Istanbul, Türkiye – July 2025 – Main Crypto Advertising, PR & Occasions company, EAK Digital, efficiently hosted the fourth and largest version of its flagship occasion, Istanbul Blockchain Week.
Held on June 26-27, 2025 on the Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Resort, the two-day occasion introduced collectively 1000’s of worldwide Web3 leaders for high-level discussions, main bulletins, and networking – cementing Türkiye’s rising function in the way forward for blockchain innovation.
From keynote periods and panel discussions to roundtables and workshops, this 12 months’s version was full of proactive engagement and significant dialogue on subjects akin to stablecoins, actual world property, exchanges, investments, AI Brokers, gaming, rules, and extra.
Key audio system included Mehmet Çamır, Chairman at OKX TR, Justin Solar, CEO of Tron, Daniele Sestagalli, CEO of HeyAnon and WAGMI, Onur Güven, CEO of Garanti BBVA Digital Property, John Linden, CEO of Legendary Video games, Aaron Teng, CEO of Igloo Asia (Pudgy Penguins), Marco Dal Lago, VP of World Growth at Tether, amongst others.
Executives from well-known enterprise capital corporations, founders of blockchain startups, authorized specialists on cryptocurrency rules, builders and influencers have been additionally current.
Commenting on the occasion, Erhan Korhaliller, CEO of EAK Digital and founding father of Istanbul Blockchain Week, mentioned:
“By bringing collectively a worldwide neighborhood of 1000’s of builders and innovators shaping the way forward for Web3, Istanbul Blockchain Week 2025 created a very unforgettable expertise. The 2-day occasion showcased how the ecosystem isn’t just rising, but additionally maturing with function. We’re proud to have created a platform that delivers actual influence and alerts the subsequent wave of technological innovation.
This was the fourth and largest version of Istanbul Blockchain Week but, that includes many new additions in comparison with earlier years, together with DefaiCon Istanbul, the RWA Builders Summit and an revolutionary tackle the OG Web3 occasion BlockDown Competition that launched an AI-Agent led music expertise.”
(Erhan Korhaliller, CEO of EAK Digital and founding father of Istanbul Blockchain Week, delivers the welcome speech, formally commencing the occasion)
Highlights from the occasion
Justin Solar outlined Tron’s world management in stablecoin infrastructure, together with main developments in compliance, institutional partnerships, and real-world adoption, significantly in Türkiye.
Mehmet Çamır, Chairman at OKX TR, highlighted the rising significance of regulation in rising markets akin to Türkiye the place there are at the moment about 14 million retail shoppers investing in cryptocurrencies.
Ali İhsan Güngör, Govt Vice Chairman of the Capital Markets Board of Türkiye (Sermaye Piyasası Kurulu), introduced the upcoming e-investor platform, built-in with MKK (Central Registry Company), which can allow traders to question their crypto asset holdings throughout a number of regulated establishments by way of e-Authorities, guaranteeing larger authorized safety and offering regulators with clear information.
Güngör additionally clarified that NFTs are exterior the scope of capital market rules. Platforms providing NFT companies should clearly inform clients that NFTs are unregulated and provide them in a separate market.
Christian Thompson, Managing Director at Sui Basis introduced a boot camp effort for the primary time at Istanbul Blockchain Week, geared toward educating 2,000 to 4,000 builders in Türkiye over the subsequent 12 to 18 months.
“I really feel Türkiye specifically breeds quite a lot of engineers and they’re good. There’s quite a lot of innovation that occurs on the entrepreneurial aspect. There are clearly a bunch of traders which are right here as properly. Most of these builders are Web2. And candidly, we want them in Web3,” mentioned Thompson.
Commenting on the Turkish market and Istanbul Blockchain Week, John Linden, CEO of Legendary Video games, mentioned:
“The Turkish market is changing into a powerhouse in gaming generally. There are some actually robust firms developing right here. Now we have a brand new FIFA sport and the Turkish market is sort of robust for that too. There are cell sport followers, and some soccer followers out right here. So it’s a inexperienced market.
At Istanbul Blockchain Week, the power is excessive. It’s packed. It’s rather well achieved. The stage is beautiful. We’re very pleased to be a part of it.”
Kostas Chalkias, Co-founder and Chief Cryptographer at Mysten Labs showcased new use circumstances akin to misinformation detection, AI-powered good contract auditing, and blockchain-verified id techniques, which are on the intersection of AI and blockchain.
Daniele Sestagalli, CEO of HeyAnon and WAGMI, offered how HeyAnon – an AI agent for DeFi automation disrupts the normal methods during which individuals work together with decentralised ecosystems, empowering customers to execute advanced DeFi methods.
Daniele elaborated on HUD, an AI-powered buying and selling assistant that’s designed to ship real-time pockets conduct insights, automated technical evaluation, entry and exit methods primarily based on person context. He emphasised a core precept of AI: to make life simpler with seamless AI and human interplay that doesn’t pressure customers to change softwares.
DefaiCon Istanbul that explored the convergence of DeFi and autonomous AI brokers was headlined by Daniele.
Discussions on clever agent networks and next-gen DeFi protocols have been led by outstanding business specialists akin to Vader, Founding father of Vader AI, Michael Heinrich, Co-founder and CEO of 0G Labs, Alberto Fernandez, Ecosystem and Partnerships Supervisor at Qubic, to call a couple of.
Exploring the frontier of Web3 and AI innovation
BlockDown Competition, the world’s first AI-Agent led pageant in collaboration with Pudgy Penguins, kicked off Istanbul Blockchain Week by concluding its first day with an unforgettable opening social gathering.
The pageant launched interactive AI components, showcased Web3 tradition, and featured world-class DJs exploring the intersection of know-how, music, and digital tradition.
Dealflow Den, the flagship funding matchmaking occasion of Istanbul Blockchain Week, attracted top-tier enterprise capital corporations akin to Coinbase Ventures, Massive Mind Holdings, Animoca Manufacturers, Sigma Fund, NewTribe Capital, and extra. Chosen startups participated in an unique pitch session on June 27, whereas founders engaged in networking alternatives, together with 1:1 conferences and VC After Hours.
The RWA Builders Summit, held on June 27, examined key subjects akin to mental property, tokenized gold and treasured metals, RWAs institutional future, stablecoins, and actual property. Panels and talks on stage revealed a transparent course: with rising infrastructure and rising market demand, RWAs are set to unlock unprecedented liquidity and broaden investor entry.
Aaron Teng, CEO of Igloo Asia (Pudgy Penguins), Herman Narula, CEO of Unbelievable and Co-Founding father of Somnia, John Linden, CEO of Legendary Video games, and Garen Mehrabian, Co-Founder and COO of Public Masterpiece examined IP and RWA possession in Web3.
Teng emphasised that the core promise of crypto is true possession. The panelists addressed the significance of sensible utility of IPs, neighborhood, distribution and digital id past mere tokenization.
What’s subsequent?
Prepare for Istanbul Blockchain Week 2026 – set to return even greater than ever subsequent 12 months.
Count on extra groundbreaking improvements, unique networking alternatives, and immersive experiences that proceed to push the boundaries of Web3. Keep tuned to the official social channels for the newest updates and bulletins concerning the upcoming version!
About Istanbul Blockchain Week
Istanbul Blockchain Week is the unmissable Web3 expertise of the 12 months – the place the worldwide crypto neighborhood converges in one of many world’s most iconic and culturally wealthy cities for every week of unforgettable innovation, networking, and celebration. With flagship occasions like DefaiCon, IstanHack and the RWA Builders Summit, IBW dives deep into the most popular narratives shaping the way forward for finance and real-world asset tokenization.
From high-energy panels and main undertaking reveals to unique aspect occasions, VIP yacht events, and a first-of-its-kind AI Agent Music Competition, IBW blends the enterprise of blockchain with the soul of Istanbul. Whether or not you’re a founder, builder, investor, or degen, that is the place Web3 makes historical past. Don’t miss your probability to be a part of it.
To seek out out extra, go to istanbulblockchainweek.com.