The latest edition of Consensus, a leading global crypto conference focusing on digital assets, AI, and blockchain, recently concluded on February 12, 2026, in Hong Kong. The event brought together more than 35,000 industry leaders, developers, and influencers.
In an exclusive chat with AltCoinDesk, Polina, a seasoned crypto PR Advisor, shared her thoughts on Consensus 2026, Hong Kong. She shares the most interesting and surprising industry trends seen at Consensus, announcements that flew under the radar, and a lot more alpha. The interview follows below.
Inside Consensus 2026 – Breaking down APAC crypto trends
1) What were the most surprising trends or announcements you observed at Consensus 2026?
Polina: Consensus HK felt very different from last year, when AI agents were the predominant narrative. Most of the talks I joined this time were centered on stablecoins, RWA, and neobanking, though a few niche topics popped up here and there. My special attention was drawn to the rapid adoption of local stablecoins in APAC, where Kaia Chain is doubling down on its strengths in the region and focusing its 2026 strategy on stablecoins and on-chain finance as a settlement layer, rather than general ecosystem building.
Cheaper and more competitive cross-border swaps have always been a primary goal of global stablecoin adoption. Projects like Ratio are delivering practical solutions, enabling faster and more affordable cross-border payments and remittances while serving as an on-chain FX and stablecoin orchestration layer for Asia, a strong example of the stablecoin concept taking shape in APAC.
As a leading L1 in APAC, Kaia Chain demonstrates its shift to global RWA adoption through their first big initiative. “Project Pegasus,” which previously involved tokenizing assets with an Indonesian shipping firm, sold out in less than 48 hours, showing that there was a lot of interest towards global RWA tokenization across not only Institutional adoption is no longer just a theory, it’s becoming a reality, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
Since the use of payments, stablecoins, and tokenized securities sped up a lot, the attention has switched to compliance, security, privacy, and adding AI to blockchain infrastructure. Hong Kong is clearly becoming one of the major Web3 hubs with the most advanced regulation.
2) From your perspective, how has the tone of the crypto industry shifted compared to last year’s Consensus? Did the prevailing bear market have an impact on energy levels?
Polina: A number of projects are winding down, primarily smaller teams without established track records, particularly those that were overleveraged or short on runway. Even with the broader market in a downturn, the energy was high. I haven’t noticed many new players during the conference; the focus was on the current niche leaders.
I think we are at a stage where the industry is really maturing. And I think we can no longer play the game how it was played a few years back. Privacy networks are the narrative that won’t go away, and they are changing the rules for compliance. A few great founders have started building on Canton, and I’m watching how that ecosystem grows very closely.
The main point was clear: Hong Kong is positioning itself not just as crypto-friendly but as a committed, regulated global hub for digital assets. Projects and founders actively build and grow their presence in Hong Kong, which clearly demonstrates that APAC is focused on taking the leading positions in global crypto and blockchain adoption.
3) Were there any announcements or innovations that you feel didn’t get the attention they deserved?
Polina: In my opinion, the overall skepticism around NFTs influenced the community, missing that NFTs are evolving into brand- and community-driven ecosystems beyond just digital collectibles. As a result, this narrative wasn’t that much told and actively discussed among the attendees.
In fact, projects like Pudgy Penguins managed to grow beyond simple digital collectives and announced their partnerships with neobanks and payment solutions like the KAST card, which I believe is a huge step toward bringing true utility to the NFT space.
Pudgy Penguins and other NFT projects that follow a similar strategy and establish local chapters with elected leaders, facilitating communication among members across borders, and managing to attract millions of consumers and generate revenue from programs.
4) How do you see the role of PR and media evolving as the crypto market matures?
Polina: I noticed PR and media are experiencing major changes and have gradually transformed into a new media concept. New media becomes a truly unique concept, combining blockchain technology, fintech and business expertise, and storytelling all together where knowledge, tech, and community must all be incorporated into content that works on all platforms.
PR and the media are no longer just places where people from different companies or groups meet. They are becoming more and more important for getting people to pay attention, believe the story, and have an impact on it.
In a world that is becoming less organized and more focused on getting attention, being well-known in the media is very helpful. In a market that changes quickly, it determines who gains trust and mindshare by changing how people think and what they know.
5) Was there a moment at Consensus that stood out to you as particularly memorable or telling about the industry’s direction?
Polina: In my opinion, blockchain infrastructure remains one of those rapidly growing narratives overall, not only among Consensus conference participants but also among the broader crypto community.
For years, the industry worked to make L1 and L2 software better, and traditional finance has always relied on dedicated private networks that significantly outperform the public internet. Token utility continues gaining predominance over narratives, where DePIN real network utilization shows that the token can keep its value through real use, not just speculation, when there is real demand for it. DoubleZero and other DePIN initiatives show how token incentives may connect real-world infrastructure and link value to usage instead of speculation.
Infrastructure, which sees tokens as tools for building decentralized economic systems outside of the corporate world, is a long-term bet in a market that is always changing.
Blockchains haven’t been able to take the same approach because doing so risks centralizing control at the network layer, and if one company owns the pipes, it undermines the whole premise of decentralization. The next big thing is optimizing the physical and network layers, and that change is happening right now, so now is a good moment to write a thesis.
6) How do you see the next six to twelve months shaping the industry based on what you saw at Consensus?
Polina: Blockchain infrastructure and stablecoin adoption will be the main areas of focus. Stablecoins will become the best way to exchange money across countries and will be gradually integrated into neobanks and advanced borderless payment solutions.
They will also change the way money moves between countries. Privacy coins will experience specific regulatory difficulties and will require time to fully adopt them on a global scale.
7) If you could give the crypto community one prediction based on this year’s event, what would it be?
Polina: In my opinion, there won’t be parabolic growth of altcoins and high-risk assets in the upcoming months. There are now many more assets and chains emerging in the space, and liquidity is widely spread. Projects with higher volatility and risk typically see parabolic growth.
However, I believe there will be successful listings since there are already excellent existing examples. The focus will be on achieving sustainable, consistent growth through the project, which will significantly contribute to global institutional adoption and primarily expand in the RWA space beyond common industries.
