Taipei, Taiwan, December 16th, 2024, Chainwire
VALR, Africa’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, capped off the year by partnering with Taipei Blockchain Week, where the exchange made a significant impact on discussions around the future of digital assets.
At the well-attended conference, VALR’s Chief Marketing Officer, Ben Caselin, participated in a high-profile panel titled “Unlocking Web3 Potential in Emerging Markets: Asia and Africa on the Rise.” The panel also featured Jen Bilango from Coins.ph and was moderated by Stefan Piech, Founder of Amagi. During the session, Caselin emphasized the pivotal role of stablecoins in markets like South Africa and highlighted the innovative potential of emerging markets in both Asia and Africa.
Caselin projected key trends for the upcoming year, including the rise of countries exploring Bitcoin mining, corporate adoption of Bitcoin for treasury management, and banks expanding access to digital assets like US dollar stablecoins. He also addressed critical challenges in the industry, cautioning against the proliferation and endless issuance of new tokens, which he argued distract from the primary mission of optimizing global finance and ironically mirrors the very act that this industry is so critical of, namely, money printing by Central Banks.
“It is crucial to remain focused on what truly matters,” Caselin stated, emphasizing the need to cater to the financial needs of households and businesses in emerging markets, where it’s mostly about wealth preservation and financial inclusion. He shared, “The purpose of life is not to make money,” adding that “maybe some of you like Lambo’s, but you can also not buy a Lambo and just help a lot of people around you — there’s a different perspective on life.”
In addition to participating in the conference, the VALR team hosted a VIP event for some of the region’s leading traders and partnered with BlockTempo to organize a gathering of over 150 Web3 traders and enthusiasts. These events provided opportunities to explore the burgeoning growth potential in Taiwan and beyond. Notably, VALR, referred to locally as “Wei Le” (威樂) – meaning “powerful and happy” in Chinese – is making strides in connecting with the Asian market.
Reflecting on the atmosphere in Taipei, Caselin remarked:
“On the back of Bitcoin reaching new highs above $100,000 per coin and the explosive rise of meme coins alongside more utility-driven projects, Taipei truly came alive. Similar to conferences in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Dubai, we are seeing how Web3 conferences, accompanied by numerous side events, can infuse vitality into a city. These gatherings not only align jurisdictions with the future of finance but also create an environment that fosters innovation and attracts significant business opportunities.”
About VALR
VALR provides a comprehensive suite of cryptocurrency products and services, including Spot Trading, Spot Margin, Perpetual Futures, an API for high-frequency traders, Subaccounts with governance features, OTC Trading, Staking, Lending, Simple Buy/Sell Swap, and VALR Pay.
Founded in 2018, VALR is Africa’s largest crypto exchange by trade volume, serving over 1,100 corporate and institutional clients and more than 1 million users globally. Headquartered in Johannesburg, VALR is licensed by the FSCA in South Africa, with regulatory approvals in Europe and initial approval from Dubai’s VARA. The exchange has secured $55 million in equity funding from top investors, including Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures, GSR, and F-Prime, affiliated with Fidelity Investments.
For more information, visit valr.com.
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