Content

Lightning Pay presents the case for the bitcoin lightning network, and how it can be harnessed to improve the payments landscape in New Zealand. Retailers, merchants and consumers in New Zealand are plagued by some of the highest fees on cards, online and contactless payments in the western world, with long settlement times to ultimately receive payments.

The things every Web3 business needs to know about tokens and crypto regulation with Jeremy Muir and Bryan Ventura from Minter Ellison Rudd Watts.

In this article, we some of the ideas explored in Fast Forward Aotearoa, the nearly 600-page new book from Ben Reid, the Christchurch technology consultant and the country’s foremost futurist. Reid’s weekly Memia newsletter has become a go-to resource for those trying to keep abreast of developments in exponential technology. 

The Report of the Finance and Expenditure Committee on the Inquiry into the Future Nature, Impact, and Risks of Cryptocurrencies, was released on 17 August. The 22 recommendations listed in the report included some concrete measures the Government could take to advance the development of the cryptocurrencies and digital assets sector, while helping to protect consumers and encouraging innovation.

In this session, Stacey-Ann Pearson, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Head of the APAC region will explore real world Web3 use cases on AWS, how customers are leveraging AWS to support this emerging industry, and growing trends within the space (including how Web3 and AI are already coexisting).

In celebration of International Women's Day, this interactive and practical webinar aimed to empower women in the world of Web3 and Crypto. Our presenter, Louise, a leading figure in the crypto space and advocate for women's involvement, guides participants through the basics of crypto in a beginner-friendly manner. We also explored the importance of women's participation in the crypto space, demystified crypto fundamentals, and provided practical guidance on setting up a crypto wallet securely.

Digital collectible platform VeVe is the go-to destination for comic book and superhero fans looking to collect and trade digital versions of their favourite characters.

The Digital Securities Global (DSG) team explores the reasoning and logistics of transferring securities to the blockchain, highlighting the advantages for both asset issuers and investors. The widespread adoption of this new capital markets infrastructure necessitates an open-source, audited, interoperable token standard. This session is designed for investors eyeing new opportunities, companies or fund managers on the lookout for different venture capital channels, and projects exploring the tokenisation of real world assets.

What are Web3 Investors looking for in 2024? A tepid fundraising environment for startups in 2023 spurred a return to business fundamentals as angel and venture capital became harder to find. Discover the advice Angel and VC Investors Mark Pavlyukovsky, Michelle Cole, Philip Stehlik and Nawaz Ahmed have for Web3 startups.

There has been an increase in interest in businesses holding assets like bitcoin in treasury. Doing this safely is not always intuitive. With the recent demise of Dasset locally and the importance of “not your keys, not your coins”, more are looking into the requirements and models for self-custody for businesses in New Zealand. Zed will discuss options including multi-sig and federated approaches to custodying digital assets as both a business and an individual.

In a two month trial that has just kicked off, Lightning Pay is partnering with Workspace and Mason & Collins, inviting customers to make purchases using bitcoin and a simple Lightning wallet.

Hear from Jeremy Muir and Elise Plunket as they talk through DAO use cases, the existing legal landscape in New Zealand and provide various examples around how a DAO might practically function within a NZ jurisdiction.

A Wellington-based not-for-profit is expanding trials of its grant giving platform, which draws on Web3 principles to engage funders and communities at a hyperlocal level.

Celebrating People and Innovation at the BlockchainNZ and Web3NZ Awards at Callaghan Innovation Offices in Auckland.

Watch this investment masterclass with an expert panel as they discuss their ideal investment business, warm vs. cold introductions and what sort of companies should be pitching for VC and angel investment. Includes a session of trial pitches from the community with feedback from the panel.

As Web3NZ, the country’s first platform dedicated to people working on Web3 projects launches, key players in the industry see it as an opportunity to give critical mass to an already thriving category of the tech sector.

The debut of a digital dollar (NZDD) Stablecoin from the country’s largest home-grown cryptocurrency exchange offers could spur innovation in peer to peer payments and decentralised finance.

When it comes to cryptocurrencies, Cody Ellingham is a self-avowed Bitcoin maximalist.

John Dean from Sales Director Central discusses his methodology to grow and expedite revenue from the research phase through to scale up. The presentation encompasses every facet starting with understanding the customer, the buyer's process and through to the essential characteristics of effective consultants.

In this discussion Corben Turner of Enteropt will take us through some of the existing trends for distributed ledger technology and some that are on the horizon such as environmental initiatives, interoperability between private and public blockchains and tokenised real world assets.

Aaron McDonald talks about his journey, from his days with Centrality to today, CEO of Futureverse and how the collaborative ecosystem was successful in raising capital. Aaron discusses his take on the current state of the industry, how to succeed in Web3 and also potential traps to be aware of

Join Morgan Stone on this presentation aimed at both aspiring Web3 professionals and new talent seekers. Morgan steps through the benefits/challenges in the Web3 ecosystem, how to manage the cultural and logistical aspects of distributed teams and discusses future plans for his “proof of experience” hiring platform - Seekr

In this discussion Leanne will walk us through her strategy for designing and developing tokens and help us understand the various protocols and the specific capabilities they enable. Leanne will share her thoughts on where tokenisation is now and how it is likely to evolve in future.

Hear from Dr Bubanja as he goes through the science and physics behind quantum, where the trajectory is heading and the potential impact on web3, crypto currencies and the next phase of the internet. This will be a scientific discussion so expect academic topics rather than commercial discussions.

Follow along with Jeff Nijsse’s AUT class in this group learning module as Lisa Neigut (niftynei) from Base58 takes us on a technical deep-dive session looking into Bitcoin's layer 2 payment protocol - Lightning. Discover what Lightning is, its role in Bitcoin transacting and how it functions as well as insights into the ongoing developments being made to improve the protocol.

James Cochrane and Andrew Comer from law firm Lane Neave sit down to discuss the legal framework for Web3 related projects. Topics covered include relevant Acts (such as FMCA 2013), jurisdictional considerations, AML/KYC and entity structures.

Daniel Batten, Co-founder of CH4 Capital and Simon Collins, Managing director of Stackr have an open discussion on the issues and opportunities in NZ's energy landscape and how Bitcoin offers an efficient and reliable solution to balancing NZ's energy supply and demand.

Jerome Kelsey, founder of Freeos, discusses the many facets of DAOs such as their disruptive nature, legal frameworks and how they will evolve in the future. On the tokenomics side, aspects covered include use of tokens in DAOs, regulatory implications and value creation.

Gregor Neumayr, R&D consultant and data scientist at Callaghan Innovation talks through his journey with NFTs. Topics covered include formal definitions to certification and standards as well as a look into some of his own digital art creations.

With crypto values languishing and investment cash thin on the ground, the winter of discontent for the Web3 sector looks set to drag on for a while longer.

Jerome Faury, CEO of Immersve, steps through the critical aspects of navigating a market down-turn, from mental health, Adaptability Quotient, scorecards and SMART goals to Web3 accelerators in NZ, blockchain grants and raising capital.

What are the tax implications of what you are doing? What’s counted as income and how does Inland Revenue treat the digital transaction activity that has proliferated with the rise of Web3?

David Ding, Business Innovation Advisor, has a conversation with Sarah Durlacher, Agile Project and Stakeholder Manager about her involvement in Web3 from a change management and agile perspective as well as the difficulties of constant pivoting and best practice organisational design for early stage startups.

A journey through how cryptoassets are defined under NZ law, what triggers a tax event and the current and potential future state as concerns taxing of cryptoassets in NZ. Presented by EY and IRD

Ethereum Foundation Executive Director Aya Miyaguchi, who was in New Zealand last month visited with the Web3 community, and Callaghan Innovation.

An explanation of the concepts that are Daniels guiding principles for working in crypto and building a web3 startup team: Team evaluation, protocolization, risk factors, talent/ market landscape and opportunities in Web3.

Marc Krisjanous is a certified security auditor from Confide. He discusses the most well known security standards relevant to industry - namely ISO 27001 and CCSS - and provides advice on how to keep digital assets safe from malicious actors as applies to Web3 platforms.

Web3 start-ups that have emerged in New Zealand are two in particular that are setting out to supply infrastructure to power the entire blockchain ecosystem.

The Opportunities and Challenges for New Zealand

James Bayly, COO of Onfinality and SubQuery discusses his journey, the state of Web3 in NZ and how Onfinality are harnessing blockchain technology.

The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) is introducing a "regulatory sandbox" to help fintech businesses test new services and business models in a controlled environment. Inspired by similar initiatives in the UK, Australia, and beyond, the FMA's pilot will run from January to July 2025, with applications now open for interested companies. The pilot's success will guide the decision on establishing a permanent sandbox to foster fintech innovation in New Zealan

Discover the inspiring stories behind the Web3NZ & Blockchain NZ Awards winners. Explore their achievements, insights, and the innovative contributions shaping the future of blockchain and Web3 in Aotearoa.

Exploring Zero Knowledge Proofs: Protecting Privacy in the Digital Age Join Jeff from RMIT Vietnam and Ben from AUT as they delve into the fascinating world of privacy and zero knowledge proofs. In this technical discussion, the duo explores the essentials of zero knowledge (ZK) technology, its implications for user privacy, and its applications in blockchain and beyond.

This interactive presentation covers key entrepreneurial concepts, the evolution of the local Bitcoin and crypto scene, and the unique advantages and challenges of operating in New Zealand. Learn about regulatory considerations, community engagement, emerging technologies, and the entrepreneurial spirit driving the crypto revolution in Middle Earth. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting out, Harry's experiences and strategies for success offer valuable insights.

Welcome to an in-depth session on the introduction to real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. Hosted by Futureverse's Head of Technology and Interoperability, Pramodya De Alwis, this video dives deep into the components and benefits of transferring illiquid off-chain assets like real estate, art, and commodities onto blockchain to enhance liquidity and efficiency.

Join us in this engaging session where a representative from the Financial Market Authority (FMA) provides an overview of their role, discusses various international sandbox environments, and explores what the industry is looking for in a sandbox. Learn about different types of sandboxes like the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and digital sandboxes, and hear discussions about how such environments could operate in New Zealand. The session also delves into international regulatory standards, the significance of a sandbox for fostering innovation, and potential collaborations with markets like Singapore.

Trump, the Republican nominee for the Presidential election, has shifted his stance to support the crypto industry after labelling it a “scam” just a few years ago. He is now promising to make the U.S. a global leader in crypto and to stockpile Bitcoin obtained through asset seizures. Read more about the regulatory developments and how they might impact the Web3 landscape across the globe.

In this article, Marc Krisjanous presents several threats and vulnerabilities to key management systems and provides security controls that can be applied to reduce the risk of unauthorised access to seed phrases and private key data.

Exploring Cultural Implications of Decentralised Communities with Sid from Neighborhoods dives deep into the cultural implications of decentralised communities. In this interactive session, Sid discusses the distinction between monetary and social currencies, the tools that Neighborhoods has developed for group coordination, and the importance of reducing friction in recording social contributions. Sid also explores the potential for Neighborhoods to integrate with blockchain technologies, enabling communities to formalise their cultural norms and creating new models for collaboration.

Our expert, Jodi, a chartered tax advisor, shares her experiences and discusses the ongoing challenges businesses face with tax calculations, accepting crypto payments, and integrating these into everyday accounting systems. The session includes discussions on existing software tools, legal tender definitions, and potential solutions for more efficient accounting practices. Join us as we explore these complexities and look towards potential solutions and improvements for integrating crypto in a business context.

Battle Drones: Red Rock Resistance is set to debut on major gaming platforms in the coming weeks, meeting the high demand generated after its demo version was downloaded 5,000 times during last year's preview festival hosted by games distribution giant Steam. Learn about Co-founder Ahmad's journey, the inspiration behind the game, and future plans for its launch, including blockchain utility and tokenization.

In this informative session, representatives from the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) and Financial Markets Authority (FMA) discuss regulatory obligations and compliance requirements for virtual asset service providers (VASPs) in New Zealand. The session also covers risks associated with virtual assets, compliance requirements, international payments, high-risk customers, and guidelines for reporting suspicious activities.

Join this insightful discussion with Fran as he shares his journey of moving to El Salvador and the transformative changes in the country over the past year. Fran delves into his early exposure to Bitcoin, the evolution of the cryptocurrency market, and his involvement with Techemy in advising major blockchain projects. He highlights the economic and legal reforms in El Salvador, the benefits of adopting a Bitcoin standard, and the country's progress in infrastructure and investment.

Join us for an engaging fireside chat featuring three New Zealand Bitcoin leaders deeply immersed in the space. As Bitcoin continues to appreciate in value relative to fiat currencies, this event offers a unique opportunity to delve into discussion on Bitcoin's potential and its transformative impact on the world of energy, infrastructure, politics, and finance in New Zealand.

Paul & Patrick are 2 of the main forces behind the successful launch of the NZDD stablecoin in New Zealand in November last year. In this presentation they will walk through the challenges and background on the development and launch of NZDD.

Is the largest smart contract platform in the world living up to its promise? Ethereum (ETH) is currently the largest smart contract platform in the world by value of its native currency. Ether, the native currency that powers Ethereum, is also the second-largest cryptocurrency in the world. Find out in this presentation where the world’s computer stands by exploring its past, present, and future with Blockchain Analyst, Aditya Das!

As the founder of the community and educational group Cryptocurrency NZ, Christchurch-based university student Harry Satoshi is a well-known figure in the Web3 community. His passion for all things crypto also led him to float the idea of turning the University of Canterbury’s Crypto Society club (CryptoSOC) into a fully-fledged decentralised autonomous organisation (DAO).

Web3NZ caught up with Faury to find out more about his Web3 journey with Immersve, his plans for the company which employs around 25 people, and his thoughts on the state of play in payments and fintech in Aotearoa.