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Shihan Fang · · 6 min read

Singapore dazzles as regional crypto hub with Token2049

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Hi there,

What do a llamicorn, buxom cosplayers, and a masked guy in a suit handing out black business cards ala Snow Crash all have in common?

You can find them all – and then some – at Token2049.

Arguably the biggest Asian crypto conference of the year, the event coincides with a deluge of other industry conferences kicking off just in time for the Singapore Grand Prix . Even former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is in town, albeit for a non-crypto event.

The turnout, easily the biggest over the last fews years, speaks volumes about everyone’s desire to return to pre-Covid-19 normalcy. But with one out of every five people sniffling to some degree (I was counting), it’s clear that respiratory issues are still a problem.

But rain or shine, the party goes on. Practice sessions for F1 start tonight and qualifying sessions begin on Saturday.

Eagle-eyed McLaren fans may be able to spot the OKX logo on the front, sides, and rear wings of cars driven by Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris .

And what is OKX? Good question, read on.

– Shihan


THE BIG STORY

Image credit: Timmy Loen

OKX, “crypto’s best kept secret” is out
Crypto exchange OKX is making a splash this year. While others are laying off staff, OKX plans to add another 1,000 employees to its global headcount this year. It has also secured high-profile partnerships with Manchester City (a US$20 million deal to sponsor the team’s training kits) and F1 (worth “hundreds of millions” in co-branding opportunities).

Accompanying the company’s newly polished exterior is a corporate architecture carefully designed to keep OKX operating at arm’s length from its founder, Star Xu. By going global, it is hoping to shake off its origins as a Chinese exchange that has been the subject of two police investigations.

We caught up with OKX’s financial market director, Lennix Lai, who was also one of OKX’s first employees when it launched in 2017.


⭐ TO THE STARS


🌙 TO THE MOON


🌏 BACK TO EARTH


STILL A PONZI SCHEME


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TIA Writer

Shihan Fang

Shihan is a freelance crypto journalist focusing on infrastructure and upstream Web3 trends. She's not too fond of apes, but will take an Auntie NFT.