Taiwan 2023 Blockchain Conference "NFT Taipei" Event Review

The Taiwan 2023 Blockchain Conference "NFT Taipei" successfully concluded last weekend at the Taipei Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. As a landmark NFT event, it gathered top leaders from Web 3, project teams, and dozens of emerging artists and blue-chip NFTs from over thirty countries, attracting nearly ten thousand participants. This article takes you through the highlights of NFT Taipei.

Star-Studded NFT Taipei International Forum

This year's international forum featured diverse discussion topics including: trends in the Web3 market, how AI can integrate with blockchain, the role of ESG in blockchain, the impact of regulations on NFTs, and the digitization of art… inviting several heavyweight figures.

Yat Siu, founder of Animoca Brands, elaborated on the importance of global development in Web3, pointing out that centralized companies in the Web2 era, such as OpenAI, Apple, and Facebook, have amassed a large amount of user data, creating global inequality.

The rise of blockchain and Web3 has rekindled hope and opportunities for young people who feel pessimistic about the future. The concept of decentralization allows them to see the possibility of changing the status quo and achieving a rise.

Yat Siu believes that the essence of NFTs is more like an extension of human culture, comparing the blue-chip Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) to Hermès' Birkin bag: "The act of purchasing NFTs is similar to buying luxury handbags; the motivation is not solely based on the practicality of the product, but more as a symbol of status and identity."

Ueno Ikuma, strategy director of the Japanese project Akiverse, also discussed the challenges of GameFi, pointing out that past game content was insufficient and overly focused on short-term cash flow, lacking a long-term vision. He called for the integration of social innovation, such as public welfare services, to make game content richer and more diverse.

Sun Yuchen, founder of TRON and head of Huobi, also shared his vision for NFT art. He believes that each generation will express and define itself through unique artistic means, and on-chain art represents the creativity and vision of our generation. The establishment of the NFT ecosystem is a formation of a new social consciousness.

Beyond Finance, Why We Need Web3

How else can blockchain change our lives beyond financial applications?

Lin Juncheng, founder of Ganle Cultural and Creative, presented an interesting viewpoint: currently, only about 1% of non-GMO soybeans in Taiwan are genuinely non-GMO, but through the transparency and immutability of blockchain, it could become key to redefining local creation.

Zhao Shilong, director of the Taipei City Government's Department of Information Technology, also shared the spirit of open governance we can learn from Web3. He cited the past experience of creating a mask map, stating that it was not solely produced by the government but was developed by the public using tools and APIs provided by the government.
The Taipei City Urban Dashboard open-source project aims to create an Android dashboard, allowing similar experiences to be passed on and expanded to more areas, integrating services like Taipei Pass and more to enhance co-creation between the city government and the public.

LikeCoin founder Gao Chongjian also pointed out: "Democracy should not be limited to elections and voting." He believes that the operation of DAOs should not rely on registration from any specific country or government, and with complete transparency of data and assets, DAOs could be an ideal model for achieving digital democracy.

OneOffs Fair & Fest

The third expo themed "O dash O Zero Distance" brought a visual and sensory feast. It explored topics such as entry-level art, trendy collections, brand culture, the new generation of collectors, and the integration of virtual and real… discussing the multifaceted relationship between collecting behaviors and collectibles through diverse curatorial methods and special exhibition areas, leading collectors into a brand new digital art experience.

Featured artists included: Canadian artist Paul Brain, Spanish artist Javier Calleja, Scottish artist Philip Colbert, Japanese skateboard artist Haroshi, Taiwanese artists such as Xiaolongnv, Equninoz Zhang Yide, Wu Zheyu, the BAYC NFT blue-chip project, MADE BY APES co-branded products, Lootex blockchain game displays, and more, showcasing a diverse range of trendy art styles. Image source: OneOffs[/caption]

NFT Taipei x OneOffs VIP Party

The most exciting part of the event for guests was undoubtedly the VIP opening party brought by OneOffs and Ultra Taiwan, which combined an art expo with an electronic music party. Numerous well-known DJs from home and abroad delivered explosive electronic performances, while BBOY dance crews moved among the crowd.

The event also featured five exclusive cocktails designed by Co.01 international bartending champion, providing attendees with a visual art and cocktail fusion experience. Additionally, the "Artail Project" brought by TIN TIN STUDIO, conceived by art curator Ding Chuncheng, introduced a new term "Artail," which is a combination of Art + Cocktail, merging art and mixology.

First Introduction of Smart AI Assistant

This exhibition also introduced the "Smart AI Assistant" based on MomentX's enterprise-level AI SaaS service for the first time. Throughout the event, it served as a personal exhibition guide, providing personalized answers like a real person, covering common questions about the forum schedule, speaker backgrounds, and various event information, allowing attendees to experience the revolutionary future opportunities brought by AI combined with blockchain.

NFT Ticket Empowerment

Additionally, guests who participated in the event received a commemorative NFT exclusive to "NFT Taipei," which is not only a valuable collectible but also has multiple practical empowerments.
It can be exchanged for exclusive discounts at several well-known brands such as: Syntrend, Timberland, Reebok, W Hotel, Mandarin Oriental, Sleep No More, Bar Pun, KFC… with the exchange period ending on December 31.

Organizer: NADA

Co-organizers: Lootex, OneOffs, BlockTempo

Strategic partners: ASVDA, Cherubic, Hive, IVC, Outliers, AppWorks

Media partners: Cointelegraph, Foresight news, Bitcoin Addict, CoinDesk Indonesia, Coinpost, Coinvestasi, TokenPost, Coin68, PANews, BlockBeats, Chain Catcher, Deep Tide, Planet Daily, Chain News, Crypto City, Followin, Inside, GQ, Matters, Digital Age, WEB3+

Event partners: Ultra Taiwan, Meet Taipei, Non Fungible Tokyo, Japan Blockchain Week, FOMO Asia, IVS Crypto, CHECK inn

Community partners: Embrace Asia, NFT Chinese Community, TAVAR, Taiwan Blockchain Enthusiasts Association, AllStarsWomen DAO, Blockchain University Alliance (TBA), Taiwan Internet and E-commerce Industry Development Association (TiEA), JZ Invest, Coocolab, Murmur Cats, Crypto J, DA Capital, Chill Blockchain, Bonnie Blockchain, Jingyi - Mr. Wang, 852 Web3, Bitcoin Chinese Community, Volume DAO, AAMA, AkaSwap, Blockbusters Lab, Gen3, zNFT Tech

Collaborating partners: Taipei City Government Department of Information Technology, Taiwan Local Creation Foundation, Tikki, MomentX, Sensory Space