Last month marked an important milestone for the Liquid Network as the Blockstream team, led by CEO Dr. Adam Back, visited Taipei to engage with Taiwan’s vibrant Bitcoin and fintech communities.

Building on trips to Japan and Italy earlier this year, the visit featured a week of powerful keynotes, hands-on workshops, and high-level meetings with key policymakers, industry leaders, and developers, serving once again to reinforce the Liquid Federation’s commitment to building the future of real-world assets (RWAs) and global finance on Bitcoin.

From the opening of the 9th Annual Taiwan Blockchain Summit to the launch of a cutting-edge research lab at the National Taipei University of Technology (NTUT), the week just as importantly underscored Taiwan’s unique position as both an Asian and global hub for financial innovation.

Here’s an inside look at some of the highlights.

Opening the 9th Annual Taiwan Blockchain Summit

The visit began with Dr. Back officially opening the 9th Annual Taiwan Summit alongside Taiwan’s Minister of Digital Affairs, Huang Yen-nun, marking the start of a week focused on the future of RWAs in Taiwan and the wider region.

In his keynote speech, Dr. Back took the opportunity to reflect on recent developments in Bitcoin and the wider world of finance, which have contributed to Bitcoin’s explosive growth this year. Highlighting Bitcoin’s unique value proposition for institutional investors, he also explored the potential role of layer-2 technologies such as Lightning and Liquid in positioning Taiwan at the forefront of financial transformation.

Much of the keynote focused on the growing trend of tokenized RWAs, with Dr. Back highlighting Liquid’s advanced capabilities as a secure and scalable solution for enterprises and institutions. Illustrating Liquid’s potential, Dr. Back cited recent high-profile use cases including Mifiel’s tokenization of over $1 billion in promissory notes and Luxembourg-based STOKR’s launch of the MicroStrategy Note (CMSTR).

Closer to home, Dr. Back also discussed Blockstream’s joint venture with Japanese digital assets leader Digital Garage on the issuance of a fully-regulated Japanese Yen stablecoin (JPY), further highlighting Liquid’s capabilities as an efficient solution tailored to local markets and merchants.

Panel Discussion on Tokenization

Later on at the summit, Dr. Back joined Bitfinex Securities’ Head of Operations Jesse Knutson, Justin Dhingra from Crypto Garage, and BTSE COO Jeff Mei on the main stage for a panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities surrounding RWAs in Asia. Moderated by Knutson, the panel—Liquid in Asia and Beyond: Charting the Course for Digital Assets—explored how RWAs on Liquid are driving innovation in local capital markets. In particular, the discussion highlighted Liquid’s unique ability to enable secure, scalable, and efficient financial systems, aligned with Taiwan’s ambition to lead in blockchain adoption. 

Liquid Developer Bootcamp

Building on the success of previous bootcamps, Blockstream organized a two-day workshop in Taipei  in partnership with renowned Bitcoin-focused VC firm Fulgur Ventures and BSOS, a Taiwanese fintech company using blockchain in the supply chain industry.

Engineers from Blockstream and Liquid Federation member Boltz led hands-on sessions for local tech teams and CTOs, covering financial applications of the Liquid Wallet Kit (LWK), Blockstream AMP, Boltz swaps, and other Liquid developer tooling.

The Taipei bootcamp follows the inaugural Liquid Developer Bootcamp held in Viareggio in October 2024, aimed at equipping the next generation of young developers with the skills and knowledge to build innovative solutions on Liquid.

Meeting with Policymakers to Advance RWA Adoption in Asia

Throughout the week, Dr. Back and the Blockstream team met with members of Taiwan’s Parliament and officials from the Digital, Economic, and Education Ministries, including lawmaker Dr. Ju-Chun Ko—a leading vocal proponent of tokenization in Taiwan. Key topics included the potential introduction of a Bitcoin ETF in Taiwan, as well as the use of Liquid for tokenized securities and its potential role in helping Taiwan build more efficient, globally competitive capital markets.

Policymakers expressed a strong interest in leveraging blockchain technology—and Liquid in particular—to boost financial stability and transparency, aligning closely with Taiwan’s ambitions to become a global hub for fintech.

Engaging with Taiwan’s Media 

As part of the week's activities, Dr. Back and Bitfinex Securities' Jesse Knutson engaged with local media and influencers, including popular crypto influencer Bonnie Blockchain, TVBS News, and BlockTempo—the Mandarin-speaking world's leading blockchain news platform. Interviews covered wide-ranging topics, from the potential of RWAs and the role of tokenization in Bitcoin adoption to Blockstream and Bitfinex Securities' efforts to help develop the Bitcoin-focused ecosystem throughout Asia, as well as Dr. Back's early correspondence with Satoshi Nakomoto.

Bridging Academia and Industry: Blockstream’s NTUT Blockchain Research Lab

A highlight of the week was Blockstream’s launch alongside Bitfinex and Tether of a blockchain research lab at the National Taipei University of Technology (NTUT), offering students and researchers the opportunity to explore practical applications of Bitcoin and blockchain technology.

To mark the occasion, Dr. Back awarded scholarships to five NTUT students, highlighting Blockstream and the Liquid Federation’s belief that empowering local talent and fostering a research-driven environment are crucial to driving the adoption of Bitcoin-based technologies worldwide.

Reflections and Looking Ahead: The Road to El Salvador

Blockstream and the Liquid Federation’s engagement in Taipei forms part of a broader wave of activities underscoring our mission to expand Bitcoin’s role in global finance. 

At Japan’s largest annual Bitcoin gathering, Bitcoin Tokyo 2024, earlier this year, Blockstream showcased Liquid’s potential to business leaders and policymakers alike, highlighting in particular how it can support key areas such as cross-border and inter-bank settlements. Similar activities across Europe, including Liquid Investor Day in Lugano, Switzerland in October, meanwhile highlighted the important role Liquid can play in helping to lay the groundwork for more inclusive, transparent and efficient financial systems, reflecting the Federation’s commitment to bridging traditional finance with Bitcoin innovation.

The Liquid Federation’s next major engagement will take place in El Salvador during the Plan ₿ Conference in January 2025, where we will engage with local businesses and host the next Liquid Developer Bootcamp.

The team will soon share more information on scheduled Liquid activities in El Salvador through our X and Telegram accounts. Additionally, if you are interested in partnering with us for future activities or would like to integrate Liquid into your business, please get in touch with us using those same channels.