Istanbul Blockchain Week Launches Institutional Markets Summit: Pioneering Institutional Adoption of Digital Assets

Press Release — IBW Institutional Markets Summit 2026
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — APRIL 2026

Istanbul Blockchain Week Launches Institutional Markets Summit: Pioneering Institutional Adoption of Digital Assets


Closed-Door Institutional Forum — Invite Only

Istanbul Blockchain Week announces the launch of The Institutional Markets Summit — a closed-door forum for policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, asset managers, exchanges, and infrastructure providers. The summit 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 — exploring evolving market structures at the highest level.

Open only to senior decision-makers including:

Government policymakers
Financial regulators
Central bank representatives
Institutional investors
Market operators
Stablecoin issuers
Payment networks
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 including:

Mehmet Çamır — Chairman, OKX TR
Ali İhsan Güngör — Executive Vice Chairman, Capital Markets Board of Türkiye
Onur Güven — CEO, Garanti BBVA Digital Assets
Petra Janež — Head of Supervision, Fintech & Digital Assets, Ministry of Finance, Slovenia
Paul Brody — Global Blockchain Leader, Ernst & Young Global

“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.”

— Erhan Korhaliller, CEO of EAK Digital & Founder of Istanbul Blockchain Week

Summit Focus Areas

Liquidity Formation Capital Markets Integration Custody Settlement Infrastructure Compliance Frameworks Digital Asset Adoption Tokenized Capital Markets Sovereign Fund Roundtables

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.

$200B Crypto transaction volume in Türkiye — 2025 (Chainalysis)

Türkiye processed nearly $200 billion in crypto transaction volume in 2025, making it one of the world’s largest markets by raw transaction activity. 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 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.

— ENDS —

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, a KOL Summit, investor roundtables, workshops, and curated networking designed for real deal-flow.

To learn more and get IBW tickets, visit istanbulblockchainweek.com/tickets.