Speakers

Jacob Robert Steeves is the CEO of Bittensor, a decentralized network that incentivizes the development and sharing of machine intelligence through blockchain technology. He leads the company’s vision of building an open, tokenized ecosystem for AI collaboration, where contributors are rewarded for the value they provide. With a strong background in technology and decentralized systems, Jacob focuses on advancing scalable AI infrastructure, fostering innovation, and driving global adoption of decentralized intelligence networks.

Kevin Lee is Chief Business Officer at Gate and former CEO of Gate.HK. A crypto pioneer since 2013, he brings 20+ years of experience in algorithmic trading and AI-led finance. He’s held leadership roles at JPMorgan, Macquarie, and BNP Paribas, and drove Yelp’s launch in Hong Kong. Previously with Hong Kong’s first SFC-licensed platform, Kevin is now a sought-after industry speaker. He holds dual bachelor’s degrees in business and software engineering from the University of Hong Kong.

Daryl is a seasoned investor and thought leader in the Web3 ecosystem, serving as General Partner at TRIVE Ventures leading digital frontier investments. His expertise spans the intersection of Web3, AI, venture capital, and emerging technologies, with a focus on user-centric innovation, fundraising strategies, and the evolving landscape of decentralized systems.

Queenie is a passionate advocate for financial inclusion and innovation, dedicated to expanding Tether's presence across emerging markets, especially region. She is committed to fostering partnerships, driving growth, and empowering communities through stablecoin adoption.

Justin Kim is Head of Asia at Ava Labs, supporting the Avalanche Ecosystem. Justin oversees all business development and ecosystem growth initiatives across verticals, as well as numerous international teams in Asia including Korea, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam and SEA. Since joining, Justin has been instrumental in driving Avalanche's adoption in Asia partnering with iconic brands such as SK conglomerate, Alipay, Grab, Toyota and SMBC. He was a formerly an investment banker at Korea Development Bank.

Cris D. Tran is a Core Contributor at Open Campus, currently leading the organization’s initiatives across Southeast Asia. He previously served as Web3 General Manager at The Sandbox, where he scaled the APAC region to one million users. Cris was also CEO of Infinity Blockchain in Japan and played a key leadership role in Garena’s 2017 Nasdaq IPO. In addition, he is the co founder of MoneyFi, a stablecoin fund management protocol.

Cristian Ulloa is a tech investor, DeFi advocate, and public speaker with over 20 years of executive experience across traditional finance and emerging technologies. He is the co-founder of Liquid Loans, a decentralized finance protocol focused on empowering long-term crypto holders through non-custodial, immutable infrastructure. Prior to Web3, Cristian held senior leadership roles advising large, multinational organizations on strategy and performance. Today, he combines real-world business leadership with deep blockchain knowledge to speak on DeFi, risk, and the future of finance.

Karan Gandhi is a Partner at Cypher Capital, a $100M blockchain-focused VC fund in Dubai. Previously, he was a senior venture architect building tech startups for the UAE’s largest licensing authority.

With extensive experience scaling startups, he has advised numerous tech ventures on fundraising, business models, and market strategy. A crypto investor since 2017, Karan is a passionate blockchain evangelist. He is a CFA charterholder with over nine years of experience across private equity, venture capital, and banking.

Takatoshi Shibayama is Head of APAC at Ledger, where he leads regional growth and delivers digital asset security solutions for Web3 companies and institutions. He brings over 17 years of experience as an analyst and investor in distressed corporate situations, beginning his career at JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs. He later joined US hedge fund Davidson Kempner Capital Management and went on to co found 3D Investment Partners in Singapore. Prior to Ledger, he served as Head of Revenue APAC at Copper, a digital asset collateral management and custody firm.

Jonah Lau is Head of Portfolio and Incubation at Animoca Brands, where he oversees portfolio support, incubation initiatives, and key internal builds. A former corporate lawyer turned tech operator, he previously scaled product teams as VP and SVP at Crypto.com and Magic Eden. Jonah brings a unique blend of legal expertise and hands on product leadership to drive growth and innovation across the Web3 ecosystem.

Shan Han is a Portfolio Manager at Animoca Brands, focusing on early stage Web3 investments. His work centers on opportunities at the intersection of DeFi and education, often referred to as EduFi. He supports and evaluates emerging projects that drive innovation across decentralized finance and learning ecosystems, contributing to the growth of high potential ventures within the broader Web3 landscape.

Yanshan is Head of APAC at Figment, a leading provider of blockchain infrastructure and institutional staking solutions. He drives regional strategy and growth, supporting institutions in accessing secure and scalable participation in digital asset networks. Prior to Figment, Yanshan led Greater China and Southeast Asia institutional business development at Anchorage Digital, a federally chartered cryptocurrency bank in the United States. Before entering the crypto industry, he was an FX and precious metals Specialist at Deutsche Bank, focusing on trading and advisory for institutional clients across global markets.