What Was Outer Edge LA 2023?
Outer Edge LA 2023 was the largest Web3 and cultural innovation festival on the US West Coast, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center (West Hall) and LA Live from 20 to 23 March 2023. Formerly known as NFT LA, the event rebranded to reflect its expanded scope: from NFTs into the full frontier of Web3, AI, extended reality, and the creator economy. Organized by The Edge Of Company (co-founder Josh Kriger), it drew approximately 2,500 attendees and featured 5 stages, 200 speakers, and 70 panels across four days — with official nightlife events, metaverse streaming, and an NFT art gallery completing the experience. Details sat on the official Outer Edge website.
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Key Themes and Event Highlights
The four-day programme combined conference sessions, evening nightlife, metaverse streaming, and an art gallery — all with a distinctly Los Angeles energy.
Event Highlights
- Yat Siu (Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Animoca Brands) — one of Web3's most influential figures — spoke alongside Animoca's Head of Tokenomics Mohamed Ezeldin and discussed the Mocaverse membership NFT collection.
- William Shatner (actor, Star Trek's Captain Kirk) joined as a headline personality, bringing Hollywood mainstream culture to the Web3 conversation.
- Baron Davis (2-time NBA All-Star; Co-Founder, Black Santa) represented the intersection of sports, culture, and blockchain IP.
- Metta World Peace (NBA Champion; Founder, Artest Management Group) discussed blockchain's role in athlete empowerment and digital assets.
- Erick Calderon (CEO and Founder, Art Blocks) spoke on generative NFT art and the creative economy.
- Jeff Zirlin (Co-Founder, Axie Infinity) shared insights from Axie's pioneering play-to-earn model.
- Marta Belcher (President and Chair, Filecoin Foundation; Board Member, Protocol Labs) represented decentralized storage and Web3 infrastructure.
- Tom Bilyeu (Co-Founder, Impact Theory Studios) spoke on the creator economy and media Web3 integration.
- Sandy Carter (SVP Business Development, Unstoppable Domains) addressed digital identity.
- FaZe Clan CEO Lee Trink represented gaming and esports' blockchain adoption.
- NFT loyalty and brand utility: A recurring conference theme explored NFTs beyond digital art collecting — as brand loyalty tokens with real-world utility for consumer companies like Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal integrating blockchain.
- Three event modes: Outer Edge IRL (conference), Outer Edge Night (LA nightlife), Outer Edge Meta (metaverse live stream for remote participants).
How Web3 and Blockchain Are Growing in the United States
The USA is the world's largest institutional crypto economy. Spot Bitcoin ETFs (approved January 2024) and Ethereum ETFs have brought hundreds of billions in institutional capital. The GENIUS Act (2025) established stablecoin regulation. Los Angeles is a natural Web3 hub — combining Hollywood entertainment IP, gaming, fashion, and the largest creator economy in the US. The LA area is home to multiple NFT studios, blockchain gaming companies, and digital art platforms. For more shows, see CoinGabbar's blockchain events hub.
Impact on the US NFT and Creator Economy
The 2023 event signalled the post-NFT-peak maturation of the space — with the rebrand from NFT LA to Outer Edge reflecting the industry's shift from pure NFT collecting to broader Web3 utility, AI integration, and creator economy infrastructure. The conference's practical exploration of NFTs as brand loyalty tools (rather than speculative assets) marked an important turning point in mainstream adoption thinking. With 2,500 attendees despite the post-FTX bear market, Outer Edge proved that community-driven Web3 culture was more durable than the price cycles.
Why Sponsors, Exhibitors and Projects Should Join
- NFT and digital art platforms: LA's combination of Hollywood, music, sports, and fashion makes it the world's richest content IP market for NFT collaboration.
- Blockchain gaming and metaverse companies: FaZe Clan and Axie Infinity's presence demonstrates the gaming community's deep engagement.
- Brands exploring Web3 loyalty: Outer Edge's discussions on NFT utility for consumer brands make it ideal for enterprise blockchain teams.
- Sports and entertainment IP: Multiple NBA players and entertainment executives create unique partnership and licensing opportunities.
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Why KOLs, Media and Influencers Attend
An event combining William Shatner, NBA stars, Yat Siu, and Axie Infinity co-founders in a Los Angeles Convention Center is unmissable content for entertainment and crypto audiences simultaneously. The event's nightlife and metaverse components generate multi-platform content. Coverage can spread through the crypto press release network.
Why Creators and Participants Join
Artists, musicians, gamers, developers, and entertainers come to Outer Edge because it is the only event where Hollywood, NBA culture, blockchain gaming, and Web3 infrastructure share the same stage. The combination of daytime education and genuine LA nightlife networking makes it unlike any purely technical blockchain conference.
Tickets and PR Offers With CoinGabbar
CoinGabbar covers major Web3 and NFT events globally. Free or discounted press release publishing is available. Email event@coingabbar.io.
How the Event Concluded and What Came Next
The festival closed on 23 March after four days that proved Web3 culture's resilience in a bear market. The event continued to grow its franchise under the Outer Edge brand. Track upcoming shows on the crypto events calendar and our blockchain events page.
Glossary of Key Terms
- Art Blocks: a platform for generative NFT art founded by Erick Calderon, where algorithms create unique digital artworks, pioneering the generative art NFT category.
- Axie Infinity: a blockchain-based play-to-earn game co-founded by Jeff Zirlin, widely regarded as the first mainstream demonstration of blockchain gaming's economic model.
- Mocaverse: Animoca Brands' membership NFT collection discussed at Outer Edge LA 2023, granting holders access to Animoca's ecosystem and exclusive experiences.
- NFT utility: the use of NFTs as functional tokens (loyalty points, access passes, IP licenses) beyond pure digital art collecting — a major theme of the 2023 edition.
- Outer Edge Meta: the metaverse streaming component of Outer Edge LA, allowing global participants who couldn't attend in person to join talks, panels, and nightlife events virtually.
Disclaimer
This page is for general information only. It is not financial, legal, or investment advice. The event described was held in March 2023; future dates may differ. Verify with the official source and do your own research. Crypto assets are volatile.
