GWDC 2026 KOREA Concludes Successfully in Seoul: Hong Kong and Korea Build a Dual Engine for Policy and Technology as Developers Focus on AI Agents, Stablecoins, and RWA Innovation

[Seoul, South Korea, September 30, 2026]
GWDC 2026 KOREA (Global Web3 Dev Con 2026 Korea), the Global Developers Conference hosted by Web3Labs and co-hosted by Techub News, HypaiLabs, and TokenPost, was successfully held at the aT Center in Seoul, South Korea, from September 29 to 30.
As one of Asia’s most influential technology events, this year’s GWDC continued with the theme “For Builders, By Builders,” drawing widespread attention from the global Web3 and AI communities. According to official conference figures, registrations across Luma and Fnny totaled 12,706. Over the two-day event, more than 2,000 attendees from around the world, over 100 distinguished speakers, and hundreds of pioneering companies came together.
I. Deepening Hong Kong–Korea Policy and Industry Cooperation: AWPA Alliance Officially Established
On the first day of the conference, distinguished guests from government, business, and academia gathered to witness a new milestone in Web3 and AI industry cooperation in East Asia.
Messages from Policymakers and an Industry Outlook. South Korea's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy, Koo Yun-cheol, said in a video address that South Korea's world-class semiconductor and digital data infrastructure could make it a global testbed for AI applications. Dr. Johnny Ng, a member of Hong Kong's Legislative Council, emphasized that the combination of AI and blockchain is giving rise to entirely new ways of life, and that Hong Kong's advantages in tax rates and financial freedom will provide strong support for entrepreneurs worldwide. South Korean National Assembly member Min Byung-deok, sponsor of the Digital Asset Basic Act, said that Asian countries must work together to build a sound market that protects innovation and investors.
The Hong Kong–Korea Web3 Policy Advancement Alliance (AWPA) was launched. Co-founded by legislators Johnny Ng and Min Byung-deok, AWPA was officially established at the conference. It will deepen policy cooperation in areas including asset compliance, stablecoin mechanisms, and cross-border data flows.
A dual-engine vision. Web3Labs CEO Caspar Wong said that following the successful inaugural GWDC in Hong Kong this February, this year's Korea edition has further built a bridge between the two regions' technology and economies, with the goal of making Hong Kong and Korea dual engines of the global Web3 revolution.
II. Four Key Industry Consensus Points: Shifting from Tech-Led Issuance to “Use Cases, Distribution, and Real-World Adoption”
Across two days featuring more than ten keynote speeches, multiple panel discussions, and fireside chats, attendees reached four key points of consensus on the future convergence of Web3 and AI:
1. AI agents are becoming new participants in the on-chain economy. Animoca Brands co-founder Yat Siu, TRON founder Justin Sun, and other speakers agreed that blockchain infrastructure is a natural fit for AI agents. An agent with a crypto wallet gains access to open financial services and channels for transferring value.
2. Stablecoins are evolving from “trading pairs” into “AI and borderless payment infrastructure.” Nick See Tong, Base's Asia-Pacific lead, said that Base already accounts for a major share of x402, a micropayment protocol for AI agents. Coinbase Institutional, VERY LABS, and other organizations also noted that stablecoins are rapidly expanding beyond exchange trading tools into everyday cross-border transfers, merchant payments, and small-value settlements between agents.
3. Real-world asset (RWA) tokenization: The focus is shifting from “issuance” to “liquidity and distribution.” Representatives from Ondo Finance, Hashgraph, Canton Foundation, and Paxos Labs noted that tokenization itself is no longer a technological bottleneck. The real challenges lie in cross-chain interoperability, liquidity bootstrapping, and compliant distribution channels after assets are brought on-chain.
4. Product validation standards are changing: Distribution capability and real user retention matter more than technology alone. Investors from organizations such as Cointelegraph Accelerator and HB Ventures reminded founders that AI tools have significantly lowered the barriers to product development. The core competitive advantages of the future will be genuine user retention, a clear revenue model, and strong distribution and marketing capabilities.
III. A Geek-Fueled Surge: 120+ Hackathon Teams Compete as University Alliance Builds a Bridge to Long-Term Incubation
The 48-hour hackathon, held concurrently at the venue, was a highlight of innovation at this year's conference. It attracted more than 120 builder teams, comprising over 150 developers, who competed in person and online from more than eight countries and regions, including China, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan. The conference extends its special thanks to 39 media partners, 31 communities, and 30 university alliance members for their tremendous support!
At the closing ceremony, the top three winning teams in each of the hackathon's two tracks were announced:
TRON Track:
Champion (1st Place): Protocol Alpha Finder (Project: Protocol Alpha Finder) | Tsinghua University team;
Runner-up (2nd Place): b.p (Project: faat) | Joint team from Seoul National University, Chung-Ang University, and Sungkyul University;
Third Place (3rd Place): Team J (Project: SettleMap) | Independent developer team
FuriosaAI × Bricksum (FxB) Track:
Champion (1st Place): 404 Found (Project: CFO Agent) | Joint team from Kyonggi University and Gyeongsang National University;
Runner-up (2nd Place): Make the world better (Project: Accord lock) | Independent developer team;
Third Place (3rd Place): ; (Project: Agent Accord) | Kyonggi University team
In addition, Alex Chung-hyun, head of Bitrise Korea, said that the team had visited more than 100 universities across Korea and established a total prize pool of $100,000 to support young developers. The conference officially established a permanent organization, the University Alliance, which will continue to connect universities, businesses, and global accelerators, providing outstanding student teams with long-term incubation and financial support.
About GWDC 2026 KOREA
GWDC (Global Web3 Dev Con) is a leading global gathering for Web3 and AI developers. It aims to bring together builders, investment institutions, and policymakers from around the world to advance the cross-border deployment and commercialization of cutting-edge technologies.