
A covered area was located next to the terrace where food and drinks were served. Despite the huge crowds, the food is always varied. In addition to main courses, diners line up to sample local specialties such as simit (a type of Turkish pastry), Marascan ice cream, and Turkish coffee.
International visitors gathered around food stands, sponsor stands and over coffee to talk about Web3, blockchain and cryptocurrencies, considering Turkey's role in the industry, while taking advantage of the long-awaited growth of the cryptocurrency market.
Highlighting that Turkey has become a major player in the blockchain space, Binance Turkey CEO Mukahit Donmez told Cointelegraph that open cooperation between Turkish banks and traditional financial institutions, such as crypto platforms, shows the country's forward-looking approach. “This collaborative business environment fosters an environment conducive to innovation and benefits the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry,” he added.
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According to Bin Saqib, the slowdown in the local economy will help accelerate the adoption of cryptocurrencies in Turkey. “With the Turkish lira showing no significant signs of recovery, I believe more and more people will enter the crypto ecosystem in the hope of saving their hard-earned money,” he said.
After two days of sessions, Zhao concluded the event with a video call, highlighting cryptocurrency exchanges' compliance efforts and how Binance is helping lawmakers create a regulatory framework for digital currencies.
In response to questions from the audience, the CEO of Binance said that the cryptocurrency industry is moving towards decentralized finance (DeFi), adding:
“I want to spend more time on DeFi, wallets, etc. I think that’s where the real technological innovation is.”
Binance Blockchain Week Istanbul 2023 enabled the Turkish cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem to increase its visibility through the global Binance brand.
Ben Saqib said: “Binance has shed light on Turkey's cryptocurrency ecosystem, something that few people knew about, and this will also attract other cryptocurrency projects, investors and representatives to the country. "
