New Zealand Goes Global: Shaping the future of digital assets
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Get ready for CryptoWinter26
Be a part of writing the future of blockchain and digital assets in Aotearoa.
Join the summit that brings together Aotearoa’s full crypto and digital assets ecosystem—regulators, builders, investors, and enterprise
—to move from ideas to implementation and deliver real‑world outcomes.
“CryptoWinter26 is where policy, technology, and markets come together. This year, we’re back—bigger and better—turning trust, utility,
and growth into tangible outcomes. Whether you’re a founder, regulator, investor, or enterprise leader, you’ll leave with clarity,
connections, and a plan to build in Aotearoa and beyond.” – Trevor Topfer, Executive Director, BlockchainNZ
CryptoWinter26 provides New Zealand’s crypto community with an opportunity to share insights, spark collaboration, and shape a
safer, smarter digital asset economy for the benefit of all New Zealanders.
Created by BlockchainNZ and Tech New Zealand, this is a must‑attend event for regulators, innovators, investors, enterprises, and builders
committed to advancing the future of digital assets in Aotearoa and across the region.
CryptoWinter26 Overview
Touchdown
Kick off with an energetic evening of informal networking to get a head start on connections and conversations before the main program begins.
Day 1 — Main Summit
We begin with a mihi whakatau and opening remarks, followed by a ministerial/regulatory keynote on building a safer, smarter crypto ecosystem and an international keynote surveying global signals across policy, markets, and institutional adoption. A “Meet the Government” panel brings together key agencies (e.g., FMA, RBNZ, MBIE, DIA/AML — TBC) for practical dialogue. Masterclasses throughout the day drill into the compliance advantage (turning AML/Travel Rule obligations into customer trust), tokenised markets (RWAs, settlement, secondary liquidity), security and custody (MPC, incident readiness, insurance), CBDCs, stablecoins and payments (what’s real now), and AI x crypto (risk, fraud detection, developer tooling). Sponsors deliver quick‑fire talks—concise seven‑minute insights with audience Q&A—alongside a real‑world enterprise case study. We close with a keynote on Aotearoa’s role in the APAC crypto economy, then wrap with networking drinks and the expo.
Day 2 — Roundtables, builders, and market intelligence
The morning opens with an invite‑only policy and regulator roundtables focused on AML/CFT, the Travel Rule, and the licensing roadmap. Midday shifts to the builders track with sessions on security by design, audits, wallet standards, and zero‑knowledge privacy. In the afternoon, the lens widens to capital and growth with deep dives into tokenisation and RWAs, institutional custody, and enterprise adoption. As evening arrives, we gather for a welcome reception and sponsor‑hosted gatherings, with venues in or near Queenstown’s CBD prioritised for easy access.
Partnership opportunities
CryptoWinter26 offers a unique opportunity to explore how blockchain and digital assets are shaping the future of innovation, market infrastructure, and policy in Aotearoa and beyond. As the premier gathering of New Zealand’s crypto ecosystem, it’s the place to connect with a highly engaged audience of founders and builders, investors, enterprises, and government and regulatory leaders— and to help build a safer, smarter, and more inclusive digital asset economy.
For sponsorship opportunities, speaker enquiries, or anything else, get in touch with the team at: [email protected]
We’ll make sure your message gets to the right person.
