Blockchain has always presented itself as a power tool that connects us with people globally. One of its core features is that it would enable hassle-free borderless payments without a middleman.
Web3 has inspired the development of several online communities. Sometimes, these communities host events offline to give people the opportunity to meet in real-time. These events have shown us, that despite Web3 being globally spread, there is still a huge drive for IRL (in real life) connections.
Connecting with people in real life has its perks and can be refreshing from being chronically online. So, we’ve put together a list on the most buzzing and influential crypto cities.
Take a look at the Top 10 Web3 cities and crypto-friendly communities in the world:
1. San Francisco, USA – Top 10 Web3 Cities
It is highly expected for San Francisco to make it to the top of the list. San Francisco is notorious for housing startups.
San Francisco is home to some of the most influential projects in the crypto and tech space. It is home to Kraken, Robinhood, Coinbase and even Google.
According to Web3 career, it is the second area with the most Web3 jobs.
San Francisco is a coastal city in the state of California. It is known for its proximity to Silicone Valley, the tech hub of the United States. Almost 40% of its population is aged 25-44. For young people, it can be a great place to embark on innovative ventures.
The city has an abundance of web3 events to attend. From ‘crypto clubbing’ to Crypto Coven Halloween NFT meet-ups to San Francisco Blockchain Week, you are guaranteed to find an event that meets your taste.
2. Beijing, China
Seeing Beijing on this list may come as a great shock to many given China’s harsh laws on crypto. Despite the Chinese government’s approach to crypto, cities in China still have budding blockchain communities.
In 2021, China commanded 2/3 of the world’s crypto-mining population. While mining went down, many events have emerged. Beijing in particular is a host of multiple conferences on blockchain and cryptocurrencies throughout the year.
Apart from its involvement in Web3, Beijing has also been the home of new technologies such as Tiktok and tech giants such as JD.com.
3. San salvador, El Salvador
El Salvador has been in the spotlight for their approach to cryptocurrency over the past year. The countries president, Nayib Bukele, is well-known for being outspoken about his belief in crypto. In 2022, he announced Bitcoin as legal tender.
President Bukele is also known for his project to mine Bitcoin using renewable energy from volcanoes.
El Salvador is a country that suffers from inflation, which explains the President’s advocacy for Bitcoin. This stance has also influenced other Latin countries considering the use of cryptocurrency in their own economy.
4. Central Area, Singapore – Top 10 Web3 Cities
Singapore has become known as the heart of the crypto industry in Asia.
It is known for having fair, quick and efficient regulators which makes it an attractive place to start up a business in blockchain.
Central Area is a lively place with many people committed to building in Web3. The Web3 job industry is also booming with big names such as OKX, Coinbase and Cake DeFi all hiring for a range of job positions in the area.
Singapore has the 4th highest amount of jobs in Web3. Source: Web3.career
4. Lagos, Nigeria
In addition to El Salvador, Nigeria also proves crypto’s point as a hedge against inflation.
Although Lagos is the city with the largest financial sector in Africa, Nigeria has been experiencing double-digit inflation for over six years and it shows no signs of slowing down.
For many Nigerians, this has been a motivation to learn about crypto and defend themselves. Lagos has a massive community in Web3 of developers, writers and designers. In Discord servers, Nigerian communities are often one of the most active.
The dedication of these individuals is a clear sign that we can expect explosive growth from the crypto scene in Lagos.
5. Bengaluru, India
Bengaluru, commonly known as Bangalore, has served as India’s tech hub for over 30 years. It is the world’s 5th tech hub for investments in technology, so it’s no surprise that it’s on the Web3 map.
Bengaluru is home to the mighty successful Ethereum side-chain, Polygon, which has a massive team that spans across the globe.
The 2022 crypto conference in Bengaluru consisted of major players in the blockchain scene of India. It highlighted numerous innovations, signalling to an exponential growth of the industry. Innovations need builders, so you can expect to find a massive community of builders in Bengaluru too.
6. Berlin, Germany
Berlin is the center of Europe’s blockchain scene. It has a welcoming atmosphere that nurtures grand ideas and growth.
Germany is known to have a high engagement with new technology. The bustling scene of Berlin is highly involved in gaming. It is an international city with a fair cost of living. A study by the Expert Commision for Research and Innovation reported that 50% of Germany’s blockchain startups are based in Berlin.
Gnosis, Lightcurve and Centrifuge are crypto startups that were all born and bred in Berlin.
7. Paris, France
Surprise, surprise. The city of romance has an eye for blockchain technology too.
Paris closely follows Berlin as a giant crypto-friendly centre of Europe. Since the 2019 Paris Blockchain Week Summit, notions about cryptocurrency in the city have been shifting positively. The French Digital Asset Association has also made an effort to develop its understanding of blockchain technology and take part in the space.
8. Toronto, Canada – Top 10 Web3 Cities
Canada has proven great efficiency when it comes to crypto. While countries like the U.S. play a waiting game, The Ontario Securities Commission (based in Toronto) has successfully managed to deliver its Bitcoin ETF. They have approved many exchange-traded funds of cryptocurrencies so that they can be traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
What’s more, Toronto is the residence of Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin and co-founder Joseph Lubin. Clearly, there’s something good in the Toronto water.
9. Melbourne, Australia
In a survey conducted by the Independent Reserve Cryptocurrency Index of Australia, it was revealed that 28.8% of Australians own crypto. That is a rather large number and shows the openness that the Australian people have towards crypto.
In August 2022, it was announced by Australian Treasurer Jim Charles that the treasury would make use of token mapping to show how different cryptocurrencies and crypto tokens should be regulated. This could put Australia in the lead when it comes to crypto regulation.
“Token Mapping” is a way of defining different types of digital assets which will group them all in under the correct regulatory framework.
As the tech hub of Australia, Melbourne is a great place for Web3 communities. You can expect to find several Web3 events in Melbourne. Some events to look out for are the APAC Blockchain Conference and the Australia Crypto Convention.
The much-raved-about move-to-earn fitness app, STEPN, was founded in Adelaide–a city near Melbourne.
10. Miami, United States
Miami is by no means short of crypto culture. It is one of the major crypto hubs in the world which is known for hosting Bitcoin Conference every year.
Miami is a very outspoken city when it comes to crypto. In fact, the mayor has expressed several times that he advocates for the adoption of crypto. He is set on making Miami the “crypto capital”.
Yuga Labs which owns both Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks is a Miami-based company. They have attracted investments as big as $450 million.
Cities with web3-friendly communities are increasing day by day. With each city flaunting a unique quality it is hard to choose where to go first. If you plan to visit these cities we’d love to hear from you.
Is your city buzzing with Web3 community and innovation? Tell us what’s happening in your city and we’ll be sure to share it in our next series of top 10 web3 cities.
