CZ and Buterin Among Top Speakers at Five-Day Online Conference

A one-off online conference has released a list of the top speakers who are on the agenda — including prominent regulators, politicians and crypto entrepreneurs.

Unitize is being organized by BlockShow and San Francisco Blockchain Week, and it is scheduled to take place from July 6 through July 10. The conference’s goal is to celebrate the industry’s progress so far in 2020 and to foster further collaboration and engagement.

Live broadcasts, virtual exhibitions and fireside chats will be offered throughout the week, and topics discussed will include the potential benefits that blockchain can offer for enterprises, as well as how developing regulations will shape the sector. Each day is set to focus on a different theme.

Brian Brooks, the comptroller of the currency at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and Chris Giancarlo, a former chairman and commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, will be among those offering their insights, along with Congressman Ted Budd, Pantera Capital co-founder and CEO Dan Morehead, and entrepreneur and angel investor Balaji S. Srinivasan. They join a list of previously confirmed attendees including Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, and SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce.

Further additions to the list of speakers and the agenda are set to be announced this week.

A resilient industry

Jonathan Allen, who co-founded San Francisco Blockchain Week and is coordinating this virtual event, said: “Organizing Unitize was our way of helping to celebrate the blockchain builders and developers who have kept their heads down in recent months and continued to work on furthering this incredible technology that we’ve all come to know and love.”

He added: “Although industry events have been turned on their head in recent months, we wanted to demonstrate the resilience of the blockchain industry and show that it’s still possible to facilitate great discussions and host a world-class event while doing so.”

BlockShow’s head of strategy, Gabriel Yang — who has also been involved in bringing Unitize to fruition — said that hosting an online event breaks down barriers to entry, making it easier for anyone with an interest in blockchain and cryptocurrencies to access inspirational content and make new connections. Time constraints and geography have often meant it is a challenge to attend a physical event, but going digital eliminates these concerns.

He added: “This is an important time to be having discussions about how technology can improve the society we live in, and we encourage anyone who is curious about the potential of blockchain technology to register for the event and take advantage of the opportunity to hear and learn from some of the most well-respected voices in the industry.”

“World-class networking”

Unitize, with Bybit as the title sponsor, is planning to welcome thousands of virtual guests from dozens of countries — prompting organizers to describe it as “the networking opportunity of a lifetime.” Attendees will also have the ability to schedule meetings with others and schedule chats with the click of a button.

The online conference is also free to attend, and those who are interested can sign up through the Unitize website.

Monday will cast a spotlight on global leaders who are working to increase adoption and build companies that will be the foundation of a new decentralized world. Tuesday will focus on regulation and the legal hurdles that stand in the way of technology progressing. Wednesday will bring together the leaders of traditional companies with enterprises that are building decentralized solutions, while Thursday is going to be devoted to the Crypto Economics Security Conference. Last but not least, Friday will see a gaming summit take place, championing how games can use decentralized technology.

Speaking on the partnership, Ben Zhou, the co-founder and CEO of Bybit, noted that it was an easy decision, as the company wants to “continue to keep up with the ever-changing times and connect with blockchain enthusiasts across the industry.” He added: "We may have had ‘lost months’ in 2020, but we have not lost track of our commitment to revolutionizing the industry."