[Seoul, South Korea, September 30, 2026]
Hosted by Web3Labs and co-hosted by Techub News, HypaiLabs, and TokenPost, GWDC 2026 KOREA (Global Web3 Dev Con 2026 Korea) was successfully held on September 29–30 at the aT Center in Seoul, South Korea.
As one of Asia’s leading technology events, this year’s GWDC continued under the theme “For Builders, By Builders,” drawing significant attention from the global Web3 and AI communities. According to official conference figures, total registrations across Luma and Fnny reached 12,706. Over the two-day programme, the event recorded more than 2,000 attendee visits from around the world and brought together over 100 distinguished speakers and more than 100 pioneering companies.
1. Deepening Hong Kong–Korea Policy and Industry Collaboration: AWPA Alliance Officially Established
On the first day of the conference, leaders from government, business, and academia gathered to mark a new milestone in East Asian cooperation across the Web3 and AI industries.
Policy Perspectives and Industry Outlook. In a video address, South Korean Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol stated that Korea’s world-class semiconductor and digital data infrastructure positions the country to become a global testbed for AI applications. Dr. Johnny Ng, a Legislative Council member of Hong Kong, China, emphasised that the convergence of AI and blockchain is creating new ways of living, while Hong Kong’s advantages in taxation and financial freedom provide strong support for entrepreneurs worldwide. South Korean National Assembly member Min Byung-deok, who introduced the Digital Asset Basic Act, stated that building a sound market that supports innovation and protects investors requires joint action across Asia.
Launch of the Hong Kong, China–Korea Web3 Policy Promotion Alliance (AWPA). Jointly initiated by legislators Johnny Ng and Min Byung-deok, AWPA was officially established at the conference. The alliance will deepen policy coordination in areas including asset compliance, stablecoin frameworks, and cross-border data flows.
A Twin-Engine Vision. Web3Labs CEO Caspar Wong stated that, following the successful inaugural GWDC in Hong Kong, China, this February, the Korea edition further strengthened the technological and economic ties between the two markets, with the aim of positioning Hong Kong and Korea as twin engines of the global Web3 revolution.
2. Four Key Areas of Industry Consensus: Shifting from Technology-Led Issuance to Use Cases, Distribution, and Real-World Adoption
Across more than ten keynote presentations, multiple panel discussions, and fireside chats over two days, participants identified four key areas of consensus on the future convergence of Web3 and AI:
1. AI Agents Emerge as New Participants in the On-Chain Economy. Speakers including Animoca Brands Co-founder Yat Siu and TRON Founder Justin Sun agreed that blockchain infrastructure is a natural fit for AI agents. Equipping an agent with a crypto wallet gives it access to open financial services and channels for transferring value.
2. Stablecoins Evolve from Trading Pairs into Infrastructure for AI and Borderless Payments. Nick See Tong, Head of APAC at Base, stated that Base already accounts for a major share of activity on x402, a micropayment protocol for AI agents. Representatives from Coinbase Institutional, VERY LABS, and other organisations also noted that stablecoins are rapidly expanding beyond exchange trading into everyday cross-border transfers, merchant payments, and small-value settlements between agents.
3. RWA (Real-World Asset Tokenization): The Focus Shifts from Issuance to Liquidity and Distribution. Representatives from Ondo Finance, Hashgraph, Canton Foundation, and Paxos Labs noted that tokenization itself is no longer a technical bottleneck. The real challenges lie in cross-chain interoperability, bootstrapping liquidity, and establishing compliant distribution channels once assets are brought on-chain.
4. A Shift in Product Validation Criteria: Distribution Capabilities and Real User Retention Outweigh Technology Alone. Investors from Cointelegraph Accelerator, HB Ventures, and other organisations reminded entrepreneurs that AI tools have significantly lowered the barriers to product development. Future competitiveness will depend on real user retention, clear revenue models, and strong distribution and marketing capabilities.
3. Builder Momentum: Over 120 Hackathon Teams Compete as a University Alliance Builds a Bridge to Long-Term Incubation
The 48-hour hackathon, held alongside the conference at the venue, emerged as a focal point for innovation. It attracted more than 120 builder teams comprising over 150 developers, who participated on-site and online from more than eight countries and regions, including China, South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan. The conference extends its special thanks to its 39 media partners, 31 communities, and 30 university alliances for their generous support!
At the closing ceremony, the top three winning teams in each of the hackathon’s two tracks were officially announced:
TRON Track:
1st Place: Protocol Alpha Finder (Project: Protocol Alpha Finder) | Tsinghua University team
2nd Place: b.p (Project: faat) | Joint team from Seoul National University, Chung-Ang University, and Sungkyul University
3rd Place: Team J (Project: SettleMap) | Independent developer team
FuriosaAI × Bricksum (FxB) Track:
1st Place: 404 Found (Project: CFO Agent) | Joint team from Kyonggi University and Gyeongsang National University
2nd Place: Make the world better (Project: Accord lock) | Independent developer team
3rd Place: ; (Project: Agent Accord) | Kyonggi University team
In addition, Alex Chung-hyun, Head of Bitrise Korea, stated that the team had visited more than 100 universities across South Korea and established a total prize pool of US$100,000 to support young developers. The conference also formally established the University Alliance as a standing organisation. It will continue connecting universities, businesses, and global accelerators to provide outstanding student teams with long-term incubation and funding support.
About GWDC 2026 KOREA
GWDC (Global Web3 Dev Con) is a premier global gathering for Web3 and AI developers, bringing together builders, investment institutions, and policymakers from around the world to advance the cross-border adoption and commercialisation of emerging technologies.
Official website: https://www.gwdc.net/
About Web3Labs
Web3Labs is a leading incubator and gateway for startups in the Web3.0 sector. In support of the Hong Kong SAR Government’s policies, it helps Web3 companies worldwide establish a presence in Hong Kong and connect with international markets through market entry services, investment and acceleration, technology collaboration, and compliance support.
Web3Labs has launched a US$10 million global acceleration programme and established strategic partnerships with leading international organisations, including Neo, Zetrix, ICP, KuCoin Labs, TON, and TRON, to provide comprehensive support and resources for high-potential Web3 projects.
