Why Binance Blockchain Week is returning to Dubai and what to expect

We caught up with Binance’s head of global event marketing Kim Murphy ahead of Binance Blockchain Week 2025, taking place at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena on December 3-4

In our last conversation we talked about how Binance events are always evolving in line with industry trends and demand. What do you aim to achieve from this year’s Binance Blockchain Week?

Each year our goal is to deliver an experience that surpasses the last, brings in new and inspiring speakers and reflects both the current state of the industry and the momentum that is driving it forward. 

Binance Blockchain Week is our flagship event of the year and the pinnacle of that ambition. It is a moment for Binance to welcome colleagues, the community and friends of the brand to celebrate the industry together.

Part of this impact comes from scale. Last year alone, more than 5,000 attendees joined us. But it also comes from global relevance. Although the event is hosted in Dubai, it consistently attracts leading innovators, builders and community voices from around the world.

We focus on building moments that spark curiosity and capture the energy of the Web3 community. The community is fun, expressive and often a little “degen” [people who engage in high-risk, speculative trading, especially in cryptocurrency and decentralised finance], so the event needs to reflect that spirit. 

Binance Blockchain Week is designed to be interesting, enjoyable and slightly avant-garde. Beyond this, we structure the agenda so that newcomers can follow the fundamentals, while experienced participants have space for deeper and more technical conversations.

Unlike many of our community events, which are often market-specific or tied to a single initiative, Binance Blockchain Week is designed as a true celebration of the ecosystem, its momentum, its breakthroughs and its future. It’s a space where speakers, educators, developers, innovators and users come together to reflect on the past year and explore what’s coming next.

Binance Blockchain Week is taking place in Dubai for the second year running – why did you decide to return to the city?

Singapore, Istanbul and Paris have all hosted incredible editions of Binance Blockchain Week, but we decided to return to Dubai due to the city’s unique magnetism for the Web3 industry.

This is our second consecutive year at the Coca-Cola Arena and in fact, the third time overall, as we also held the 2022 edition here. 

This is very intentional.

Dubai has become the epicentre of the global Web3 ecosystem. With a forward-thinking approach to digital assets and a clear, progressive regulatory framework, the city creates an environment where Web3 innovation can truly thrive.

There’s a significant concentration of Web3 companies in the city, making it strategically ideal for our flagship event.

Dubai is a city that is built on innovation, collaboration and responsible growth. It gives us the opportunity to continue bringing together the builders, leaders and communities who are shaping the future of Web3 in a market that is already leading the global conversation.

Binance

The Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. Kim says the emirate “has become the epicentre of the global Web3 ecosystem”

As the global crypto sector matures, how can you keep event attendees engaged to make sure they come back next year?

The beauty of the Web3 industry is how passionate, determined and excited everyone is about the industry as a whole. 

When we started building this year’s agenda, we asked our community directly what programming they wanted and the result is a programme shaped by them.

That said, our priority is to not only create an experience that is educational and inspiring but also fun. Web3 as a whole came from very disruptive, meme-ified and avant-garde beginnings, a tone that still holds true today.

We incorporate that narrative at Binance Blockchain Week by holding games, challenges and lounge areas on the ground so that attendees can simply hang out with like-minded people, rather than being ushered from stage to stage.

In addition we are thrilled to reinforce the strides that Binance has made by welcoming more than 90 Binance Angels to Dubai. They will be flying in from around the world to support logistics, appear on stage and join the community-focused session alongside the Humans of Binance users we are bringing in.

So, for me, keeping attendees engaged and coming back each year is simple. When your community helps shape, staff and energise the event, the experience becomes theirs and that is what keeps them returning.

What are the next big innovations you’re exploring in event formats to create the next wave of community events?

We’re always looking at ways in which we can surprise and delight our audience so that Binance Blockchain Week doesn’t just feel like a cookie-cutter event. And when you’re bringing in a diverse audience, these innovations can really help build a sense of community.  

Bringing in touches of augmented and virtual reality through immersive activations is always a fun element to introduce to any event. And hosting events in the metaverse is always a great way to engage the online audience.

While it’s important to incorporate new innovations into our events, it’s also important to remain true to our focus around education and empowering the broader ecosystem.

What proportion of your events are virtual-only versus in-person, and how do you see this evolving? 

Most Binance events take a hybrid approach, blending in-person experiences with livestream access for our global community.  For example, Binance Blockchain Week is hosted in-person, but broadcast across Binance Live, enabling those who can’t make it to tune in. 

Looking ahead we expect this hybrid proportion to remain strong as we continue integrating immersive technologies such as AI, gamification and other interactive tools to enhance both formats. 

Ultimately, our goal is to keep events dynamic, accessible and highly engaging, choosing in-person or virtual formats based on what will deliver the most impact for each experience. 

How do your events tie into Binance’s education initiatives and broader ecosystem-building efforts for the future of Web3?

Over events are a core part of Binance’s multi-pronged approach to education and ecosystem growth. 

While Binance Academy provides foundational learning, our events offer an immersive, real-time experience where the community can hear directly from our experts shaping the future of Web3. 

This deepens understanding, sparks meaningful conversations and brings the industry to life in a way that complements our online education efforts. 

Beyond Binance events, what is the best business event you have attended over the past year and why?

There are too many great events to mention! Any opportunity for the web3 community to come together to learn from each other and help push the industry forward is a great business event to attend.

Sign up for Binance Blockchain Week 2025

Binance Blockchain Week 2025 takes place at the Cola-Cola Arena in Dubai on December 3-4. Register for your spot here.