Token2049 Singapore: Web3 Conference Takeaways (2023)

September 2023 marked a milestone for the global crypto industry — TOKEN2049, one of the most important Web3 conferences, brought together thought leaders, startup founders, investors, developers, crypto funds, and visionaries in the heart of Singapore.

The Cware Labs team took an active role in the conference and its satellite events, holding dozens of meetings and gathering valuable insights we now share in this article. We’ll explore what makes TOKEN2049 a unique platform, which themes dominated the agenda, and what takeaways every Web3 founder should consider when scaling, fundraising, or going global.

What Is TOKEN2049 and Why Is It a Flagship Web3 Event?

The main TOKEN2049 event occurred September 13–14 in the heart of Singapore, one of Asia’s most forward-thinking Web3 hubs. But the conference itself was just the tip of the iceberg. With over 10,000 attendees, 300+ exhibitors, 200+ speakers, and over 400 side events, TOKEN2049 became a festival of decentralized technologies.

It’s more than an annual crypto gathering — TOKEN2049 has become a convergence point for the global Web3 community. It’s where partnerships are born, ideas are validated, and the industry's strategic challenges are openly discussed. TOKEN2049 is gradually evolving into the “Davos of Blockchain,” uniting venture funds and startups, tech giants and indie developers, and the teams building the next wave of infrastructure.

For startups, attending TOKEN2049 is not just about visibility — it’s a gateway to opportunities. Direct access to billion-dollar funds, high-impact networking with decision-makers, validation of your offer, and potential strategic partnerships — all in one place.

Main Themes and Speakers: From ZK Tech to Web3 Gaming

The TOKEN2049 agenda captured both the present and future of the Web3 space. One of the key focus areas was scalability through zero-knowledge (ZK) technologies and modular blockchains, enabling flexible architectures that balance security and performance. Another major theme was the transformation of Web2 platforms into full-fledged participants in the Web3 ecosystem, from crypto integrations to tokenomics and decentralized governance.

There was also deep interest in the convergence of artificial intelligence and blockchain infrastructure, from using AI to enhance on-chain analytics and decision-making to optimizing user experiences. Alongside this, data decentralization, self-sovereign identity, and next-gen privacy models were major talking points.

Web3 gaming also had its moment. Game and social tokenomics stood out, signaling a growing interest from investors and developers in building sustainable crypto-native game economies integrated with NFTs and tokens.

Notable speaker highlights included:

• Alex Svanevik (Nansen) — introduced Nansen 2 and discussed faster insight generation from blockchain data, emphasizing real-time investment analytics.
• Jamie Burke (Outlier Ventures) — spotlighted the AI × Web3 intersection as the next big wave. This is a clear signal for founders: integrating AI is becoming the new product standard.
• Alex Gluchowski (zkSync) — unveiled ZK Stack and emphasized the shift toward modular Web3 infrastructure. His message was clear: ZK isn’t hype — it’s the future backbone.
• Aleksander Larsen (Axie Infinity) — explored how games can transition from Web2 and build sustainable in-game economies.
• Arthur Hayes (BitMEX) — gave a provocative yet deeply analytical keynote on macroeconomics, AI, and crypto as key elements of the next bull cycle.
• Steve Yun and John Hyman (TON & Telegram) — discussed Telegram’s evolution into a Web3 platform, with a strong focus on UX-first principles.
• Bryan Pellegrino & Simonas Baksys (LayerZero & Google Cloud) — announced a significant partnership live on stage.

The event featured dozens of panels, workshops, and technical sessions on smart contract risks, regulatory frameworks, DAO mechanics, decentralized storage, and more.

TOKEN2049 Side Events & Networking

Beyond the mainstage and booths, TOKEN2049 offers a unique networking infrastructure. Over 400 side events took place across Singapore in just four days, giving startups and investors access to more curated formats — from private dinners and rooftop meetups to hackathons and pitch nights.

The Cware Labs team attended 10 key side events, including:

1. zkDay Singapore: The Modular Edition Zouk Club KL — hosted by Manta Network and Celestia Labs.
2. Design, Build, and Scale Your Web3 Games — with GasZero, Polygon Labs, and Tencent Cloud.
3. SubDAO Genesis Event — by Sky Ecosystem.
4. VIP Rooftop Happy Hour — hosted by Hex Trust and zkSync.
5. Web3 Asia Neon Night — by XT.COM, TraderX|WhiteLabel, and SO-COL.
6. TOKEN2049 Day 1 — the flagship event of the year.
7. TON Investor Day — organized by the TON Foundation.
8. TOKEN2049 Day 2 — the second day of the leading conference.
9. 20%NIGHT — hosted by MetaStone Group, LBank, and zCloak Network.
10. Rooftop Mixer — co-hosted by Quantstamp, Inc. and Dodo.

Every event offered meaningful opportunities for connection. We met with over 100 Web3 leaders, including Calvin Shen (Hex Trust), Paras A. (Glassnode), John Kiew (CertiK), Snow Chen (Investing.com), Anthony Tsivarev (TON Foundation), Marc Schwyn and Nutthanit Schwyn (CROWDNEWS), among many others.

For founders, this is the moment to pressure-test your product, build advisory queues, meet future partners, and lay the foundation for your next round.

Why TOKEN2049 Matters for Founders

If you're building a Web3 product, attending TOKEN2049 isn’t just a conference stop — it’s a strategic acceleration move. It instantly boosts your global visibility and places you in front of the right audience. It opens doors to early-stage investors actively seeking bold teams.

More importantly, events like this allow you to test your pitch and product in real time, collect honest feedback, and refine your strategy. You connect with founders, CTOs, business dev leads, and strategic partners who are otherwise hard to reach. TOKEN2049 is also an entry point into regional ecosystems, essential for any global expansion plan.

For startups from Pre-Seed to Series A, TOKEN2049 can save months of investor outreach and partner scouting. For more mature companies, it’s a way to level up to institutional conversations and secure long-term alliances.

TOKEN2049 doesn’t unite Web3 by geography — it unites it by values. Transparency, open-source culture, innovation, freedom, and decentralization aren’t just buzzwords here. They’re the building blocks of tomorrow’s businesses and markets. The diversity of participants fuels deeper discussions, and collaboration creates a true trust ecosystem.

Final Thoughts

If you couldn’t attend this year, prepare for the next one. Build your brand, launch your site, validate your offer, and prepare investor materials and your roadmap. TOKEN2049 is a catalyst, but real growth starts earlier.

At Cware Labs, we support Web3 startups from concept to global scale. We help with product packaging, conference prep, GTM strategy, and fundraising. Backed by dozens of success cases, deep market understanding, and a strong international network, we’re ready to be your accelerator. Reach out to us to discuss your project.

And don’t forget to follow Cware Articles — we regularly share structured insights, battle-tested strategies, and practical knowledge for Web3 founders.