The largest crypto conference of the year is gearing up for its main event. TOKEN2049 will once again take over all five floors of the legendary Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on October 7-8. The venue is expected to draw 25,000 attendees, representing more than 7,000 companies from 160 countries worldwide.
The scale is impressive, but what matters more is the quality of the lineup. Organizers have already revealed the first hundred speakers, and these are not just big names—they are a direct indication of the industry's main trend: the definitive shift from retail to institutional money.
Speaker lineup: from Polymarket to Nasdaq
This year, key figures shaping the future of digital assets will take the stage. Among them are Polymarket founder and CEO Shane Coplan, Hyperliquid Labs head Jeff Yan, and Nasdaq Chair and CEO Adena Friedman. The participation of Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson deserves special attention—it is a signal that the traditional financial world views cryptocurrencies as an integral part of the global economy.
The program also includes appearances by The Trump Organization Executive Vice President Eric Trump, Real Vision co-founder Raoul Pal, and Fundstrat Head of Research Tom Lee. This mix of political, media, and financial figures underscores that the crypto industry is no longer a marginal niche but a full-fledged player on the global stage.
Special emphasis is placed on the presence of top management from BlackRock, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, NYSE, and CME. These are not just delegates but those who manage trillions of dollars. Their participation in TOKEN2049 is a marker that the institutional infrastructure around digital assets has reached a point of no return.
TOKEN2049 co-founder Alex Fiskum explained that the Dubai edition has been postponed to 2027, so all focus this year is on Singapore. Demand is colossal: more than 70% of exhibition space is already booked. In the coming weeks, organizers will unveil new thematic tracks and formats, expanding the institutional part of the program.
A week that will shift the balance of power
As part of TOKEN2049, this year will feature the second edition of the 36-hour Origins hackathon, as well as the return of the NEXUS startup competition. Finalists will be judged by leading venture funds—Dragonfly, Multicoin, and Maelstrom. This is a great opportunity for young projects to secure not only funding but also strategic partnerships.
In the week leading up to and during the conference, more than 1,000 events will take place in Singapore—from closed investor meetings to meetups and networking receptions. Running in parallel will be the Digital Asset Summit Asia, Sui Basecamp, Network State Conference, Milken Institute Asia Summit, and Forbes Global CEO Conference. The atmosphere will be further enhanced by the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix, making the city the epicenter of global financial and sporting events.
Tickets at the early-bird Happy Bird rate are already on sale on the official TOKEN2049 Singapore website.
My view as an analyst: TOKEN2049's return to Singapore is not just a conference but a litmus test for the entire market. The participation of institutions like BlackRock and Nasdaq indicates that we are on the threshold of a new wave of institutional adoption. The industry is maturing, and those who miss this event risk being left behind in the next big cycle.