In 2021, the popularity of cryptocurrencies and NFT in the media and the Internet soared. The interest resulted in a significant increase in attendance at cryptocurrency conferences. There are a lot of events planned for 2022, so in this article, I want to share my top 7 crypto events for this year.
ETHDenver
Date: February 11–20
Location: Denver, United States
This longest-running ETH event in the world is a member-owned Community Innovation Festival and the first event-based DAO. Applications are currently open for the event, and it is absolutely free to attend.
The community and SporkDAO funded event brings together top blockchain influencers and experts to contribute to the global blockchain ecosystem. It is also hosting a BUIDLathon space to collaborate on projects, art installations, and networking events with over $500K to be given away in prizes & bounties and $2M+ in grant and investment opportunities.
This year, ETHDenver will be hosted as an in-person event, but it will also be live-streamed, and there will be two simultaneous BUIDLathons—one in-person software building competition and the other a virtual competition. The event aims to function as an incubator and launchpad to create year-round funding for projects.
World Blockchain Summit
Date: March 23–24
Location: Dubai
This event features some of the top crypto and blockchain influencers, policymakers, government delegates, and, of course, crypto enthusiasts. The World Blockchain Summit has chosen Dubai as its destination due to the city’s welcoming stance on crypto and the government’s efforts to promote blockchain adoption.
Previously, the event hosted the likes of Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, VC Tim Draper, and Don Tapscott, co-founder of The Blockchain Research Institute, as speakers. This time, the focus of the event will be on NFT, the Metaverse, and Web 3.0 ecosystems—and their wide-reaching effect on commerce, culture, and communities.
The event provides a platform to crypto businesses to showcase their products, use-case studies, and educational sessions, as well as meet with institutional investors, family offices, hedge funds, asset allocators, and angel investors on the lookout for the most promising projects in the blockchain and crypto space.
List of Crypto Events in 2022
Bitcoin 2022
Date: April 6–9
Location: Miami, US
This crypto event is the largest Bitcoin gathering featuring the top speakers, sponsors, and guest list, which Bitcoin Magazine hosts. The conference has relocated from Los Angeles to Miami after the city's mayor vowed to make it the world's cryptocurrency capital.
This event can cost you as little as $99 to as much as $13,999.
Bitcoin 2021 grabbed the headlines with speakers like Twitter co-founder and Square CEO Jack Dorsey, computer scientist Nick Szabo, MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor, and U.S. Senator (R-WY) Cynthia Lummis.
This time, the list of speakers yet again includes Saylor as well as El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, ‘The Bitcoin Standard’ author Saifedean Ammous, Blockstream CEO Adam Back, Lightning Labs CEO Elizabeth Stark, Andrew Yang, Square Crypto’s product developer Steve Lee, and Strike CEO Jack Mallers.
Blockchain Life 2022
Date: April 20–21
Location: Moscow, Russia
Blockchain Life is one of the biggest events in the blockchain industry. The forum brings together more than 5,000 participants and 100 booths. Among the forum's guests are both industry professionals and those just starting their journey: traders, miners, crypto entrepreneurs, and classic businesses, investors, blockchain developers, government representatives, and many others.
The most relevant industry topics will be discussed at the forum, such as: how to make money on cryptocurrencies in 2022, the development of DeFi, the regulation of cryptocurrencies in Russia, the features of effective mining, the prospects of NFT, the implementation of blockchain in business and government, and much more.
The forum will traditionally include the international Blockchain Life Awards and the Startup Pitch competition for promising startups.
Consensus
Date: June 9–12
Location: Austin, Texas
The conference, which has been happening since 2015, is returning in person in 2022, where industry experts will discuss blockchain, crypto, NFT, and Web 3 ecosystems. Consensus will be hosting tens of thousands of attendees with an impressive line-up of speakers.
FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, Kristin Smith, Executive Director of Blockchain Association, Freedom of Press President Edward Snowden, Messari CEO Ryan Selkis, Pantera Capital CEO Dan Morehead, Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov, Cardano creator Charles Hoskinson, and several others would be headlining the conference this year.
Hosted by media publication CoinDesk, Consensus will feature parties, music performances, dinners, and experiences, in addition to the regular meetings (for $799). Consensus passes, however, are non-refundable.
Blockchain Expo
Date: September 20–21
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
This world-leading conference is returning in 2022 to bring together key industry experts from all over the world for two days of discussion, covering Blockchain, IoT, Cyber Security & Cloud, Artificial Intelligence, and Big data.
With over 500 speakers, Blockchain Expo brings in expansive collective experience to its conference. However, unlike other events, this one also brings in executives from big brands such as BBVA, Pfizer, General Electric, Shell, Nestle, Coca Cola, BP, Boston Consulting Group, among others, to talk about the emerging technology.
This event is a great way to engage with not just those working in the blockchain sector but also outside of it. Besides networking, this event offers one-on-one meetings, brand exposure, and lead generations to its attendees.
Blockchain Economy Summit
Date: October 1–2
Location: Dubai, UAE
Given the UAE’s crypto-friendly regulations, it makes sense that these events are being hosted in the capital city, which is seeing crypto businesses and investors making a beeline to it.
Back in 2018, the Dubai government launched this annual conference with the goal of bringing together thought leaders, startups, and investors all into one space to help promote the city as a crypto hub.
Last year, MicroStrategy co-founder Michael Saylor, Bitcoin Maximalist Tone Vays, and Polygon co-founder Sandeep Nailwal were among the speakers discussing crypto, DeFi, NFT, and Metaverse.
Unlike other events, the Dubai government makes the conference accessible for regular people by keeping the cost of the tickets at about $50.
So, if you want to learn more about crypto and engage with some of the brightest minds in the space, these conferences are a great way to meet up with them, as well as other crypto enthusiasts.
Final Thoughts on Crypto Events in 2022
From 2020 to 2021, cryptocurrency events have suffered significantly. Very few events were held due to covid restrictions around the world. Few conferences were able to move their events online. This is why the 2022 events are garnering such strong attention, and organizers are working on a whole range of offline solutions to ensure interest in cryptocurrencies is not just online.