Post-Show Recap: Everything You Missed During Binance Blockchain Week

Last Monday, Binance brought together thousands of viewers from around the world in one of the year’s biggest blockchain and crypto events. Over a 5-day virtual conference, we heard from founders and visionaries, business mavens, thought leaders, and experts in everything from crypto and finance to business and technology—and beyond. 

In addition to showcasing the latest developments in the crypto industry, we hosted over 20+ panels and fireside chats along with 10+ keynote presentations, not to mention a stream of noteworthy news, announcements, and content from the likes of Akon, Michael Saylor, Perianne Boring, Anthony Pompliano, and more. 

Here’s everything you need to know from the past week. 

Building the Future - Monday, February 1, 2021

Monday’s event was dedicated to the developers, builders, and creators behind today’s crypto and blockchain ecosystem, and featured sessions on bridging the gap between CeFi and DeFi, innovations in cross-chain development, the latest in NFTs and DeFi wallets, and more. Watch the full recording now. 

Sergey Nazarov talks DeFi and shares his predictions on the success of the industry  

After a year of dramatic growth in the DeFi space, Sergey Nazarov, Co-Founder of Chainlink sees potential for mainstream adoption, explaining, "Decentralized finance and smart contracts are the next evolution of the internet, giving people the ability to pursue an economic outcome they find important."  Watch the full fireside chat. 

Binance X announces the Binance Hackathon with $60,000 in cash prizes

If you’re a developer or creator, join the Binance Hackathon: The Future Is Now and compete for over $60,000 in prizes. Share your idea or build the next top BNB Smart Chain project, join helpful workshops led by experts from the Binance X team, and help expand the world of DeFi. 

NFTs are the talk of the town, but what’s next? 

In an insightful session, our panelists share why NFTs are taking the crypto world by storm and how they are well-suited to mainstream audiences. Learn why crypto founders and leaders "see NFTs as one of the gateways to bring mass adoption." Watch the full panel. 

Watch Day 1 - Building the Future

The Future of Finance - Tuesday, February 2, 2021

On Day 2 of Binance Blockchain Week, we revealed the latest trading trends, took viewers inside the crypto exchange of tomorrow, and hosted a live AMA session with CZ, Founder & CEO of Binance. Watch the full recording of “The Future of Finance”. 

CZ announces Binance hits new all-time high in daily users, alongside the Binance Pay beta. 

CZ shared a slew of announcements over a live AMA session. Binance hit new all-time highs in daily active users, SafePal debuted on Binance Launchpad, and select users can now try the Binance Pay beta to pay and get paid in crypto. Plus Binance Lite, featuring a user-friendly interface geared towards crypto beginners, comes to the existing Binance app in select regions. Turning on Lite mode makes it even easier to buy Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. 

Anthony Pompliano has “no plans to sell Bitcoin”

When asked about Elon Musk’s recent support for Bitcoin, Anthony Pompliano, Investor at Pomp Investments and host of the Pomp Podcast, said, “The only last remaining obstacle [Musk] has is to actually put bitcoin on Tesla and / or SpaceX’s balance sheet.” Days later, Tesla submitted an SEC filing revealing it had purchased $1.5 billion in Bitcoin. Watch the fireside chat.

Is DeFi the future of… centralized exchanges? 

Within the crypto space, few platforms are as popular as centralized exchanges, which attract millions of cryptocurrency users. But what’s next for the centralized exchange model? Our panelists contend that "Centralized exchanges act as a gateway to bring in more user adoption, which can then channel into the decentralized space." Watch our full session on the future of the centralized exchange. 

Watch Day 2 - The Future of Finance

The Future Is Decentralized - Wednesday, February 3, 2021

The future is decentralized. On Day 3, we covered the top DeFi trends you need to know, essential DApps to put on your watchlist, how to unlock blockchain performance, and more. Watch the full recording.  

Michael Saylor reveals his 2021 Bitcoin forecast

Michael Saylor, Chairman & CEO of Microstrategy, Inc shared his views on bitcoin, inflation, and the search for a reliable store of value. When asked about Bitcoin’s risk profile, he explained, “We were making a 10-year investment and if you look at bitcoin over the course of 10 years it's not volatile at all it's just going up.” Days later, Bitcoin reached new all-time highs. Watch the fireside chat. 

Can blockchain technology radically improve the voting process or make government operations more transparent? 

"Blockchain is a great technology to combat corruption - there’s only one version of the truth, everybody can see at the same time with the same records." Can blockchain technology increase transparency and accountability in voting, record keeping and governance? Watch our panel to find out. 

Web3, the decentralized web, is the future of the internet

In a keynote presentation, Juan Benet, Founder & CEO of Protocol Labs, explained why Web3 would bring revolutionary new advancements in data privacy and return control from large web platforms to users. Learn more about the budding Web3 ecosystem and the DApps and platforms that are making a difference. Watch the keynote presentation. 

Watch Day 3 - The Future Is Decentralized

Founding The Future - Thursday, February 4, 2021

Hear trailblazing crypto founders discuss the lasting impact of blockchain technology on new and emerging markets, and see which crypto innovations will fuel the market in 2021. Thursday’s event was dedicated to the founders and visionaries who are leading today’s top blockchain and crypto initiatives. 

Can crypto founders navigate the ever-changing regulatory landscape?  

In a fireside chat on global compliance and regulation, Perianne Boring, Founder & President of the Chamber of Digital Commerce, covered the global spread of FinTech. "I believe crypto and blockchain is the most important tech we’ll see in a lifetime,” she said, reiterating the need for regulatory clarity. Watch the fireside chat.  

With privacy becoming a hot-button issue, do user preferences signal a broader shift to decentralized technology? 

Awareness around the importance of data privacy is increasing and the old way of safeguarding user information just doesn’t cut it anymore. Watch Dawn Song’s fireside chat to learn how privacy-minded users are shaping the future of blockchain technology. Watch the fireside chat. 

Emerging markets are leading the way when it comes to crypto trends and market innovation 

In crypto markets around the world, more users are choosing DeFi than ever. Many of the industry’s top trends and behaviors come from emerging markets that embrace new technologies. "(DeFi) is going to have a lot of utility and a lot of flexibility. It's going to be really hard for fragmented private systems to compete with.” Watch the full panel. 

Watch Day 4 - Founding The Future

The Future Is Good - Friday, February 5, 2021

From humanitarian efforts and charitable giving to social justice and green energy initiatives, social impact organizations are using blockchain technology as a new tool to unlock real change. Watch the full panel.  

Akon reveals that countries across Africa have made blockchain technology what it is today

In our fireside chat with Akon, he shared that blockchain and crypto technology has the potential to revolutionize financial access and participation in countries across Africa. Featuring some of the world’s highest adoption rates when it comes to crypto, "Blockchain will help to play a big role to create organization and transparency to these issues we're facing in Africa.” Watch the fireside chat. 

Mercy Corps shares the impact of their “Humanity First Token” airdrop, created in collaboration with Binance Charity

Mercy Corps, one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies, partnered with Binance Charity to launch a special program dedicated to blockchain-powered philanthropy in Uganda. By creating a digital token with a data trail, Mercy Corps was able to improve transparency and save on time and costs. All told, Mercy Corps and Binance Charity provided support for 366 households from September to January 2019. Watch the full keynote presentation. 

Blockchain emerges as a powerful tool for social justice 

These days, individuals and organizations are leveraging the core benefits of blockchain technology to address social issues, raise money and awareness, and change the world—for good. Our panelists shared the impact blockchain-based donations had on both global and local movements. Watch the panel. 

Watch Day 5 - The Future Is Good

Thanks again for watching Binance Blockchain Week: The Future Is Now. For those who missed out, stay in the loop on future Binance events by following us on Twitter or Facebook.