PKF Malta recently attended the ICO Summit held in Zurich, combining it with a visit to the renowned ‘crypto-valley’ of ZUG.

The ICO Summit was held on October 28 and 29, at a warehouse-type building that was converted for the occasion sporting two stages, one at either end, and a communal networking space in the middle.

The event was elegantly contained and well attended, such that the simultaneous sessions that were ongoing were packed with audiences captivated by an immersion of smart lighting, impressive visuals, all smoothly moderated with ample time for questions from the audience.

One of the most impressive features of the summit was the designer alchemy conveyed through the various panels. These brought together hand-picked executives from across the globe, ranging from the senior VP of Kraken exchange to the senior director of MIT, high profile US investment bankers, venture capitalists, silicon valley seasoned cypherpunks and Switzerland’s own so-dubbed ‘crypto-queen’ and CEO of Smart Valor. 

Commenting about PKF Malta’s participation at this summit, senior partner, George M. Mangion said: “Malta is a popular jurisdiction with a number of law firms in the context of its ability to attract tech start-ups and academics. This was evidenced in the various meetings we attended with distinguished practitioners from in and around Zurich and Zug.

“We had the opportunity to meet a qualified ICT and DLT lawyer, a Zurich blockchain start-up that is closing in on a prototype technology that is set to rearrange the workings of funds as we know them and several leading law firms who are cognisant of Malta’s developments and recognise us as a relevant candidate that could work in a joint venture to best serve their various clients.”

Mr Mangion added that: “There is visibly a growing willingness in the Zurich crowd to hail Malta as ‘Blockchain Island’ once the euphoria about DLT regulations has subsided and a working metric is firmly established as capable of bearing coveted results.”