In focus: The Global DeFi Congress

Agora will launch the first and only event focused on Decentralised Finance in the Middle East and North Africa region in February.
The Global DeFi Congress will take place on 10th February 2021 in Dubai, with the participation of the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, the Ministry of Science and Technology Policy of Japan, the Governing Council of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, and the Work Group for Cryptocurrency Regulation of the Ministry of Finance of Latvia.
The decentralised finance (DeFi) sector continues to experience significant growth, with the total value locked in its markets surpassing $4 billion, up from just $1 billion in February 2020, according to DeFi Pulse data.
DeFi markets leverage blockchain or distributed ledger technology (DLT), crypto-assets, and smart contracts (automated business logic), in order to develop seemingly innovative financial products and services, including credit and lending solutions, which usually don’t require intermediaries or centralised entities to settle transactions.
In its continuous effort to attract the best technology and talent to Dubai, the Dubai government authority has announced that it is launching a crypto valley in the country’s free zone. With the help of its partners from the Swiss crypto valley, Dubai will offer a variety of services such as incubation for startups, coworking facilities, blockchain training, education, events, mentoring, and funding.
The Global DeFi Congress is a one-day event comprised of collaborative strategic discussions on how to best build the open financial system. It will serve as a bridge that will bring together investors, regulators, solution providers and subject matter experts to discuss, debate and challenge the existing financial system and propose ideas and opportunities on how to challenge and improve our financial system through DeFi.
The congress will also focus on raising funds for DeFi projects, with a series of one-on-one meetings between DeFi projects looking to raise funds and pre-qualified investors looking to invest into DeFi.
Speakers include Naokazu Takemoto – Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy in Japan; Hussain AL Mahmoudi – CEO Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park (SRTIP); and Baiba Broka – Member of the General Council, International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, Working Group Member on Cryptocurrency Regulation, Ministry of Finance, Latvia, and Former Minister of Justice, Latvia.
For participation, apply here: https://platform.agoragroup.ae/apply/21/global_defi_congress