FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is one of the guest speakers at the big blockchain shindig

London-based crypto derivatives trading platform FTX will be a headline sponsor of this year’s Australian Blockchain Week, a five-day festival covering 75 events both online and in-person starting on the 21st of March. The conference will cover topics such as taxation and economics, Metaverse revolution, sovereign digital currencies, venture capital and the regulatory implications of blockchain technology with over 200 guest speakers, including Sam Bankman-Fried.

No details were released as to the terms of the partnership, but Steve Vallas, head of Blockchain Australia, the organization behind the festival, said it was a “huge milestone” for the local blockchain industry.

Now is the Mainstream Moment

Vallas also noted that this year’s festival will be the largest of its kind in Australia, calling it a “defining moment” for the blockchain ecosystem.

“The mainstream moment has arrived. Blockchain Week will be a defining moment for the Australian blockchain ecosystem.”

The partnership comes as the blockchain sector continues to grow and gain wider acceptance. Many praised the timing of the event, saying that with more financial institutions showing an interest in blockchain technology, coupled with an increase in regulation, the festival will be held at a critical time.

The CEO of FTX also expressed his admiration for the Australian blockchain sector and hopes that the partnership will help to support and promote growth in the space. Bankman-Fried said, “We look forward to contributing to discussions to advance the local industry, better safeguard and protect consumers, and enable financial institutions to evolve and prosper in the cryptocurrency industry.”

Australian Blockchain Industry Attracting Big Names

The festival will be held in six Australian cities — Adelaide, Brisbane, Launceston, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney — and streamed to a global audience. Crypto.com has already announced that it is targeting the Australian market and just yesterday the Australian Football League (AFL) revealed a five-year $18 million deal with Singapore Exchange to make it the official cryptocurrency trading and exchange platform for the league.