Agenda at a Glance

Discover the Stages & Programming at Consensus

Welcome to the industry's premier blockchain and crypto event — featuring 6 stages, 3 summits, 6 content tracks, 200+ sessions, and 500+ speakers. From DeFi and tokenization to AI and stablecoins, explore the ideas shaping the future of finance, technology, governance, and society. Scroll down to dive into the agenda and discover each stage, summit, and what’s in store.

Stages

Mainstage

Reserved for keynotes and the most significant topics with broad market relevance. Mainstage sessions feature marquee names, breaking news, and transformative insights from world-class thought leaders shaping the future of the crypto ecosystem.

Convergence Stage

This stage functions as a specialized coordinate for AI, DeFi & Trading, where algorithmic intelligence meets decentralized market structures to redefine liquidity. Simultaneously, it serves as the primary hub for Stablecoins, Payments, Privacy, and Tokenization, bridging the gap between confidential digital architecture and the programmable exchange of real-world value.

Frontier Stage

Home to the Capital Markets Summit, Global Bitcoin Summit, and Policy & Regulation Summit, this stage explores the institutional future of finance, the evolution of the world's primary digital asset, and the critical intersection of innovation and governance

Spotlight Stage

A platform for high-impact announcements and thoughtful, curated sessions from Consensus partners, along with sponsored content and presentations.

Workshop Stage

While the Mainstage defines the vision, this stage provides the blueprint. Live workshops turn high-level concepts into hands-on execution, equipping attendees with practical tools and technical skills.

CoinDesk Live Studio

Experience Consensus beyond the keynote. CoinDesk Live delivers wall-to-wall coverage featuring candid conversations with the biggest names in digital assets. Tune in for the breaking news, analysis, and commentary that defines the industry.

Hackathon Stage

Home to CoinDesk’s record-breaking Hackathon, where hundreds of developers collaborate with the industry’s leading protocols and builders for a chance to secure millions in funding.

Summits

Capital Markets Summit

As institutional finance merges with blockchain technology, traditional investment structures are undergoing a profound digital transformation. Explore how the shift toward on-chain infrastructure is redefining asset issuance, liquidity, and settlement, allowing legacy systems to operate with newfound speed and transparency. Learn how the convergence of professional finance and decentralized innovation is creating a more efficient and accessible global ecosystem for both investors and issuers.

Global Bitcoin Summit

The Global Bitcoin Summit is a front-row seat to Bitcoin's growing global influence. It unites thought leaders, developers, and policymakers shaping the world's most decentralized monetary network. Sessions explore infrastructure and mining to monetary policy and emerging market adoption, revealing how Bitcoin is transforming finance, sovereignty, and economic freedom.

Presented by

Policy & Regulation Summit

As digital assets rapidly evolve, so does the regulatory framework shaping their future. Explore the latest policy developments, global compliance challenges, and how decentralization intersects with oversight. Learn how businesses, investors, and lawmakers can strike the right balance between innovation and consumer protection in this fast-moving space.

Content Tracks

DeFi & Trading

DeFi and Trading are revolutionizing finance by leveraging blockchain to create open, transparent platforms for lending, peer-to-peer exchange, and investing without intermediaries. Advancements in liquidity provision, scalability, and cross-chain interoperability are driving growth and unlocking new opportunities for global financial inclusion. However, evolving risks like smart contract exploits and shifting oversight require constant vigilance from market participants.

Stablecoins

Stablecoins are at the heart of DeFi, remittances, and crypto adoption, acting as a stable bridge between traditional finance and digital assets. Investigate regulatory discussions, reserve management, and new opportunities in yield-bearing products. Learn how established global players and emerging CBDCs are competing for market share and building a more inclusive financial system.

Tokenization

As physical and financial assets move on-chain, Tokenization is transforming how we define ownership, liquidity, and value exchange. Explore how converting real-world assets—from real estate and commodities to bonds and private equity—into digital tokens enables fractional ownership and near-instant settlement. Learn how this programmable shift is dismantling market barriers and creating a more transparent, accessible, and high-velocity global economy.

Payments

Modern Payments are moving beyond traditional rails as blockchain technology introduces a new era of "invisible" and instant value transfer. Explore how the integration of stablecoins and digital identity wallets is streamlining cross-border settlement, reducing transaction costs, and enabling programmable commerce. Learn how financial institutions and fintechs are bridging legacy systems with on-chain infrastructure to deliver secure, 24/7 liquidity and a frictionless experience for global consumers and businesses.

AI

As the line between machine intelligence and decentralized infrastructure blurs, this track explores the rise of "agentic" systems that can independently reason, transact, and govern on-chain. Dive into the convergence of Large Language Models (LLMs) and blockchain to discover how verifiable intelligence is solving problems of data provenance, model transparency, and automated risk management. Learn how decentralized compute networks and smart contracts are moving from experimental concepts to the core infrastructure powering the 2026 digital economy.

Privacy

Privacy is no longer optional; it is the fundamental infrastructure required for Web3 to achieve mass adoption and institutional scale. Explore how Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) and Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) enable a truly trustless ecosystem, allowing billions of users and trillions in capital to transact confidentially.

Discover the Stages & Programming at Consensus