Istanbul, Türkiye – March, 2026 – Istanbul Blockchain Week announces the launch of The Institutional Markets Summit for policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, asset managers, exchanges, and infrastructure providers. The closed-door institutional forum will take place on June 2, 2026 at the Hilton Bomonti Hotel.
Organized by Web3 marketing agency EAK Digital, the event will examine the structural evolution of digital assets within regulated financial markets.
What to expect at the Institutional Markets Summit?
The summit serves as the ultimate meeting point for top industry leaders across traditional finance, private markets, tokenized capital markets, regulation and custody to explore evolving market structures.
It is open only to senior decision-makers shaping the institutional adoption of digital assets, including government policymakers, financial regulators, central bank representatives, institutional investors, market operators, stablecoin issuers, payment networks, and risk management leaders.
As the first edition of the event under Istanbul Blockchain Week, the summit builds on the success of previous IBW editions which featured speakers such as Mehmet Çamır, Chairman of OKX TR, Ali İhsan Güngör, Executive Vice Chairman of Capital Markets Board of Türkiye, Onur Güven, CEO of Garanti BBVA Digital Assets, Petra Janež, Head, Supervision of Fintech & Digital Assets at the Ministry of Finance – Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, Paul Brody, Global Blockchain Leader at Ernst & Young Global, and many more.
Erhan Korhaliller, CEO of EAK Digital and founder of Istanbul Blockchain Week, said:
“With traditional financial institutions increasingly embracing digital assets, blockchain technologies, and cryptocurrencies, we are proud to launch a dedicated summit to explore these developments, navigate opportunities and shape the future of institutional adoption.”
The summit will focus on key topics related to liquidity formation, capital markets integration, custody, settlement infrastructure, compliance frameworks, and the incorporation of digital assets into existing financial and capital market systems.
Exclusive closed-door roundtables with sovereign funds and institutional leaders will also take place, fostering strategic discussions among key decision-makers driving the evolution of global digital assets.
Why Istanbul?
Positioned at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, Istanbul’s strategic location provides a central meeting point for capital and institutions across these regions – offering both geographic and economic connectivity for institutional dialogue and cross-border collaboration.
Türkiye processed nearly $200 billion in crypto transaction volume in 2025, making it one of the world’s largest markets by raw transaction activity, according to a Chainalysis report. The introduction of a new economic bill and reporting frameworks for digital assets, including a 10% withholding tax on crypto gains further signals a major step in aligning digital assets more closely with traditional financial instruments.
With increasing cross-border liquidity and settlement connectivity, Istanbul has established itself as a key hub for a rapidly developing fintech ecosystem, with digital asset usage deeply integrated with the broader economic activity.
Participation in the Institutional Markets Summit is limited to invited institutional leaders, policymakers, and Istanbul Blockchain Week VIP pass holders, ensuring a high-level audience of senior decision-makers across global financial markets.
About Istanbul Blockchain Week (IBW)
Istanbul Blockchain Week (IBW) is Türkiye’s flagship Web3 conference and expo, bringing together founders, developers, investors, enterprises, creators, and policymakers in the heart of Istanbul. Produced by EAK Digital, IBW showcases the technologies and people shaping crypto, DeFi, AI agents, gaming, and real-world assets. Across recent editions, IBW has welcomed 20,000+ attendees and 500+ speakers from leading protocols, exchanges, and institutions. The program features a main-stage conference, large-scale expo, DeFAI Con, a KOL Summit, investor roundtables, workshops, and curated networking designed for real deal-flow.
To learn more and get IBW tickets, visit https://istanbulblockchainweek.com/tickets/.
