The organizers summed up the results of the Merge Madrid Web3 conference

• The Merge Madrid Web3 conference was held in Madrid in early October.
• Its organizers summarized the results of the event and also shared their plans.
• In particular, in 2025 they plan to hold two events — in Buenos Aires and Madrid.

The Merge Madrid conference was held from October 8 to 10, 2024. The event attracted more than 2,500 attendees and over 220 speakers, the organizers told Incrypted.

The three days of the conference were packed with innovation, networking and exciting events, cementing the Spanish capital’s status as a global Web3 and blockchain center, they said.

The conference exceeded expectations, attracting more than 2,500 attendees, over 220 speakers, and a host of representatives from cryptocurrency companies, the release emphasized. This laid the groundwork for conferences to be held in Madrid and Buenos Aires in 2025, the organizers said.

A VIP Dinner Kick-Off and High-Level Networking

The event kicked off on October 8, 2024, with the Polkadot VIP Dinner at the Círculo de Bellas Artes, where more than 350 attendees gathered. It served as a catalyst for strategic connections to emerge, organizers noted. Networking continued throughout the event, facilitating hundreds of meetings to form and foster industry collaborations, the release emphasized.

Innovative Startup Competition

The event featured a startup competition with 19 finalists in categories such as real estate and carbon credit tokenization, community management, Web3 security and more. It was supported by Tritemius.

The win went to the Pentestify team, which presented an innovative digital security and auditing solution. The organizers noted that this contest only confirmed their commitment to support promising startups in this field.

National Blockchain

According to the release, during the event, regional authorities announced the creation of a national blockchain services network, which is expected to launch in 2025.

Organizers noted that the project is aligned with the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI). It will enable Spain to innovate in sectors such as finance, automotive, logistics and others, the release said.

World-Class Speakers and Global Corporations

Speakers at the conference included representatives of world-renowned brands, namely: PayPal, Adidas, Mastercard, BBVA, Banco Santander, Telefónica, BTG Pactual and SAP. They held discussions on the future of blockchain in different industries.

The speakers’ presentations covered the following topics:

• global crypto regulation;
• real world asset (RWA) tokenization;
• blockchain interoperability;
• evolution of payments.

Among the roundtables, the organizers highlighted one on global cryptocurrency regulation, which featured representatives of supervisory authorities from Argentina and Brazil, as well as the European Banking Authority.

Keynote speeches also focused on the impact of MiCA regulations, the 21st century payments ecosystem with stablecoins, the new paradigm of the Web3-based creative economy, and business models shaped by the merger of AI and blockchain.

Sponsors and Institutional Support

As noted by the organizers, the success of the conference is largely due to the participation of major event partners. Among the main ones are Arbitrum and Circle. The event was also supported by such counterparties as: ATH21, BingX, Bit2Me, Bitget, Bitso, Polkadot, Ripple, Taurus SA, TRM Labs, Asensi Abogados, Boerse Stuttgart Digital, Bybit, Chainalysis, Chainlink, finReg360, Grant Thornton, Lirium, Parfin, Polygon, and Stakely.

According to the release, the conference also received support from officials, including Madrid’s mayor’s office and regional authorities. The event was also attended by members of chambers of commerce and fintech organizations in Latin America. Separately, the organizers highlighted:

• Roberto Silva, President of Argentina’s National Securities Commission;
• Pedro Castelar, Chief of Staff of the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission.

The organizers stressed, their participation confirms the status of the conference, which has become a global benchmark in the industry.

An immersive experience: Art, Music, and Technology

According to the release, Merge Madrid was an example of the fusion of art and technology. In particular, visitors to the event were treated to NFT exhibitions, as well as an interactive sculpture by artist NANO Abia, which combines classical and digital art.

Also during the conference there was a competition between artist DJ AWWZ and artificial intelligence, sponsored by Bit2Me. As the organizers noted, the audience was delighted with the audiovisual experience.

Merge 2025: Global Expansion

On the backdrop of the conference’s success, organizers are already thinking about new events. In particular, according to the release, Merge Madrid will visit Buenos Aires in March 2025, showcasing the fusion of blockchain expertise from Europe and Latin America. In October, the organizers intend to return to Madrid.

Registration for these events is already open. You can order tickets at the link.