Istanbul Blockchain Week opened its doorways on Nov. 14 to carry the crypto and blockchain ecosystem collectively in İstanbul, Turkey. Cointelegraph attended the occasion with a Cointelegraph Turkey sales space and an İstanbul-based editor to expertise the influence of the FTX collapse firsthand — the outcome was sudden.
As a world hub housing greater than 15 million individuals, İstanbul was shaken by a bombing assault in Taksim, the town middle, on Nov. 13 night. But, the next day, Istanbul Blockchain Week (IBW) opened its doorways to greater than 2,000 worldwide attendees and over 100 audio system after consulting with native safety authorities.
On high of a year-long bear market and the FTX collapse, IBW 2022 attendees additionally needed to cope with the emotional stress of what occurred final night time. Each occasions have been ever-present subjects on the principle stage and within the occasion corridor.
Merhaba!
Cointelgraph is in attendance at Istanbul Blockchain Week and bringing you all the newest updates dwell from Turkey.
Watch this thread… pic.twitter.com/DusFaf4xCT
— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) November 14, 2022
Erhan Korhaliller, the organizer of the occasion and the founding father of EAK Digital, talked about each subjects throughout his opening speech. Excluding the individuals who barely managed to land in İstanbul hours earlier than their stage time, nearly all of audio system began by giving condolences to the victims of the terrorist assault.
Nonetheless, Istanbul Blockchain Week 2022 managed to discover a steadiness to maintain a respectful tone to the concerns of İstanbulites whereas sustaining the leisure facet of the present. Nothing stood out as too flashy, however the ambiance was all the time vibrant and colourful. The following 4 days noticed key names from the crypto trade taking the stage one after one other in entrance of a totally centered and attentive viewers.
![](https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2022-11/bc86b5c9-2003-4d5c-a5d9-fc1dbda69754.jpg)
IBW 2022 used the occasion space of the Hilton Bomonti resort relatively cleverly to supply break zones throughout crowded networking actions. Friends have been introduced with espresso, tea and water to refreshen throughout heated conversations.
The primary stage, which was too massive for a 2,000-person occasion, was divided into three components, illuminated solely with the sunshine of kiosks that current cool-looking nonfungible tokens (NFTs); the NFT Gallery was neighboring the stage. The opposite facet of the gallery was reserved for IstanHack, the place the builders from neighboring international locations competed to construct a Web3 mission.
Taking a stroll by the NFT gallery… pic.twitter.com/kCrrP4DP41
— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) November 14, 2022
The occasion agenda left no nook of the expanded cryptoverse unchecked: market makers, exchanges, decentralized finance (DeFi) suppliers, blockchain gaming and metaverse massive weapons crammed the occasion space and the principle stage to supply a complete image of what’s occurring within the crypto world.
Associated: Turkey’s monetary authority investigates FTX’s collapse
One factor that stood out throughout the entire present was the positivity and the “maintain constructing” philosophy. It wouldn’t take a journalist to grasp that the ecosystem actually believes within the bear market constructing.
Through the occasion, Cointelegraph noticed formidable initiatives with younger and gifted groups becoming a member of the competitors proper after the largest collapse in crypto historical past, international exchanges utilizing the native facet of the occasion to announce their growth into the Turkish market, and trade veterans sharing knowledge and technique to endure the negativity of the mainstream media.
Wonderful view on the high flooring. Bomonti, Istanbul.
Right here for @IstanbulBlockWk verify @Cointelegraph frequently for updates. pic.twitter.com/3Xsls4mfKI
— Erhan (@ErhanKahraman) November 14, 2022
The Cointelegraph floor staff shot a number of video interviews with audio system on the Cointelegraph Turkey sales space, most of which have been printed on Cointelegraph Turkey’s YouTube channel. Between a panel moderation and many booth-surfing, Cointelegraph editor Erhan Kahraman additionally managed to take a seat down with famend cryptographer and Elixxir CEO David Chaum in addition to blockchain safety skilled HashEx CEO Dmitry Mishunin. Each interviews will likely be printed in Cointelegraph.
The primary announcement of IBW 2022 dates again to early 2022, so it’s protected to imagine that its particulars and agenda wanted to be marginally up to date because of the current meltdown. Nonetheless, the principle message was unmistakable: Crypto is right here to remain, and the crypto revolution is larger than FTX.