Blocfest 2018 explores the potential of blockchain in South-East Asia

Gwei Hway.

Blockchain conference Blocfest 2018 aims to look beyond the hype surrounding the technology by bringing together specialists on the subject, says the organiser Blockchain Asia Sdn Bhd.

Blockchain Asia CEO Gwei Hway and his brother and chief operating officer Gwei Tze-Co started as casual investors just a year ago, excited by what blockchain technology could offer, having seen the enthusiasm from both the private and public sectors.

“We knew how much investor funding was pouring into the region. And we understood the amazing potential of the technology to transform social and economic outcomes. You could say that we had read the gospel of blockchain. We had drunk the Kool-Aid, so to speak,” says Hway.

He believes that though there was a lot of hype and excitement surrounding the technology, there was a lack of true consensus between those in the field, prompting the brothers to organise a blockchain conference.

“We are all optimistic about the technology, and we all have ideas to make it a reality. But we still need to know how to get there. We need a clear path forward, and to do that we need a consensus on what works and what doesn’t,” says Hway in his opening remark on the first day of Blocfest.

“Ask any investor in the space and they will tell you that South-East Asia truly excites them. What we want to get to the bottom of at Blocfest is what that opportunity is, why it matters to businesses and individuals alike, and just how to capitalise on it,” says Hway.

Blocfest brings together over 30 international blockchain experts comprising entrepreneurs, academic leaders, technology developers and investors under one roof at the Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Discussions at the conference are divided into three streams: Regulatory for issues of law, Academic for research related to blockchain and Enterprise for topics on how companies can benefit from the technology.

The two-day conference continues tomorrow and in addition to Blocfest, attendees can also take part in several other events that make up the KL Blockchain Week which also ends tomorrow.