CoinDesk’s annual event, Consensus 2023, concluded on April 28th, bringing together a diverse group of 15,000 attendees, including developers, investors, policymakers, and major brands, to tackle the most pressing challenges facing crypto and Web3 today. CoinDesk is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and the 9th year of Consensus. As the world’s largest and most influential gathering of the crypto, blockchain, and Web3 communities, Consensus 2023 was a call to action to collaborate, innovate and find solutions to drive the industry forward.
“Amid a shifting economic landscape, a raging debate over U.S. policymaking and a new, dizzying wave of technological innovation at the intersection of AI and Web3, this was the most consequential Consensus ever,” said Michael Casey, Chief Content Officer at CoinDesk. “The Consensus 2023 multitudes showed that progress in the face of such challenges comes from bringing the most diverse array of people and ideas together to address differences, find solutions and drive world-changing projects forward. That’s the essence of this event’s ‘Big Tent’ concept.”
CONSENSUS 2023 HIGHLIGHTS:
- 15,000 attendees, 420 speakers, 610 media, and
- 216 sponsors, including the top-level 5 Block Sponsors: Filecoin Foundation, Hedera, Stellar Development Foundation and TRON DAO
- On average, 4 out of 5 respondents said they would recommend Consensus to a friend of colleague
- Over 3 out of 4 of respondents said they would return to Consensus next year.
- 2,150 job applications submitted to Consensus sponsors through the first-year Job Board
- 79,000 sessions were bookmarked in the Consensus app, and 56,000 private messages for networking were sent within the app
- Major global brands in attendance included Nike, Google, Pepsico, LVMH, AWS, Diageo, Anheuser Busch, Starbucks, Warner Music Group, Art Blocks, Doodles, Yuga Labs, OpenSea, Animoca Brands, MoonPay, Mastercard, Visa, American Express, PayPal, Robinhood, BNY Mellon, Santander, Fidelity, RBC, S&P Global, Citi Bank, Bank of America Franklin Templeton, Circle, Uniswap, BitGo, Kraken, Coinbase, Binance, Filecoin Foundation, Hedera, TRON DAO, Stellar Development Foundation, Solana, Polygon, Cosmos, Avalanche, Polkadot, NEAR, Aptos, XDC, Urbit, Coreum, Immutable, Algorand, Ripple and A16z.
KEY ANNOUNCEMENTS MADE AT CONSENSUS 2023
Consensus 2023 brought together global brands and regulatory decision-makers who made news breaking announcements onstage:
- Mastercard launched Mastercard Crypto Credential service for cross-border transfers
- Google: Google Cloud partnered with Polygon to become the “strategic cloud provider” for Polygon protocols.
- Robinhood: The popular trading platform Robinhood Markets (HOOD) unveiled “Robinhood Connect,” a new feature for users to fund their Web3 wallets without having to leave a decentralized app (dapp) or be in their crypto accounts.
- During his panel, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R–N.C.) announced that the U.S. House Financial Services Committee and House Agriculture Committee will put together legislation to oversee the crypto sector within the “next two months.”
THE CONSENSUS @ CONSENSUS REPORT
In early June, amid CoinDesk’s month-long 10th-anniversary celebrations, CoinDesk will publish the findings from intimate workshops conducted at Consensus in an inaugural Consensus @ Consensus Report. The report intends to point the way forward for an industry rebuilding after a wrenching downturn. CoinDesk identified 11 “issues” to tackle: the need to protect user privacy while meeting law enforcement’s and regulators’ goals, making good on crypto’s early promises of individual empowerment and social inclusion, and more.
MICROCOSMS, LIMITED EDITION NFT PASS
For the first time, Consensus launched a limited edition collectible called Microcosms, a combined package of digital assets that include: a unique generative artwork by artist and engineer Fahad Karim, an airdropped Pro Pass to Consensus for the next three years (min. value $3,600), special perks and experiences, yearly IRL rewards for Consensus for the next three years, access to special community channels on the Consensus Telegram, additional partner and artist benefits and a bonus DESK airdrop, the social token of CoinDesk.
“At Consensus 2023, we witnessed groundbreaking innovation and conversation around crypto, Web3, and blockchain that is poised to transform the industry and provide solutions to pressing challenges,” said Brad Spies, Managing Director of Consensus at CoinDesk. “The energy and excitement of the event were palpable as attendees collaborated to explore endless possibilities. We’re excited about the future as we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the crypto and blockchain world.”
CONSENSUS 2023 PITCH FEST
Hosted yearly, the Consensus Pitch Fest celebrates innovation through a startup competition showcasing the world’s most promising early-stage companies in a live onstage pitching battle. This year, global payments and compliance platform Rise took the top spot in Pitch Fest among 220 applicants and 12 finalists.