Kia ora,
It’s been a busy start to the year over here at BlockchainNZ and we hope it’s a sign that it will be a bullish year for our industry!
Recently, we welcomed Steve Vallas and Richelle Cox from Blockchain APAC, alongside notable blockchain figures including Ripple’s Nicole Waaka and Rahul Advani, Jack Deeb (Pier Two), David Kowalski (CryptoTaxCalculator), and Gary Howells (CoinSpot), to explore New Zealand’s blockchain ecosystem. Their visit, packed with dinners, networking events, lunches and 20 meetings with key stakeholders, underscored the unique landscape New Zealand holds in the global blockchain conversation. Steve Vallas highlighted the common global challenges in banking and regulatory barriers, but noted that New Zealand has an opportunity for growth, given our close ties to government and financial institutions.
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| Blockchain APAC delegates |
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| Crypto Galentine’s Day Dinner |
As part of the APAC tour, the Association for Women in Cryptocurrency hosted a global Galentine’s Day Dinner on 13 Feb to celebrate the incredible women and allies in the blockchain, Web3, and digital asset sectors. A special thank you to Nicole Waaka and Michelle Henderson for being great hosts on the night, and to Amanda Wick for orchestrating a global event that spanned five countries. This global initiative highlights the unity and commitment towards building gender equity in the future of digital finance and innovation.
To further support our initiatives with the Association for Women in Cryptocurrency, we encourage you or any of your male colleagues to sign up for the Male Speakers Pledge, a commitment to promote inclusivity at conferences, webinars, events and more.
Another highlight for the APAC tour was BlockchainNZ’s first networking event of the year at the beautiful Hamilton Locke offices, aptly named “Unlocking 2024: Blockchain Trends Forecast”. Steve Vallas and Ripple’s Policy Director, Rahul Advani, gave their thoughts of the latest developments in the Asia-Pacific region, looking at global trends, as well as the potential growth in New Zealand. Their expertise brought a slice of the APAC blockchain landscape to our shores, offering a glimpse into the future of our industry.
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| Rahul Advani and Steve Vallas |
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| Alison Mackie and Rahul Advani |
Looking ahead, I’m excited to represent BlockchainNZ at the Blockchain APAC’s Policy Week (18-22 March) in Sydney, aiming to bring back insights that will enrich our discussions and collaborations with New Zealand’s Government and financial institutions. If you are planning to attend, and you’re interested in joining the BlockchainNZ Delegation to Sydney, please reach out to our team.
Finally, I look forward to connecting with many of you at the FinTech Hui Taumata on Tuesday 27 February. If we don’t cross paths there, my inbox is always open.
Ngā mihi
Alison Mackie
BlockchainNZ Executive Director
Read the full news here: Welcome to Blockchain 2024! | February Newsletter
