If 2023 was a bear year for the crypto markets, the debut of Bitcoin exchange traded funds and anticipation of crypto-friendly policies from the incoming Trump administration has seen spectacular growth in crypto valuations this year.
At the heart of the crypto-trading community in New Zealand is Cryptocurrency NZ, a grassroots organisation that won Web3 Company of the Year at last week’s Web3NZ/Blockchain NZ Awards in Auckland.
Cryptocurrency NZ holds monthly meetups in 12 regions across New Zealand, fostering discussions on Bitcoin, Ethereum, NFTs, DAOs, and more.
Beyond education, the organisation has driven innovation, such as establishing the first university-based decentralised autonomous organisation (DAO) in the Southern Hemisphere and influencing policy changes to support decentralized structures.
As the Awards notes pointed out: “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.
Following the big win for Cryptocurrency NZ, Web3NZ caught up with cofounder Harry Satoshi to reflect on a huge year for the organisation and to get a taste of what’s next…
Harry Satoshi (far right) and the Cryptocurrency NZ team.
What was the most significant development in the NZ cryptocurrency scene in 2024 from your perspective.
“The evolution of Cryptocurrency NZ (CNZ) into a nation-based decentralised autonomous organisation (DAO) is an incredibly exciting milestone for us in the CNZ ecosystem.”
What did the surging price of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies mean in terms of interest in crypto trading, and blockchain-based technology development? Did you see your community grow significantly?
“The surging price of Bitcoin and the broader bull market stoked massive new interest in cryptocurrencies in New Zealand.
“It confirmed what many suspected - Bitcoin is steadfast and it's here to stay. We've seen huge growth in our groups, skyrocketing engagement rates and surges in website traffic. Bullish news like the US pro-Bitcoin coalition and Trump backing crypto have only fueled the momentum.
“The prophecies have come true, the stars have aligned - 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the global decentralised cryptocurrency movement.”
What's your big objective for Cryptocurrency NZ for 2025?
“Our vision for 2025 is bold: to fully transition CNZ into a nation-based DAO. This means aligning our website, marketplace, community groups, meetup network, and university initiatives with decentralised governance and tokenisation.
“We aim to establish New Zealand as a global leader in decentralised crypto community infrastructure, uniting the vision of all key industry stakeholders.”
See available resources and upcoming events at Cryptocurrency NZ.