The 10th Global Blockchain Congress will take place in Hanoi on July 11 and 12, with organizers recognizing that Vietnam holds major potential given its impressive achievements in digital transformation and digital economy.

Organizers include the Agora Group, D.lion Media & Solutions, the Vietnam Blockchain Union, and V2B Labs, with sponsorship from the Vietnam Digital Communications Association (VDCA).

The goal of the Congress is to be a platform for networking and the promotion of the blockchain industry in particular and IT more generally on a global scale.

It will bring together the most popular blockchain trends in 2022, from DeFi (Decentralized Finance) and GameFi (Game Finance) to NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and the metaverse.

There will be ten panel discussions on the hottest topics in the blockchain world today, such as MetaFi, Web3, and the future of NFTs.

The Congress will see the participation of well-known speakers with years of experience in the blockchain field.

Notably, this is the first time the Congress has been held outside of the UAE, with the previous nine editions being held in Dubai.

Why Vietnam?

Speaking at a media briefing on the organization of the Congress on July 8, Mr. Hadi Malaeb, Co-founder & CEO of the Agora Group, explained that Agora decided to choose Vietnam as the next destination for the Global Blockchain Congress because it “highly appreciates Vietnam’s achievements in digital transformation and development.”

Besides the potential of the market, Vietnam also has a suitable business environment for blockchain businesses, with support policies from the government. “The Agora Group has a strong belief in the breakthrough strategies and visions of the Vietnamese Government on digital transformation, which promotes openness policies and encourages the development of new technologies,” Mr. Malaeb told the briefing.

Mr. Vu Kiem Van, Vice Chairman of the VDCA, is of a similar mind. “The Vietnamese Government has hugely supportive policies on digital development and digital transformation,” he said. The country is among the top 3 in Southeast Asia in terms of capital attraction to startups and is also one of the five leading countries in blockchain, he added.

Potential for FDI in blockchain startups

The Global Blockchain Congress is expected to be “a good opportunity for potential blockchain projects to share, connect, and find investment opportunities from quality investment funds, helping the Vietnamese blockchain market prosper and thrive,” according to Mr. Van.

Mr. William Do, CEO of HOBBIT Investment, added: “The helping hand from strategic partners and project advisers plays an essential role.”

However, Ms. Jennie Hoang Phuong, CEO of D.Lion Media & Solutions, noted that projects and startups should pay more attention to basic aspects such as management thinking and basic knowledge in marketing and financial management.

Most Vietnamese startups focus on marketing before building a competent team, which is against world trends, she explained. Therefore, she expects the Congress will be a chance for Vietnamese blockchain startups to learn from international partners. “A lack of basic skills such as management thinking and basic knowledge in marketing and financial management means it is not easy to convince a knowledgeable investor, no matter how great your projects is,” she said.