Start your day in the Networking Pavilion: a space for registration, coffee, and conversation. Meet fellow attendees, reconnect with industry peers, and ease into the day’s agenda with time to connect and engage before sessions begin.

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Amy-Rose Goodey - Digital Economy Council of Australia

The Gold Coast Council opens the Digital Economy Conference with a message of welcome and support. As a city embracing innovation and economic growth, the Gold Coast is proud to host this national conversation on the future of technology, business, and opportunity.

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Mayor Cr Tom Tate - City of Gold Coast

 Framing the day’s discussions, this address invites us to align on purpose, potential, and the shared path forward for Australia’s digital future.

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Paul Derham - Paul Derham, MC and Chair of DECA

This address outlines Australia’s direction in the digital economy, highlighting priorities across innovation, infrastructure, and financial systems. It reflects on the evolving role of digital assets, regulation, and national capability in shaping a secure, competitive, and forward-looking digital future.

This session presents new insights into how blockchain and digital assets are contributing to the Australian economy. From innovation and job creation to productivity and investment, we explore the data behind the sector’s growth and the benefits it brings to the nation.

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Kate Cooper - OKX

This session introduces Eightcap’s latest product designed to meet the needs of today’s digital-first traders. Discover how innovation, user experience and access to new markets are coming together in a platform built for the next generation of trading.

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Rom Revita - Eightcap

Kate Cooper - OKX

As financial infrastructure evolves, traditional banks and global networks are leading innovation in payments. This session brings together key players to explore how trust, scale and collaboration are driving the future of banking, digital commerce and financial connectivity across Australia and beyond.

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Ashima Chaudhary - Mastercard


MORNING TEA - 10:45AM - 11:05AM

Quantum computing is moving closer to reality. This session explores what a quantum future means for blockchain security, how protocols are adapting, and why preparing now is critical to protecting digital infrastructure, assets and trust in the years ahead.

Sushmita Ruj - University of New South Wales

A blockchain BDM, the Chair of Ethical Trade Alliance, and an AI-driven supply chain CTO discuss how AI and Web3 are transforming logistics, streamlining supply chain efficiencies, boosting transparency, and promoting ethical trade - revolutionising supply chains and facilitating MLETR-enabled paperless trade.

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Sean White - XDC

Lawrence Christoffelsz - Ethical Trade Alliance

Elton Brown - DMS

Autonomous agents are emerging as powerful actors in blockchain systems and digital economies. This session explores how agentic technology is being built into Web3 infrastructure, transforming how we coordinate, transact, and create value across decentralised networks and digital asset platforms.

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Tommy Honan - Swyftx

Trevor Topfer - Avatars Global

Darren Rogan - film.fun

Michael Bacina and Steven Pettigrove are the authors of the Law of Code: Blockchain and the Law in Australia, published by Lexis Nexis. This title is the first Australian legal textbook to comprehensively address the complex legal issues which blockchain and digital assets pose across various aspects of the law including property, financial services, AML/CTF, IP and privacy law. It is intended for legal professionals, academics and students. The authors will discuss their new work and the state of blockchain and the law in Australia and internationally. 

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Steven Pettigrove - Piper Alderman

Michael Bacina - GDF

LUNCH - 12:50PM - 1:40PM

Digital asset platforms are evolving beyond trading. This session explores how products like custody, staking, payments and onramps are shaping a new generation of services that prioritise utility, access and long-term engagement across the digital asset and Web3 economy.

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Amanda Wick - Women in Crypto

Jason Titman - Swyftx

Adrian Przelozny - Independent Reserve

Tim Wilks - Coinspot

Payments are evolving through new technologies, smarter infrastructure and global connectivity. This session explores how leading innovators and regulators are shaping a payment landscape built on trust, efficiency and integrity across digital rails, value transfer, compliance expectations and cross-border ecosystems.

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Michele Levine - Hamilton Locke

Maggie Kaczmarska - Block

Vakul Talwar  - Crypto.com

Global digital asset businesses are looking to Australia for clarity, innovation and opportunity. This conversation explores what attracts international players, where alignment is emerging across borders, and how Australia is positioning itself in the evolving global digital asset economy.

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Lisa Wade - Fableration

Jonathon Miller - Kraken

David Menz - Coinbase

Vijay Ayyar - Gemini

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AFTERNOON TEA - 3:00PM - 3:25PM

As systems become increasingly integrated and data flows nonstop, digital identity sits at the core of the connected economy. This session explores how identity, infrastructure and trust frameworks are evolving to support secure, seamless experiences in a real-time digital environment.

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Erika Carnogoy - CBA

Karthick Raghavan - Block Majority

Victoria Richardson - ID Partners

As AI advances, the data powering it matters more than ever. This session explores how blockchain and decentralised infrastructure are enabling user-owned, privacy-preserving data ecosystems. We look at how developers can access rich, cross-platform datasets while users retain control, ownership and value.​

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Art Abal - Vana

In an increasingly digital and interconnected world, businesses are under pressure to scale quickly while maintaining operational control, compliance, and efficiency. This session explores how the convergence of cloud infrastructure and intelligent business management platforms enables organisations to streamline operations, adapt to local and global demands, and build agile, future-ready systems.

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Samira Tollo - Elbaite

Grace Wang - Alibaba

Tania Large - NetSuite

A reflective journey through where we have been and where we may be heading. This session offers a personal perspective on the defining moments, missed opportunities and emerging signals that are shaping the future of technology, trust and transformation.

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Katrina Donaghy - Water Ledger