Celebrating the Stars of Web3 and Blockchain Innovation in New Zealand

What an incredible night honouring the visionaries and trailblazers at the 2024 Web3NZ & BlockchainNZ Awards! 🎉

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us, our generous sponsors—Lane Neave, MinterEllison, and Hamilton Locke 🥂—and our valued partners—Easy Crypto, Futureverse, NZDD, and Lane Neave—for your unwavering support of the Web3 and blockchain community this year. 🙏

💥 Award Highlights 📸

Meet the 2024 Award Winners

Web3NZ Awards

🏆 Innovative Solution of the Year: Pay It Now (PIN)

Pay It Now have achieved remarkable milestones, particularly in the past year. Their groundbreaking bill payment system enables crypto holders to pay for essentials like mortgages, rent, and utilities directly from wallet to merchant. Beyond payments, they’ve built a comprehensive suite of tools that make entering the crypto space effortless—lowering barriers, simplifying complexities, and making it easy to buy, cash out, or spend crypto on everyday purchases. Their innovation is transforming how people engage with crypto, delivering real-world solutions that save time and money.

🏆 Web3 Company of the Year: Cryptocurrency NZ

Cryptocurrency NZ has shown dedication to advancing crypto adoption, awareness, and community building across Aotearoa. Their monthly meetups, which have now scaled to 12 regions across New Zealand foster discussions on Bitcoin, Ethereum, NFTs, DAOs, and more, uniting Kiwis nationwide. Beyond education, they’ve driven innovation, such as establishing the first decentralized university DAO in the Southern Hemisphere and influencing policy changes to support decentralized structures.

Their efforts include acting as New Zealand’s go-to crypto hotline, supporting scam victims, and providing expert consultation, all while maintaining free resources and ethical practices on one of New Zealand's largest crypto websites. Cryptocurrency NZ also leads NZ’s largest crypto social networks and a market place, promoting grassroots innovation, crypto adoption and industry connections.

🏆 Academic Institution of the Year: University of Canterbury and the Crypto Society DAO This year, the University of Canterbury Crypto Society DAO rose to become the first university club in New Zealand (and the southern hemisphere) as a fully fledged decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). Despite initial resistance and policy challenges from the university and student associations, they successfully advocated for decentralized governance, enabling future clubs to operate without traditional hierarchical structures. They now manage the majority of their treasury in crypto, with all key decisions made on-chain, setting a powerful example of innovation and leadership in academia.

🏆 Educator and Advocate of the Year: Cody Ellingham Cody has been commended for his outstanding work on his Bitcoin-focused podcast, which has reached 100 episodes. His ability to attract high-caliber guests and provide insightful discussions has significantly contributed to the education and advocacy of Bitcoin and its role in the economic future of our society. And even though his guests are attracting a more globalised audience and speakers, his focus remains centered around New Zealand.

🏆 Web3 Woman of the Year: Louise Macfarlane Louise has been instrumental in increasing female representation in the Australian and New Zealand grassroots crypto space. Louise's weekly newsletter, educational initiatives, and advocacy work have been praised for their ability to break down complex concepts and help make web3 more accessible, empowering women to safely navigate this space. Her tireless dedication to financial literacy, education and creating platforms for women is a testament to her genuine passion for collective progress.

🏆 Startup of the Year: Lightning Pay

Lightning Pay won the Startup of the Year award for its innovative approach to Bitcoin payments, leveraging the Lightning network to enable fast withdrawals and develop a merchant solution for point-of-sale transactions. Their seamless Bitcoin-exchange experience, combined with the ability to save users money on monthly bills, has set them apart in the industry. They have delivered a fast, functional solution that addresses a real need—merchants can accept BTC quickly, cheaply, and compliantly without exposure to volatility, while BTC holders can spend their Bitcoin and retain more of their money in a trusted currency, all while avoiding costly payWave and processing fees.

BlockchainNZ Awards

🏆 Entrepreneur of the Year: Janine Grainger Janine Grainger, CEO and Founder of Easy Crypto, is a powerhouse in the Web3 sector and a dedicated regional ambassador for Crypto Women. Her impactful leadership and advocacy make her a standout role model, inspiring the next generation of wahine to thrive in the blockchain and crypto industries.

🏆 Professional Services Firm of the Year: Hamilton Locke

Hamilton Locke has played a pivotal role in supporting the commercialization and regulation of Web3, crypto, and blockchain businesses. Their contributions include co-founding the BlockchainNZ Podcast, securing sponsorship from Easy Crypto, and driving industry engagement to enhance crypto compliance and banking access.

They have significantly advanced BlockchainNZ, doubling membership, fostering relationships with corporates, government entities, and international partners, and contributing to critical submissions on crypto regulation, CBDCs, and AML reviews. Hamilton Locke has also been instrumental in organizing and presenting at key industry events, strengthening the blockchain ecosystem in New Zealand.

🏆 Business of the Year: Easy Crypto

Easy Crypto has demonstrated unwavering support for the Web3 ecosystem, even through challenging market conditions. This year, they expanded their offerings with the NZDD stablecoin and a user-friendly wallet, making crypto more accessible to beginners. Their commitment to education and innovation has driven consumer adoption in New Zealand, and their expansion into Australia marks a significant milestone.

Leading the charge in onboarding New Zealanders into crypto, Easy Crypto stands out for simplifying the journey into Web3 while prioritizing security and empowerment for all users.

🏆 Innovative Solution of the Year: DSG DSG is transforming capital markets across Australasia and beyond with a groundbreaking blockchain-powered platform. By streamlining securities processes, enhancing cross-border opportunities, and prioritizing compliance, DSG is redefining how businesses raise capital and connect with investors. Their innovative approach delivers a cutting-edge operating system for private markets.

Together, We Build the Future

As we celebrate these remarkable achievements, we’re reminded of the power of innovation, collaboration, and bold ideas. Let’s keep pushing boundaries, fostering connections, and building a brighter, more decentralized future.

Here’s to a groundbreaking 2025 for Web3 in New Zealand! 🇳🇿💥