Unchained Summit announces Dubai edition scheduled for 1st and 2nd May 2026

Unchained Summit returns to Dubai on 1–2 May 2026, convening global web3 leaders for focused, institution-grade conversations on real adoption and regulatory clarity.

Monday, 15 December 2025, Dubai, UAE: Organized by Aeternum, the B2B events firm focused on emerging tech, Unchained Summit will return to Dubai on 1^st & 2^nd May 2026 with a speaker lineup that reflects the growing maturity of the global web 3.0 sector. Supported by Official Media Partner Coin Edition, the summit is expected to draw more than 1,500 builders, investors, developers and policymakers. The first wave of speakers released this week signals the kind of conversations the organizers aim to foster: grounded in real adoption, regulatory clarity, and institutional scale.

The UAE is no longer positioning itself as a digital asset hub. It has firmly established itself as one of the world’s most active and credible markets for digital assets and web 3.0. With mature regulatory frameworks in place and increasing participation from global institutions, banks, enterprises, and technology providers, the country has become a jurisdiction where meaningful innovation, deployment, and large-scale adoption are actively taking place.

Against this backdrop, Unchained Summit in Dubai is designed to deliver the level of curation, senior participation, and structured engagement that a mature digital asset economy now requires. While the region has seen a rapid increase in industry events, few platforms are built to serve the needs of institutional capital, enterprise innovators, high-growth founders, digital asset treasury teams, and active investors. Unchained Summit addresses this gap by creating a focused environment where founders are connected with investors, web 3.0 companies engage directly with institutional decision-makers, and enterprise leaders collaborate with the infrastructure builders shaping the next phase of adoption alongside purposeful partnerships.

The 2026 edition in Dubai will feature a highly curated speaker lineup of over 80 leaders across two days, spanning traditional finance, enterprise technology, digital asset infrastructure, venture capital, and high growth startups. Speakers will be announced in phases.

The first round of confirmed speakers include:

• Eowyn Chen, CEO, Trust Wallet, UAE
• David Norris, CFO & CSO, NEAR Foundation, UAE
• Andrew Vranjes, Chief Revenue Officer, Blockdaemon, UAE
• Abdulla Al Dhaheri, CEO, The Blockchain Center, Abu Dhabi
• Anthony Bassili, President, Coinbase Asset Management
• Richard Wang, Partner, Draper Dragon, China
• Akshay Dalal, Head of Regional Risk & Compliance, Google, UAE
• Jack Platts, Co-Founder, Hypersphere Ventures, USA
• Yat Siu, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Animoca Brands
• Nic Puckrin, Co-Founder and CEO, Coin Bureau, Dubai
• Niraj Pant, Co-Founder, Ritual, USA, among others.

Beyond content, Unchained Summit is built around outcome-driven engagement. The event will include structured investor founder meetings, curated one-to-one introductions, and dedicated spaces for enterprise teams and infrastructure providers to engage in focused discussions. The objective is to move beyond surface-level networking and toward tangible collaboration, partnerships, and deployment.

Akshay Dalal from Google, who will be speaking at the event said, “Web 3.0 represents a pivotal shift in how we interact with data, identity, and trust. As regulatory frameworks begin to catch up, I believe the convergence of Web 3.0 and AI can unlock transformative potential, if we build it with responsibility, resilience, and real-world value in mind. I’m excited to bring a risk and compliance lens to the Unchained Summit in Dubai, helping bridge innovation with integrity.”

Reflecting on the previous edition, Yat Siu of Animoca Brands, noted: “Events like Unchained Summit matter because they help people understand why the industry exists in the first place.”  He noted that the talks, panels and connections serve a larger purpose, especially in a space that still sits in the early stages of global adoption. He reminded the audience that despite carrying a value in the trillions, web 3.0 remains a small part of the world economy. That is why collaboration and shared learning are essential. He said “Unchained Summit plays a key role in bringing the community closer and creating the connections that push the industry forward.”

Nic Puckrin, CEO of Coin Bureau, added: “Happy to be speaking at Unchained Summit in Dubai and to share a clear view on where the crypto markets may be heading next. The industry is moving through a defining period, and informed analysis matters more than ever.”

Sharath Kumar, Founder and CEO of Aeternum, organizer of Unchained Summit, said: “Following the success of our first edition, Unchained Summit returns at a time when the UAE has become a place where globally significant developments can be executed, not just discussed. The Summit is built to help companies, investors, and enterprises engage with intent, close meaningful partnerships, and drive real outcomes.”

Tickets are available on the official website. 

About Aeternum Consulting Ltd

Aeternum organizes business-to-business events in the emerging tech space, provides strategic consulting, and tailored services to a diverse range of clients, from corporations to governments and startups to individuals. Aeternum specializes in crafting impactful B2B platforms that foster meaningful connections, drive business growth, and facilitate knowledge sharing through conferences, exhibitions, and bespoke networking opportunities.

For more information visit the official website.

For further details about the announcement, please contact: Maya K V | [email protected] | +971 55 243 1191 (Partnerships Associate, Aeternum)