Korea Blockchain Week returns to Seoul from 29 September to 1 October 2026. The dates need a small explanation: the Upbit Institutional Summit on 29 September is invite-only, while the public main conference runs on 30 September and 1 October at Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts.
That distinction matters when comparing tickets or planning flights. It also reveals the shape of this year’s event. KBW is putting Korea’s exchanges, institutions, regulators, and retail-heavy crypto market in the same week as global trading venues, stablecoin companies, and protocol founders.
Quick facts: Upbit Institutional Summit on 29 September by invitation; public main conference on 30 September and 1 October 2026 at Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts, Seoul. Tickets are available through the official KBW website.
Why Korea Blockchain Week matters this year
South Korea is one of the few markets where crypto is both a mass retail product and a live policy question. KBW’s title sponsor, Upbit, is central to the local market through operator Dunamu. The lineup also includes major exchanges, decentralized trading platforms, payment companies, and people working around government policy.
That makes Seoul a good place to test several narratives. Can stablecoins move from trading collateral to everyday payments? How will local exchanges adapt as institutional access grows? Are global platforms building products for Korean users, or only visiting for the week? And does the rapid rise of perpetual DEXs change what centralized exchanges need to offer?
The conference also sits one week before TOKEN2049 Singapore. Teams attending both should not treat them as duplicates. KBW offers a denser view of one major national market. TOKEN2049 is a larger global networking machine.
Confirmed speakers and what their mix tells us
The live KBW speaker list includes Balaji Srinivasan; Maelstrom CIO Arthur Hayes; BitMine chairman Tom Lee; Dunamu CEO Kyoungsuk Oh; Hyperliquid Labs CEO Jeff Yan; Tether USA₮ CEO Bo Hines; OKX founder and CEO Star Xu; Ripple president Monica Long; and Robinhood crypto head Johann Kerbrat.
Also confirmed are Caroline Pham, MoonPay’s Chief Legal and Administrative Officer; Ethena founder Guy Young; Kalshi head of crypto John Wang; and Harry Jung, Deputy Director at the White House.
The list pulls in four conversations that are usually separated: Korean market structure, global exchange competition, stablecoin distribution, and political oversight. The best sessions should be the ones where those subjects collide. A standard founder interview will be less useful than a clear discussion of access, liquidity, compliance, or product launches in Korea.
The invite-only first day
The Upbit Institutional Summit on 29 September is designed for policymakers, financial institutions, and senior industry participants. A public KBW ticket should not be read as access to that summit.
Public-ticket holders can still use 29 September for badge pre-registration. The official attendee FAQ says pre-registration runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., without access to the event venue. Main-conference registration runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 30 September and 1 October, with venue access from 9 a.m.
Tickets and current pricing
When checked on 10 August, the official checkout showed the Select Pass at US$599 and a Student Pass at US$99. The organizer also lists a later US$999 rate. Pricing pages and promotional snippets can lag behind the checkout, so verify the final amount before paying.
The FAQ says lunch is included and badges allow re-entry. Bring the registration QR code and valid identification for badge collection. Do not buy through a link sent in a direct message unless it resolves to the official KBW ticket domain.
Where to stay and how to use the week
Walkerhill is east of central Seoul and is less convenient for casual movement than a venue in Gangnam. Staying at one of the Walkerhill properties is the simplest option if the main conference is your priority. The organizer lists preferential hotel rates for a booking window from 14 September to 7 October, subject to availability.
If you stay elsewhere, use the hotel shuttle information in the official FAQ and leave extra travel time. Pre-registering the night before can save time on the first public day.
Side events are a major part of KBW, but a long list is not automatically a good schedule. Pick events tied to the teams or themes you already want to follow. Leave room for meetings at Walkerhill, where much of the Korean institutional audience will be concentrated.
Who should go
KBW is particularly relevant to exchanges, trading firms, stablecoin and payment teams, consumer apps, policy researchers, and projects entering Korea. Builders looking only for deep technical workshops may find Devcon or a chain-specific conference more efficient.
For media and analysts, the event offers a rare chance to compare what global companies say about Korea with what Korean operators say they actually need.
Official links and update note
Use the KBW homepage, speaker list, ticket checkout, and FAQ for updates. Dates, venue, and the Upbit summit split were cross-checked with the organizer’s announcement carried by PR Newswire. This preview was researched on 10 August 2026.
Korea Blockchain Week 2026 FAQ
When is Korea Blockchain Week 2026?
KBW2026 runs from 29 September to 1 October. The public main conference is on 30 September and 1 October.
Where is the KBW2026 main conference?
The public conference takes place at Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts in Seoul, South Korea.
Can a public ticket access KBW on 29 September?
No. The Upbit Institutional Summit on 29 September is invite-only; a normal conference ticket covers the public main conference.
Who is speaking at KBW2026?
The official list includes Balaji Srinivasan, Arthur Hayes, Tom Lee, Kyoungsuk Oh, Jeff Yan, Bo Hines, Star Xu and other industry leaders.
Can attendees pre-register for KBW2026?
The official attendee FAQ lists badge pre-registration from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on 29 September without event-venue access.
What are KBW2026 registration hours?
The published FAQ lists registration from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both public days, with venue access beginning at 9 a.m.
Is lunch included with a KBW ticket?
The official attendee FAQ says lunch is included and the badge permits re-entry. Check current pass conditions before buying.
Who should attend Korea Blockchain Week?
It is most relevant to exchanges, trading firms, stablecoin and payment teams, consumer apps, policymakers and projects entering the Korean market.
Where should KBW visitors stay?
Walkerhill is the simplest choice for conference access, while visitors staying elsewhere should account for east-Seoul travel and verify shuttle information.
Can the KBW speaker list or prices change?
Yes. Speakers, ticket tiers, side events and operational details can change, so use the official homepage, checkout and FAQ before travel.
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