The largest crypto conference of the year returns to Singapore. On October 7–8, Marina Bay Sands will become the epicenter of the global discussion about the future of digital assets: 25,000 attendees and more than 7,000 companies from 160 countries are expected.
The event will occupy all five floors of the iconic complex, combining content, networking, a wellness zone, live formats, and closed-door meetings. Organizers have already announced the first hundred speakers, and the lineup speaks for itself.
Institutional focus: from Polymarket to Nasdaq
Among the confirmed speakers are Polymarket founder and CEO Shane Coplan, Hyperliquid Labs CEO Jeff Yan, and Nasdaq Chair and CEO Adena Friedman. The participation of Jenny Johnson from Franklin Templeton deserves special attention—it is direct evidence that traditional financial giants are no longer watching from the sidelines but are actively integrating into the industry.
The list also includes The Trump Organization Executive Vice President Eric Trump, Real Vision co-founder Raoul Pal, and Fundstrat Head of Research Tom Lee. However, the key signal this year is the presence of top executives from BlackRock, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Nasdaq, NYSE, and CME. This is not just a delegation but a bid to shape a new institutional framework for the market.
TOKEN2049 co-founder Alex Fiskum noted that the Dubai edition has been moved to 2027, so all focus is now on Singapore. Interest is enormous: more than 70% of the exhibition space is already booked. In the coming weeks, organizers will unveil new thematic tracks and formats, expanding the institutional part of the program.
What else to expect during TOKEN2049 week
The program includes the second edition of TOKEN2049 Origins, a 36-hour hackathon, and the return of the NEXUS startup competition. Finalists will be judged by leading venture funds Dragonfly, Multicoin, and Maelstrom. Over the conference week, more than 1,000 events will take place across the city: from hackathons to closed investor meetings and networking receptions.
In parallel, the Digital Asset Summit Asia, Sui Basecamp, Network State Conference, Milken Institute Asia Summit, and Forbes Global CEO Conference will be held—all against the backdrop of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. Early-bird Happy Bird tickets are already available.
My analysis: TOKEN2049 this year is not just an industry gathering but a marker of market maturity. The presence of Nasdaq, BlackRock, and Franklin Templeton on the same stage as Polymarket and Hyperliquid confirms that the boundaries between TradFi and DeFi are finally dissolving. October Singapore will become the assembly point for a new institutional consensus, and the decisions made there will determine the trajectory of the entire industry for years to come.