The Road to Stablecon: The Crypto Conference Everyone Is Talking About
The crypto and Web3 space is certainly not short on major industry events. Token2049, with all its fanfare and Dubai grandiosity, dominated April. But as that wrapped, the buzz quickly shifted to something new.
Stablecon, descending on New York City on May 29th and rapidly becoming the industry’s next big talking point.
As part of the pre-event build-up, I attended The Road to Stablecon, a networking event hosted by London Fintech Drinks. Held at Notting Hill’s stylish and intimate Electric House, the evening gathered an exclusive crowd of fintech, crypto and Web3 founders, investors, and builders.
While I happily enjoyed the free wine and nibbles (and yes, the calamari was excellent), I also had the chance to speak to a few attendees who were genuinely excited about Stablecon - and more specifically, what it means for stablecoins, which are currently enjoying their moment in the spotlight.
Stablecon: The First Global Conference Dedicated to Stablecoins
Many of the guests I spoke with were enthusiastic because Stablecon is the first crypto global conference focused exclusively on stablecoins - and it couldn’t come at a better time.
For the first time, it feels like the long-promised convergence of DeFi and TradFi is finally materialising. And Stablecon seems to be the catalyst.
Deutsche Bank recently reported that the stablecoins market capitalisation has surged from $20 billion in 2020 to $246 billion. A lot of the guests at the event worked in cross-border payments and remittances, and their enthusiasm for stablecoins was palpable.
The general sentiment was that stablecoins now represent a real alternative to traditional banking systems. One attendee from a cross-border payments startup even boldly declared that “Stablecoins are the bridge between fiat currencies and crypto we’ve all been waiting for.”
For many, stablecoins signify that crypto is growing up - now with defined use cases and clear utility, moving well beyond its origins as a store of value or vehicle for speculation.
Regulation Will Dominate the Discussion
As I sipped my (second) glass of white wine, I asked a few guests what they thought would dominate discussions at Stablecon. One answer came up again and again: regulation.
It’s no surprise. As stablecoins emerge as a serious contender for how money is moved and stored, regulators are taking notice.
Several of Stablecon’s headline speakers reflect that shift, including:
Beth Haddock, Board Member & Global Policy Lead at Stablecoin Standard
Adrienne Harris, Superintendent, NYS Department of Financial Services
Mark P. Wetjen, former CFTC Commissioner
By the time I left - slightly lightheaded from an enthusiastic appreciation of white wine - I couldn’t help but feel that Stablecon might just be the new epicentre of crypto.
Everyone in TradFi and DeFi is talking about stablecoins. So if you’re in either of those spaces, where better to be than at Stablecon - where the movers and shakers of Web3 will be unpacking what could be the most game-changing piece of crypto technology yet.
