The world’s first DePIN flagship event — DePIN Expo 2025 — concluded successfully at Hong Kong Cyberport. The conference brought together global industry leaders, academics, and developers to focus on cutting-edge applications of Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN), AI, and Web3, while showcasing more than 20 innovative projects. The event highlighted Hong Kong’s strategic position as an international DePIN hub and marked a new chapter for real-world infrastructure and economic models.
From August 27 to 28, 2025, DePIN Expo 2025 was successfully held at Hong Kong Cyberport. The event was jointly initiated by CGV and DeMall, organized by Web3Labs, MetaEra, and Techub News, and co-organized by Cyberport. As the world’s first flagship industry event dedicated to Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN), the conference was held under the theme “Life, Reimagined with DePIN”, bringing together global industry leaders, academics, investors, and developers to explore how DePIN technologies are reshaping real-world infrastructure and economic models.
Opening Remarks: Hong Kong Emerges as a Strategic Hub for DePIN and Web3
The conference officially opened with remarks by Dr. Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport.
Dr. Cheng stated: “As Hong Kong’s digital technology hub and AI accelerator, Cyberport is home to more than 2,200 startups and the city’s largest blockchain and digital asset ecosystem, including over 290 blockchain companies. Through the Web3.0 Investors Circle under the Cyberport Investors Network, we have brought together more than 40 investment institutions focused on blockchain technology, driving the deep integration of DePIN with the real economy. We are building a complete ecosystem spanning technology implementation, capital connection, and industrial applications. By leveraging the resources of Cyberport’s AI Supercomputing Centre and broader AI ecosystem, we are also promoting deeper integration between AI and blockchain, accelerating blockchain adoption in the real economy, and opening broader prospects for digital assets, blockchain technology, and the Web 3.0 industry.”
In the organizer’s opening remarks, Kevin Ren, Initiator of DePIN Expo and APAC Partner at CGV Fund, delivered a speech under the theme “Life, Reimagined with DePIN.” He systematically outlined the major categories of DePIN and its practical applications in everyday life. He noted that DePIN is not only the physical carrier of the convergence of AI and Web3, but also a critical infrastructure layer for the realization of the machine economy. Kevin also announced that DeAI Expo will be launched in 2026, further advancing the integration of decentralized AI with the physical world.
Keynote Speeches: Technology Convergence and Ecosystem Building Take Center Stage
Yao Ding, APAC Growth Lead at the Solana Foundation, shared how the Solana network is enabling the development of DePIN projects through its high-performance and low-cost architecture. He pointed to multiple data indicators showing that Solana has already become one of the preferred public blockchains for DePIN deployment.
Dr. Cai Kailong, CEO of NANO bit, approached the topic from the perspectives of compliance and capital markets. He noted that the crypto industry is undergoing a one-way integration into Wall Street. He emphasized that high-quality projects need to unlock value through U.S. listings or compliant capital markets, and provided an in-depth analysis of the interaction among industry forces, market dynamics, and regulatory frameworks.
Professor Allen Yang of UC Berkeley pointed out from an academic research perspective that the energy consumption of AI applications may create new centralization risks and that decentralized computing platforms and edge computing will be important solutions. He specifically highlighted the demand for real-time local processing in Embodied AI, calling for greater decentralization and federation in AI edge computing.
Policy and Legislative Support: Hong Kong Actively Builds a Web3-Friendly Environment
In the opening remarks on the afternoon of August 27, Dr. Johnny Ng Kit-Chong, Member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Member of the National Committee of the CPPCC, provided a detailed overview of Hong Kong’s legislative progress in the virtual asset sector.
He noted that Hong Kong has already issued 11 virtual asset exchange licenses and introduced a stablecoin regulatory regime, with further regulations for over-the-counter (OTC) trading and custody services expected next year. Dr. Ng also pointed out that the global data asset market is valued at approximately US$4 trillion, of which 93% consists of native tokens, while tokenized real-world assets still account for less than 1%, indicating enormous future potential. He emphasized that Hong Kong will work in coordination with the United States to advance industry innovation and called on entrepreneurs to seize opportunities arising from the growth of DePIN and RWA.
Caspar Wong, CEO of Web3Labs, further noted that Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary has allocated funding to support Cyberport’s Web3 ecosystem. Over the past two years, more than 50 projects have been incubated, and multiple incubation programs have been launched in collaboration with public blockchains, providing founders with comprehensive support.
Panel Discussions: The Convergence Pathways of DePIN, AI, and Web3
The morning panel on August 27, titled “Hong Kong’s Role and Path in the DePIN × Web3 Ecosystem,” was moderated by Seven, COO of MetaEra. Panelists agreed that Hong Kong, with its international financial status and open policy environment, has unique advantages in becoming a DePIN hub. Pauline Fan, Senior Vice President of InvestHK, emphasized the importance of open-source communities; Rachel Lee of Cyberport noted that Cyberport will continue to attract public blockchains and ecosystem projects to Hong Kong; Wang Yiwen from the Hong Kong Youth Science and Technology Association stated that DePIN can attract AI talent to the city; Yao Ding of the Solana Foundation highlighted Hong Kong’s significance as a bridge between Eastern and Western markets; and Crystal Tang, CEO of Hitch, shared her experience related to the Hitch Open initiative.
Another panel, “How Can DePIN Become the Next Global Infrastructure Gateway?”, was moderated by Edward, Partner at CGV. Speakers including Henrique Centieiro, Research Lead at peaq; Chris Bian Ong of DPIN Foundation; Logan N of Hyra Network; Gunjan, VP at Beamable; and Ryan Ma of FMG discussed the topic from the perspectives of enterprise middleware, data sovereignty, and compliance transformation. They noted that DePIN is evolving from consumer-facing applications toward compliant enterprise services, becoming a true new operating system for the real world.
The August 28 panel, “Is AI × DePIN Rewriting the Protocols of the Real World?”, was moderated by Lin, SVP of Nano Bit. Eastern from IoTeX said that the immediate focus is solving the issues of AI black boxes and trust. JT Song of 0G Labs introduced 0G’s one-stop solution for DePIN, covering data storage, computing power, and consensus. Heric noted that users currently show stronger preference for devices with built-in yield mechanisms. Larry of the Kaia Foundation argued that DePIN’s success depends on user scale, real-value applications, and network effects. QuanYu from RootData shared insights from investment and financing data, noting that DePIN remains one of the most closely watched sectors for capital.
Project Roadshows and Ecosystem Showcase: Innovative Applications Take the Spotlight
The conference also featured an Open Stage, where more than 20 DePIN projects were showcased live. These projects spanned multiple categories, including decentralized storage, edge computing, smart hardware, data collection, and payment solutions. The distribution of showcased projects by category is illustrated below.
Closing Outlook: The DePIN Ecosystem Continues to Evolve, with Hong Kong Emerging as an Innovation Engine
The conference concluded with partnership signings and vibrant exchanges among participants. TokenPost and Techub News completed a strategic partnership agreement, further expanding the global media reach of DePIN Expo.
DePIN Expo 2025 not only showcased the latest developments in DePIN technology, but also highlighted Hong Kong’s strategic role as an international hub for Web3 and DePIN. From policy support to capital deployment, from academic research to industrial application, Hong Kong is rapidly emerging as a core node connecting Eastern and Western DePIN ecosystems.
Looking ahead, DePIN Expo will continue working toward its vision of becoming the “CES of Web3,” driving decentralized technologies toward mass adoption and empowering the real economy.
DePIN Expo 2025 is the world’s first professional expo focused on Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN), held in Hong Kong in August 2025. Under the theme “Life, Reimagined with DePIN,” the expo brought together leading global DePIN projects, public blockchain teams, investment institutions, hardware manufacturers, and policymakers to create a panoramic industry event spanning ecosystem showcases, physical interaction, node deployment, industrial collaboration, and city-level demonstrations. It is committed to advancing DePIN technology from proof of concept to large-scale real-world implementation.
About Web3Labs
Web3Labs serves as a one-stop gateway for Web3.0 entrepreneurship, aligned with the policy vision of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. Through support spanning market-entry services, investment acceleration, technical collaboration, PR services, and compliance assistance, Web3Labs helps Web3 enterprises worldwide establish a presence in Hong Kong and connect with international opportunities.
To date, Web3Labs has established offline incubators in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Hangzhou, and Beijing. It has also launched a US$10 million Web3.0 Global Acceleration Program and formed strategic partnerships with leading international institutions including Neo, Zetrix, ICP, KuCoin Labs, and TON, providing high-potential projects with comprehensive enablement and acceleration support.
