What Is Korea Blockchain Week (KBW) and Why It’s Shaping Web3 Future

Korea Blockchain Week: Everything You Need to Know

What Is Korea Blockchain Week (KBW)?

Korea Blockchain Week (KBW) is Seoul’s premier annual Web3 festival, bringing together global blockchain leaders, investors, regulators, and developers. Since its 2018 debut, KBW has evolved into a multi-day conference featuring workshops, hackathons, and cultural events, solidifying Korea’s role as a hub for crypto innovation.

With KBW 2026 on the horizon, the event promises unmatched insights into blockchain, AI, DeFi, and institutional adoption across Asia.

Who organizes Korea Blockchain Week?

Organizer: FactBlock

Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea.

FACTBLOCK acts as the festival producer and curator, responsible for the main IMPACT conference and official side-event approvals. 

Key Leaders at FACTBLOCK

Seonik Jeon — Founder & Architect of KBW

Seonik Jeon founded FACTBLOCK in 2018 and launched KBW the same year.

Background:

• Former Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Cointelegraph

• Bachelor’s in MIS from California State University, Long Beach

• MBA from Korea University
  

He positioned KBW not as a hype expo, but as:

• A regulatory discussion platform

• An institutional bridge

• A long-term infrastructure forum

He is widely considered the international strategist behind KBW’s expansion.

Park Wi-ik — Corporate Representative

Park Wi-ik has appeared in corporate filings and operational leadership documentation tied to FACTBLOCK.

He has been associated with:

• Administrative coordination

• Corporate governance

• Strategic execution
  

KBW 2018–2025: How Korea Blockchain Week Evolved

Korea Blockchain Week 2018: The Foundation Year

Dates: September 2018
City: Seoul
KBW launched at the height of global ICO fever — and amid Korea’s tightening regulatory scrutiny. The country had just implemented restrictions on domestic token sales, and uncertainty was high. Rather than retreat, FACTBLOCK created a platform for dialogue.

Core Focus in 2018

The inaugural edition focused on:

• ICO regulation

• Blockchain infrastructure

• Korea’s role in global crypto markets
  

Among early headline participants were figures such as Vitalik Buterin of Ethereum and Changpeng Zhao of Binance — signaling that Seoul was not going to sit on the sidelines.

KBW’s first year established its core identity: a bridge between Korean regulators, global founders, and capital markets.

Notable Events in 2018

• Hashed Night at Le Méridien Seoul
  Hosted by Hashed, one of Korea’s leading crypto investment firms.

• Private, invite-only event

• Strong attendance from Korean blockchain founders and investors

• Panel discussions focused on regulation and innovation
  

• CoinUs x BRP Private Meetup

• Approximately 700 participants

• Included domestic and international blockchain teams

• Crypto funds, exchanges, and C-level executives attended
  

Key Observations From 2018

• Strong Korean retail participation despite regulatory uncertainty

• Rapid ICO growth

• Emerging discussion on navigating government restrictions

• Seoul positioned as an active crypto hub

Korea Blockchain Week 2019 — Institutionalization

Dates: September 27–29, 2019
Venue: InterContinental Seoul COEX

Attendance & Scale

• 4,000+ attendees

• 50+ global speakers

• 40+ media partners

• 20+ additional conferences and networking events

Core Themes

By 2019, the speculative mania had cooled. The conversation matured.

This blockchain conference focused on institutional adoption, exchange infrastructure, custody solutions, and compliance. Korea’s large retail investor base had survived the crash — now institutional players were entering.

Notable speakers included:

• Arthur Hayes, then CEO of BitMEX

• Tim Draper, venture capitalist

• Changpeng Zhao, Binance

Attendance expanded significantly, and KBW began attracting stronger Western venture participation. Seoul was becoming an Asian access point.

VIP events included:

• D.FINE VIP Party at State Tower Namsan (Invite-only)

• D.FINE Networking Mixer

• Official After Party

Major Side Events in 2019

• BLOCKFESTA 2019 (National Assembly Hall)

• Live Meetup @ Orbs

• CoinTelegraph Korea VIP Networking Dinner

• Sustainable Governance for Blockchain Seminar

• Seoul Smart City Summit & Conference (DDP Art Hall)

• Investors Cocktail Dinners & Private Meetups

• Brunch at Hashed Lounge

KBW 2019 demonstrated strong integration between government discussions, private capital, and blockchain infrastructure.

Korea Blockchain Week 2020: Surviving the Pandemic

Dates: October 2020
Format: Hybrid (Online + Limited Physical Presence)

The 2020 edition shifted to hybrid format, with livestreamed panels and limited in-person sessions. Despite restrictions, it captured one of crypto’s most transformative shifts: the rise of DeFi.

Speakers included:

• Stani Kulechov, founder of Aave

• Kain Warwick, founder of Synthetix
  

The focus was decentralized finance redefining capital markets.

While attendance numbers dipped due to travel limits, digital participation surged — introducing KBW to a broader global online audience.

Korea Blockchain Week 2021 — NFT & GameFi Boom

Dates: December 6–10, 2021
Venue: Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas

Crypto had returned — louder and more experimental.

The 2021 edition was dominated by NFTs, GameFi sector, and metaverse narratives. Korea, with its gaming culture and digital-native population, was a natural epicenter for this conversation.

Key speakers included:

• Sandeep Nailwal, co-founder of Polygon

• Sebastien Borget, co-founder of The Sandbox
  

Side events multiplied across Gangnam and COEX. NFT galleries, metaverse demos, and token launches filled the week. Attendance rebounded strongly, reaffirming KBW’s physical event power.

Korea Blockchain Week 2022: The Launch of KBW IMPACT

Dates: August 7–14, 2022
Flagship Conference: IMPACT (August 8–9)
Venue: Walkerhill Hotel & Resort, Seoul

More than 8,000 attendees participated across official blockchain events and side gatherings.

The message was clear: Korea would remain a global crypto hub, even after the crisis.

Major speakers included:

• Vitalik Buterin

• Sandeep Nailwal

• Haseeb Qureshi, Managing Partner at Dragonfly

• Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol

2022 marked a structural shift. KBW introduced IMPACT as its flagship conference — a high-level, curated main stage crypto gathering within a broader week of side events.

This rebranding elevated the event’s positioning.

Despite global market turbulence following Terra’s collapse (a crisis deeply tied to the Korean ecosystem), KBW did not shrink. Instead, it became a forum for reflection and rebuilding.

Korea Blockchain Week 2023 — Infrastructure & AI

Dates: September 4–10, 2023
IMPACT: September 5–6
Venue: Walkerhill Hotel & Resort

Attendance numbers reportedly crossed 10,000+ participants across the week’s activities. By 2023, speculation gave way to infrastructure.

The themes centered around:

• Layer 1 and Layer 2 scalability

• Regulatory alignment in Asia

• The intersection of AI and blockchain
  

Speakers :

• Arthur Hayes

• Anatoly Yakovenko, founder of Solana

• Illia Polosukhin, NEAR

• Global representatives from exchanges, funds, and Layer 2 ecosystems
  

KBW 2023 was notably more institutional in tone. Korean policymakers and financial entities increased visibility, signaling gradual normalization of crypto within traditional finance.

Korea Blockchain Week 2024— AI × Web3 & Record Participation

Dates: September 1–7, 2024

IMPACT: September 3–4

Venue: Walkerhill Hotel & Resort

This was a scale year.

FACTBLOCK reported approximately:

• ~17,000 attendees

• Hundreds of speakers

• Massive side-event growth

Core Themes:

The main topic of discussion were 

• AI integration

• ZK scaling

• Modular blockchain

• Real World Assets (RWA)

Main Speakers:

• Justin Sun

• Lily Liu

• Tom Lee

• Executives from Polygon, Aptos, Avalanche, and major venture firms

Institutional presence deepened. Korean banks and fintech firms began exploring tokenization discussions more openly. Seoul re-established itself as Asia’s Web3 capital.

How Was Korea Blockchain Week 2025 — Mainstream Crossover & Mega Scale

Date: September 22 to 28, 2025

Main Conference: September 23–24, 2025

Venue: Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts
Attendance (reported): 72,700+ participants
Speakers: 870+
Sponsors: 410+
Side Events: 1,230+

This edition was the most media-visible in KBW history, positioned as top blockchain events in Korea. 

Major Speakers:

• Donald Trump Jr. (Virtual)

• Eric Trump(Virtual)

• Arthur Hayes

• Charles Hoskinson

• Justin Sun

• Sandeep Nailwal
  

Key Themes:

• Institutional Bitcoin adoption

• Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT)

• RWA tokenization

• Cross-border regulation

• AI agents
  

Notable Impact:

• U.S. policymakers appeared alongside Korean regulators

• Global media coverage increased

• Venture deal activity accelerated
  

KBW 2025 felt less like a crypto conference and more like a global financial summit.

Why KBW 2025 Mattered

• Marked one of the largest Web3 events in Asia, blending technology, finance and culture.

• Brought global mainstream attention with Hollywood, sports and blockchain visionaries on stage.

• Positioned Seoul as a global crossroad for innovation, regulation and institutional dialogue. 

Korea Blockchain Week 2026 — What to Expect

Event: Korea Blockchain Week 2026

Dates: September 29 – October 1, 2026

Location: Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts, Seoul, South Korea 

Main Sponsor (confirmed): Upbit — Korea’s leading digital asset exchange 

Expected Scale & Participation

FACTBLOCK’s early promotional material for KBW 2026 suggests:

• Over 340+ speakers enrich IMPACT programming (anticipated)

• Continued growth in side events, sponsor participation, builder workshops and media access opportunities
  

An institutional forum with Upbit on Day 1 further solidifies KBW’s role as a policy-market interface.

The inclusion of Upbit as Main Sponsor signals deeper institutional integration and stronger ties between the domestic Korean market and global institutional stakeholders.

The 2026 edition is anticipated to deepen collaboration between:

• Asian regulators

• Institutional asset managers

• Global exchanges

• Layer 2 and modular blockchain builders
  

What can attendees expect at KBW 2026?

KBW is expected to emphasize regulatory clarity and regional capital integration — potentially positioning Seoul as the policy discussion hub for Asia-Pacific crypto markets.

Speakers Details: Past editions have included prominent figures like Brad Garlinghouse (Ripple), Richard Teng (Binance), and various leaders from the Aptos Foundation and Tron.

(The official speaker lineup will be released in the coming months.)

When will KBW 2026 tickets go on sale?

Once the official ticket tiers and pricing are published by FACTBLOCK, you’ll be able to register directly on the KBW registration page — so keep an eye on koreablockchainweek.com and official KBW social channels for updates as the event approaches.

How to Buy Tickets

Once registration opens:

1. Visit the official KBW website: https://koreablockchainweek.com

2. Find the “Tickets” or “Register” button on the homepage.

3. Select your ticket tier, fill in attendee details.

4. Complete payment and Receive confirmation

 Important tip: Buy early, especially for VIP passes and side-event packages — popular dates and tracks often sell out fast.

Korea Blockchain Week 2026 Impact on the Korean Crypto Market

Korea remains one of the highest per-capita crypto trading nations. KBW reinforces that position annually.

Its impact includes:

1. Increased foreign venture investment in Korean Web3 startups

2. Greater visibility for Korean blockchain builders

3. Accelerated regulatory dialogue

4. Cross-border partnerships between exchanges and protocols
   

Following major market events — including the Terra collapse — KBW helped stabilize industry confidence through open dialogue.

It has become the moment each year when the Korean crypto market reconnects with global liquidity flows.

From Regional Meetup to Global Powerhouse: The Rise of Korea Blockchain Week

In less than a decade, Korea Blockchain Week evolved from a regional gathering into a globally recognized Web3 summit.

It mirrors the evolution of crypto itself:

• 2018: ICO optimism

• 2020: DeFi revolution

• 2021: NFT explosion

• 2022: Crisis & restructuring

• 2023–2026: Institutionalization and infrastructure
  

Seoul now stands firmly on the global Web3 map.

And each September, when founders return to the Walkerhill overlooking the Han River, the conversations resume — not just about tokens, but about the architecture of the next financial system.

Final Thoughts

Korea Blockchain Week has matured from a local meetup week into a full-scale international festival that mixes technology, capital and culture. Run by FACTBLOCK and guided by visible leaders, the event has become an important engine for Korea’s Web3 ambitions — a practical bridge for builders, investors and regulators to shape the future of the region’s digital economy. For more crypto events please visit Crypto Events Calendar.

Disclaimer (YMYL):

This article is for informational purposes only and not financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments are volatile and risky. Always research and consult a qualified financial advisor.