Fortunately, blockchain has ceased to be an ‘arcane’ term, only reserved for tech geeks and an overly specialist audience. In fact, Blockchain technology is now at the centre of a number of ICT innovations and shifts have already started to take place – and will keep doing so in the medium term – in many aspects related to the internet and indeed the metaverse.

What’s more, Spain’s blockchain ecosystem is standing on increasingly solid ground as it approaches a more mature state. And that’s despite the very short amount of time it’s taken for this technology to become established in a number of sectors. In fact, a range of the most relevant stakeholders in the blockchain industry – and its derivative industries – recently came together as part of the Blockchain Expo & DeFi Congress in Zaragoza (BDZ), which was a resounding success having welcomed over 1,200 participants to the event.

Crypto finance, blockchain and more

The event was organised by the Aragón Blockchain Association and the Feria de Zaragoza exhibition centre, with the support of the Aragón Government, as well as the City Council and the local Chamber of Commerce. The organising committee lauded the positive outcomes of two intense days, which were attended by over ninety panellists and exhibitors. Feedback from the public, as BDZ explained, confirms that one of the event’s key goals was certainly met: to make the event “the best showcase of the crypto universe, Web3 and decentralised finance currently found on the Iberian peninsula”.

Alongside talks and roundtables on topics such as decentralised finance, cryptocurrencies, Web3, the metaverse, investments and trends, visitors were able to hear about some of the most promising startups in the blockchain technology sector. Alongside some prestigious and established companies, both in blockchain in Spain and those working in the worlds of law and taxes, organisations working on DeFi (Decentralised Finance) hedging and investing, as well as NFTs, were also present. According to the organisers, this facilitated some “very promising B2B (business to business) meetings on future development”.

One of the exhibitors at BDZ (Crypto Avatars) raffled an exclusive skin to design an interoperable avatar, meaning a ‘virtual personality’ represented in the form of a customisable character that can be introduced to various metaverses, given it’s currently not unusual to face a different and customised process in each virtual environment you visit.

A virtual event running in parallel with Blockchain Expo

At the same time, BDZ made it possible for attendees to test both virtual and augmented reality technology in situ through a number of different immersive experiences. Demonstrations on product traceability also took place using blockchain and through visits to the metaverse.

To offer a more comprehensive overview of the possibilities blockchain brings to its most promising application – the metaverse –, the organising committee held an event prior to the ‘physical’ conference in the form of a pre-opening party that took place 100% virtually in the Decentraland world. There, attendees were able to enjoy exclusive discounts to attend the physical event at the Palacio de Congresos in Zaragoza, alongside interviews with the organising teams and speakers, as well as getting free virtual wearables as a supportive NFT.

Both the quality and quantity of information, speakers, exhibitors and visitors to the Blockchain Expo & DeFi Congress, the synergies developed at the event and the strategic alliances crystalised are all positive signs of blockchain’s promising future in Spain. Not forgetting the infinite possibilities for developing secure and transparent business models underpinned by this technology, as the metaverse continues to lay the foundations step by step for our technological future. The BDZ 2022 organising committee, in view of the success of their first edition – which was also a pioneering experience on the Iberian peninsula – is already working hard on next year’s event, although the dates and content are yet to be confirmed.