Original author: James Wo, Founder CEO, Digital Finance Group
DFG sponsored ETHCC’s VC track ETHVC, during which we participated in the pitch session. We held the side event Brussels Crypto Brews at the legendary Delirium Café, with more than 130 guests. In recent years, DFG’s strategic investments have covered various protocols, infrastructures, and ecosystems, especially the famous Ethereum ecosystem.
This year’s ETHCC 7 in Brussels attracted more than 5, 000 attendees and featured more than 350 speakers, surpassing previous years. The conference included a rich lineup of events as well as numerous side events, meetups and parties held throughout the week. Main discussions focused on scalability solutions, the integration of AI and blockchain, as well as the growing interest in consumer applications and privacy.
Key Highlights
infrastructure
Infrastructure was a recurring theme during ETHCC as it plays a key role in the development and expansion of the Ethereum ecosystem. As Ethereum continues to grow, scalability remains a significant challenge. Infrastructure improvements such as Layer 2 and sharding are critical to handling increased transaction volumes and reducing gas fees. Strong infrastructure is essential to maintaining the decentralization and security of the network. Enhancements to the underlying architecture help prevent attacks and ensure the reliability and adaptability of the Ethereum blockchain. As we improve our infrastructure, the user experience during blockchain interactions becomes smoother and more efficient.
DFG mainly focuses on infrastructure and protocol-level projects. Many problems in this area (such as scalability) remain unsolved, providing great potential for future growth. Our investment in infrastructure is also driven by our expertise. We have a strong technical team dedicated to reviewing all code. Given our strengths, we focus on infrastructure and protocol-level projects.
AI
During ETHCC 7, several AI-related topics attracted widespread attention, reflecting the increasing integration of AI in Ethereum and the broader blockchain ecosystem. AI will enhance DeFi platforms by optimizing trading strategies, risk management, and fraud detection. Its ability to analyze large data sets and predict market trends can significantly improve the efficiency and security of DeFi operations. AI tools for auditing smart contracts can detect vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with best practices, automating the security audit process and reducing the likelihood of vulnerability exploitation.
AI agents were a major topic of discussion, especially with regard to their potential to revolutionize blockchain and dApps. A notable example is one of our portfolio companies, RedPill, which developed an AI agent that runs in Phala Network’s decentralized hosting protocol. This marks a major advancement in the deployment of AI agents in a decentralized environment, providing powerful, flexible, and secure AI solutions for a variety of applications.
We are very excited about the development of AI. I believe this is not just a short-term trend, but a long-term development in the next decade. Therefore, we have invested in high-quality AI projects such as Near and Render Network. In addition, we have invested in Gensyn Network and are evaluating several other AI projects.
Consumer Applications
The potential for consumer applications in the crypto space is huge. These applications aim to make blockchain technology accessible, providing everything from financial services to social interactions and gaming. However, many applications are still under development. Emerging projects are expected to bridge this gap by providing intuitive interfaces and practical uses to attract and retain everyday users. Lens Protocol occupies a favorable position in the decentralized social media space and continues to expand its ecosystem and attract a wider user base. Its unique approach to content ownership and modular social graph architecture distinguishes it from traditional social networks and provides a glimpse into the future of social interactions on the blockchain.
The path to mainstream consumer adoption of cryptocurrency is progressing, with a number of promising applications leading the way. These applications aim to simplify blockchain interactions and make them as user-friendly as traditional mobile apps. As these projects develop, they promise to change the way we interact with digital assets, social networks, and financial services.
DFG activities
In addition to sponsoring ETHVC at the main venue, DFG also participated in meaningful side events and established connections with our investment companies and industry partners. On the 8th, our Executive Director Terry Culver gave a VC Talk on the theme of "Exploring the Future of Web3: Trends, Opportunities and Strategic Investments". We also shared our side: e-cigarettes in the VC lounge, which amazed ETHCC attendees all week.
DFG also sponsored the Meet the VC Brekky event on the 9th to connect with project founders and explore potential investment opportunities.
On the evening of the 9th, DFG, Jsquare and AlterVerse jointly hosted our side event - Decentralized at Dusk: Brussels Crypto Brews. Despite the sudden heavy rain, we welcomed more than 130 guests who enjoyed signature beers, participated in fun raffles and engaging social conversations. It was a great gathering of our portfolio, partners and new friends! Thank you to all sponsors and partners for making this event unforgettable!
In addition to attending the Ethereum event, I also participated in the Polkadot Decoded panel on the 11th to discuss Polkadot’s role in promoting innovation in web3 technology, as well as the ecosystem’s strengths, challenges, and potential growth. Our Executive Director Terry moderated the discussion.
Terry also hosted an investment panel for Hack Seasons on the 7th.
See you next year, ETHCC!
ETHCC 7 showcased the latest progress in the Ethereum ecosystem, highlighting technical improvements, active community building, and the integration of AI and blockchain technology. It was great to see thought leaders, innovative startups, and visionary developers all contributing to the rapidly evolving industry landscape. DFG is steadfast in its commitment to investing in vital infrastructure, further solidifying its role as a key force driving blockchain innovation and a decentralized future.
About DFG
Digital Finance Group (DFG) is a leading global Web3 investment and venture capital firm founded in 2015. DFG manages over $1 billion in assets and invests in all areas of the blockchain ecosystem. Our portfolio includes more than 100 pioneer projects including Circle, Ledger, Coinlist, FV Bank, ChainSafe, Polkadot, Solana, Render, etc.
At DFG, we are committed to creating value for our portfolio companies through market research, strategic consulting and sharing of vast resources worldwide. We are actively working with the most transformative and promising blockchain and Web 3.0 projects that are poised to revolutionize industries.
DFG Website: https://dfg.group
DFG Twitter: @DFG__Official
DFG LinkedIn: DFG
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