printer icon
October 1, 2025 BlockchainNZ

NZ’s crypto moment: Working group launch, Token2049, and FMA tokenisation response

Kia ora BlockchainNZ whānau,

Another big month following the success of CryptoWinter25. In September, we saw strong member thought leadership, progress on the Digital Asset Working Group (read on for an exciting announcement about that), and I represented BlockchainNZ at key events in Sydney, Auckland, and on the global stage.

Looking ahead, October brings Token2049 in Singapore, a joint roundtable with FinTechNZ on tokenisation, and our government engagement events in Wellington.

What’s New?

The new Token Affairs podcast episode with Will Remor is now live on YouTube, covering stablecoins and real-world assets (RWAs).

Check it out here.

We published two articles as a collaboration between the Centre for Digital Economic Analysis, written by working group member Rachael Jones. 

  • NZ’s crypto voters are becoming too big to ignore

    Explores how crypto holders represent an increasingly influential voting bloc. With nearly half the population having engaged with crypto, the political opportunity is clear: pro-crypto policies mobilise a motivated, high-turnout constituency.

    Read the full article and let us know your thoughts
     
  • NZ may have just scored an accidental win in the crypto race

    Australian firm Locate Technologies is moving its ASX listing across the ditch to the NZX to pursue a Bitcoin treasury strategy, signalling NZ’s openness to digital assets. But with many local firms still heading offshore, the challenge is turning this into a deliberate strategy rather than a one-off win.

    Read the full article and let us know your thoughts

Announcing the Digital Asset Working Group

We’re excited to announce the formation of the Digital Asset Working Group! 

This will be a cross-party, cross-sector forum bringing together Members of Parliament, regulators, and industry leaders to build understanding of blockchain and digital assets in New Zealand.

The group draws on international models such as the UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) and Australia’s Parliamentary Friends of Blockchain. It’s designed as a forum for education, discussion, and policy development, showcasing global case studies while highlighting how blockchain can grow New Zealand’s economy, foster innovation, and create opportunities that keep our youth and talent onshore.

Within the Digital Asset Working Group, we have also formed a subgroup focused on education. This team has already produced a government briefing paper, which will be published on our website soon. 

If you’d like to get involved in the Education Working Group, please reach out to Trevor by email.

Welcome to Our New Members

A warm welcome to our newest members. We’re excited to have you in the community and look forward to collaborating across education, policy, and real‑world adoption.

September Events Wrap Up

September was a busy month as work continued on the Digital Asset Working Group and preparations for upcoming events. Alongside this, I represented BlockchainNZ at:

  • Stripe Tour Sydney (18 September)
    This event brought together leading voices from across the payments, fintech, and digital asset sectors. The sessions explored the future of financial infrastructure, global expansion for digital businesses, and Stripe’s growing role in enabling Web3 and tokenisation use cases. 

    It was also a chance to connect with major industry members and partners active in both traditional and emerging finance.
     
  • AUT Master of Analytics Presentation (20 September)
    Invited by Executive Council member Shu Su, I delivered a workshop to postgraduate students at AUT. The session traced the evolution of the internet – from Web1’s “read” era, to Web2’s “read and write,” and now Web3’s focus on ownership. Students learned how blockchain, born from the Global Financial Crisis, has grown beyond Bitcoin into areas like gaming, digital identity, tokenisation, and AI. I described blockchain as the “trust layer of the internet” and encouraged students to design real-world use cases in group exercises. 

    The response from students was very positive, with strong engagement and fresh ideas shared.
     
  • DECA Global Digital Asset Regulatory Summit 2025 (25 September)
    I also joined a panel at DECA’s Global Digital Asset Regulatory Summit, alongside BCNZ Chair Jeremy Muir, EC member Paul Quickenden, Rachael Jones, and Rocky Yuen. 

    The APAC Deep Dive session looked at how jurisdictions across New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and Southeast Asia are approaching digital asset regulation.

Upcoming Events

With three exciting events presented by us and Token2049 in Singapore, October is set to be a busy eventing month for BlockchainNZ!

Token2049
I will be attending Token2049, one of the world’s largest industry events, in Singapore on the 1-2 October, representing BlockchainNZ. Learn more about Token2049

BlockchainNZ x FinTechNZ Joint Roundtable on Tokenisation
Monday 13 October | Auckland
A joint event to form a coordinated response to the FMA’s consultation paper on the current and future use of tokenisation in New Zealand’s financial markets. This is a significant topic for both FinTechNZ and BlockchainNZ members. This event is invite only. If you have something you’d like to add to the conversation, please reach out to Trevor.

Blockchain 101 for Policymakers
Tuesday 14 October | Wellington
A government engagement session providing an accessible, up-to-date overview of blockchain’s role in New Zealand’s economy, co-hosted by MP Joseph Mooney. After a short presentation on the global and local opportunities for the coalition government, there will be time for open discussion and networking with industry leaders. The event is invite only. If you’re interested, please reach out to Trevor.

Digital Asset Working Group Launch
Wednesday 15 October | Wellington
The first meeting of the Digital Asset Working Group, NZs new cross-party, cross-sector forum bringing together MPs, regulators, and industry leaders to build understanding of blockchain and digital assets. The group is designed to provide a structured pathway for education, discussion, and policy development, drawing on international models such as the UK’s APPGs and Australia’s Parliamentary Friends of Blockchain. If you’d like to be a part of the working group, please reach out to Trevor.

CyrptoWinter26
Planning for CryptoWinter26 is already well underway, with special launch tickets set to go on sale in the coming weeks. Register your interest to stay in the loop

Events in the pipeline
Expect announcements soon for several upcoming BlockchainNZ events. As a sneak peek, we’re planning The Great Merge in November, exploring the convergence of TradFi and DeFi, followed by part two of our Tokenisation in Real Estate event in early 2026.

Thank you for being part of the BlockchainNZ community. I hope to catch you at one of the many engagements throughout October. 

Ngā mihi,
Trevor Topfer
Executive Director
BlockchainNZ

Read full news here: NZ’s crypto moment

Subscribe for more
BlockchainNZ We provide New Zealand businesses and individuals opportunities for connecting, promoting and advancing in all things blockchain, crypto and decentralisation. We believe that by working together and leveraging our globally recognised brand of trust and integrity, New Zealand can become a key player in the move to a decentralised global ecosystem.