Blockchain Seoul 2018: Asian Market Is Fenced Off to the Interference of the Europeans and Americans
TechnologyBit News Today1 min read
Blockchain Seoul 2018 ran at COEX from September 16 to 19, 2018, with officials from seven crypto-friendly jurisdictions and around 2,000 conference participants. The table covers the organizers, program and speakers, along with observations from the floor that Asian projects welcomed Western money but kept outsiders away from shaping their products.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates and venue | September 16–19, 2018, COEX convention center, Seoul |
| Official sponsor | Seoul Metropolitan Government |
| Organizers | National Assembly 4th Industrial Revolution Forum, Money Today Media Group, ZDNet, Korea Blockchain Association |
| Program | VIP party September 16, B7 CEO Summit September 17, B7 Summit September 18, plus Blockchain Expo |
| B7 jurisdictions | Switzerland, Estonia, Lithuania, Malta, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea |
| Projected scale | 20,000+ expo visitors, 2,000+ conference delegates, 200+ booths, 55+ speakers |
| Reported turnout | About 2,000 conference participants; at least 50 projects from six foreign jurisdictions exhibited |
| Government speakers | Won Hee-ryong (Governor of Jeju), Vilius Sapoka (Lithuanian finance minister) |
| Association leaders | Chia Hock Lai (Singapore FinTech Association), Asse Sauga (Estonian Crypto Association) |
| Industry speakers | Kathleen Breitman (Tezos), Dawn Song (Oasis Labs), Yezune Choi (BOSCoin) |
| Market driver | Korea absorbing projects, technology and staff pushed out of China |
| Entry barrier | High informal threshold; bare startups and scams unwelcome, deals under $1 million rarely discussed |
| Attendee profile | Seasoned business people in suits and many Japanese investors, rather than young founders |
| Stance on the West | Western investment welcome, Western intellectual input in projects not |
Sources: PR Newswire, CryptoNews.
