The European crypto scene has no shortage of events. But if you had to pick just one conference this spring that combines serious deal flow, top-tier content, and a genuinely vibrant community atmosphere, Next Block Expo would be a strong contender.
NBX 2026 — officially branded as The Blockchain Festival of Europe — returns to Warsaw for two packed days of panels, workshops, pitch competitions, and structured networking. And this year, the organizers are scaling up: a bigger venue, an expanded speaker roster, and deeper programming across six dedicated content tracks.
ICODA is proud to join NBX 2026 as a media partner — and our CEO, Vlad Pivnev, will be speaking at the event, sharing his perspective on what it takes to grow a crypto project in today’s market. More on that below.
🔥 Exclusive 20% Discount for the ICODA Community
NBX
Blockchain Festival of Europe
Claim Discount
Date
- March 24-25
Location
- EXPO XXI Warsaw
Your discount
- 20%
What Is Next Block Expo?
Next Block Expo is one of the largest crypto and Web3 events in Central and Eastern Europe. Since its inception, the conference has hosted thousands of participants across editions in Warsaw and Berlin, earning praise from industry heavyweights. Miko Matsumura, General Partner at Gumi Cryptos Capital, has called NBX a world-class conference for blockchain — and the event’s track record backs that up.
The 2026 edition covers the full spectrum of Web3: crypto, AI, finance, investment, and blockchain infrastructure. It’s designed not as a passive listening experience but as an active environment where founders meet investors, developers find collaborators, and ideas turn into partnerships.
Six Content Tracks That Actually Matter
explores how decentralized finance continues to reshape access to financial services — from lending and trading to savings and yield strategies. The track covers the latest protocol innovations, risk management approaches, and what’s next for on-chain finance.
dives into the intersection of NFTs, token economies, and game design. With play-and-earn models maturing and studios getting more sophisticated about player retention, this track is especially relevant for founders building in the gaming vertical.
examines the evolving landscape of digital ownership and immersive virtual experiences. As NFT utility extends well beyond profile pictures into identity, access, and real-world asset tokenization, the conversations here are more nuanced — and more practical — than ever.
tackles one of blockchain’s oldest challenges: how to handle mass adoption without sacrificing decentralization or security. Expect deep dives into Layer 2 solutions, alternative smart contract platforms, and the infrastructure layer that makes everything else possible.
is geared toward organizations and teams exploring decentralized technologies for the first time, covering adoption strategies, product-market fit in Web3, and lessons from teams that have successfully made the transition.
brings together traders, venture capitalists, angel investors, and fund managers to discuss market dynamics, portfolio strategies, and how to identify the next wave of growth opportunities in crypto.
Built for Founders and Startups
While NBX caters to a broad audience — from retail investors to regulators — the event has a particularly strong value proposition for founders and early-stage teams.
The Web3 Startup Competition (Pitch Arena) gives early-stage projects a stage to present their vision directly to VCs, accelerators, incubators, and launchpads. It’s not just about winning: every participating startup gets its pitch deck distributed to all investor pass holders and VIPs after the event. That kind of guaranteed exposure is rare at conferences of any size.
Then there’s the Investor & Startup Speed Dating — structured one-on-one sessions that eliminate the awkward “can I grab five minutes of your time?” dynamic and replace it with scheduled, focused conversations. Combined with the event’s dedicated networking app, which allows startup ticket holders to book up to 100 meetings, the infrastructure for deal flow is genuinely impressive.
Startup pass holders also receive 90 days of video-on-demand access to all recorded content. With 80+ speakers and multiple parallel sessions, you simply can’t attend everything live — the VOD library makes sure nothing slips through the cracks.
Who’s Speaking?
The NBX 2026 speaker lineup reflects the event’s cross-functional ambition. A few names worth highlighting:
🎤 Georg Harer, Co-CEO of Bybit EU, brings a perspective that blends traditional banking and finance law with the operational reality of running a major exchange under Europe’s new MiCAR regulatory framework.
🎤 Miko Matsumura, General Partner at Gumi Cryptos Capital, is a veteran investor and ecosystem builder whose fund has backed unicorns like OpenSea, 1Inch Network, and Yield Guild Games.
🎤 Filip Wielanier, Co-founder and CEO of Cookie3, leads the AI-powered data layer used by over 350 crypto projects including Mantle, Polygon, and Linea — a particularly relevant voice for founders thinking about data-driven growth and attention markets.
🎤 Alex Hoffman, Head of Ecosystem at DogeOS, is building the application layer for Dogecoin, bringing DeFi, gaming, and consumer apps to one of crypto’s most recognized communities.
🎤 Nelson Lopez, CEO of XFounders, runs a global accelerator known for its high-intensity bootcamps and a unique reality-show format that puts founder journeys front and center.
The lineup also includes members of the Polish Parliament, regulatory and compliance experts from firms like zondacrypto and 3DOTS.law, and builders from across the DeFi, gaming, and infrastructure verticals.
ICODA at NBX 2026
ICODA is attending Next Block Expo 2026 as a media partner, and we’re especially excited that our CEO, Vlad Pivnev, will be taking the stage as a speaker. Vlad will share insights drawn from years of helping crypto and blockchain projects navigate the complexities of marketing, growth, and global expansion — the challenges that every founder faces but few conferences address head-on.
If you’re building a Web3 project and want to talk strategy, growth, or what’s actually working in crypto marketing right now, this is a great opportunity to connect with the ICODA team in person.
NBX 2026 at a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Event | Next Block Expo 2026 — The Blockchain Festival of Europe |
| Dates | March 24–25, 2026 |
| Location | ul. Prądzyńskiego 12/14, Warsaw, Poland |
| Main Sponsor | zondacrypto |
| Content Tracks | DeFi · Blockchain Gaming · Metaverse & NFTs · Scaling & Infrastructure · Web3 Discovery · Fundraising & Investing |
| Special Features | Web3 Startup Competition · Investor Speed Dating · Web3 Gaming Zone · After Party |
| Networking App | Up to 100 scheduled meetings (Startup/Investor pass) |
| VOD Access | 90 days (Startup/Investor) · 180 days (VIP) |
| Speakers | 80+ including leaders from Bybit EU, Gumi Cryptos Capital, CoinW, Cookie3, DogeOS, ICODA |
| Tickets | General $95 · Startup $215 · Investor $263 · VIP $1,089 |
| Promo Code | ICODA for 20% off any ticket tier |
| Website | nextblockexpo.com |
Practical Details
Ticket options range from a General pass at $95 (full access to the exhibition, workshops, networking app, and the after party) to a VIP pass at $1,089 (unlimited meetings, VIP networking lunch, access to all content, and extended VOD access). Startup and Investor passes are priced at $215 and $263 respectively, and both include speed dating access and expanded networking capabilities.
NBX 2026 also coincides with Polish Blockchain Week, meaning the surrounding days are filled with side events, meetups, and community gatherings that extend the conference experience well beyond the main venue.
Should You Go?
If you’re a crypto founder, investor, or builder operating in — or looking to enter — the European market, Next Block Expo is one of the most efficient uses of two days you’ll find this spring. The combination of structured networking infrastructure, a serious pitch competition, and content that spans the full Web3 stack makes it more than just another conference. It’s a working environment disguised as a festival.
🔥 Tickets and full details: nextblockexpo.com
See you in Warsaw.
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