Kia ora BlockchainNZ whānau,
Despite ongoing market volatility, momentum across New Zealand’s digital asset sector continues to build. Engagement with policymakers is increasing, export discussions are progressing, and regional collaboration remains strong. February has been a productive month, with policy, advocacy, and events all moving forward at pace.
Here’s your snapshot of what we’ve been up to and what’s coming up next.
Submissions & Consultation
NZTE export activity survey
A big thank you to everyone who completed the NZTE export activity form. Responses have now been consolidated and will be shared with NZTE, and this data will continue to inform discussions to ensure the sector is accurately represented and well positioned for export support.
IRD consultation: DeFi tax treatment (submissions close this Thursday)
We held a roundtable on Tuesday 24 February, with strong and productive industry participation. We’re now drafting BlockchainNZ’s consolidated submission ahead of the 12 March deadline. Thank you to everyone who contributed insights. If you’d still like to be involved in the submission, please get in touch with Trevor.
February Engagements
DECA Policy Forum (Australia) — 10–11 February
Trevor represented BlockchainNZ at the 2026 DECA Policy Forum, participating in a regulatory roundtable focused on building cohesive digital economy frameworks. The discussions produced strong trans-Tasman alignment that will directly inform domestic policy conversations and our Roadmap work.
Ministerial engagement (Wellington) — 4 March
During the Wellington meetings, Trevor had the opportunity to meet with Hon Andrew Bayly, Catherine Wedd, Joseph Mooney, Cameron Luxton, Minister Scott Simpson, and Cameron Brewer MP. The discussions were constructive and encouraging, with a clear sense that cross-party support for the sector continues to build. There is also strong interest from government in seeing practical policy progress, with a shared view that moving toward clear, workable frameworks is a priority in the near term
Upcoming Engagements
Policy Week (Australia) — 9–13 March
Trevor will be in Australia with a group of New Zealand regulatory and policy stakeholders for closed-door discussions on digital assets, payments, tokenisation, and market infrastructure. An important opportunity for regional coordination as policy work accelerates across 2026.
FinTechNZ Hui Taumata (Auckland) — 11 March
Executive Council Member, Paul Quickenden will represent BlockchainNZ alongside Swyftx New Zealand. Paul will deliver a masterclass titled Rebuilding Finance: Why TradFi Needs Web3 and What Happens When They Converge. BlockchainNZ will also have a booth at the event, so please stop by if you’re attending.
Limited tickets are still available. Secure yours here.
Upcoming BlockchainNZ Events
Digital Assets Are Going Mainstream: How to Take Advantage of This New Investment Asset Class — Mid April
Are digital assets like Bitcoin and tokenised real estate the best investment opportunity for Kiwis right now? Building on our recent tokenised real estate discussion, this event broadens the conversation to Bitcoin, tokenised real estate, and private markets — and is targeted at financial advisers looking to understand and navigate this growing asset class.
Tokenised Real Estate: The Hottest Investment Option in NZ Right Now? — Early May
An Industry-focused education event for financial advisers and real estate professionals, framed as “Tokenised Real Estate: the hottest investment option in NZ right now?”
Community Happenings
Black Swan Summit (Perth, Australia) — 23–25 March
A globally connected summit bringing together leaders in FinTech, Web3, quantum, AI, tokenisation, and green technology to turn ideas into action across policy, market adoption, and real-world impact. We have ten tickets to give away to this event! Enter the draw by commenting ‘Pick me’ on our LinkedIn post here. If you miss out, we also have a 25% discount code on offer. Click the link below to claim this offer.
Mastering the Markets (Auckland) — 18 April
A full-day, in-person trading education event at AUT, Auckland, covering structured market analysis, risk management, and live market breakdowns across equities, crypto, and macro markets. A great opportunity to sharpen your thinking and connect with like-minded traders.
Find out more and register here
AUDDapt Grant Program – Supporting Australian Digital Finance Builders
AUDC has launched the inaugural AUDDapt Grant Program, a structured initiative designed to support Australian builders in developing production-ready digital finance solutions.
Grants of $10,000 – $50,000 are available for projects that deliver real-world use cases across payments, settlement, treasury, and programmable money. The program prioritises compliant, execution-ready teams capable of demonstrating live outcomes within defined milestones.
AUDDapt is focused on strengthening Australia’s digital finance capability by backing credible builders who bring practical innovation to market that incorporates AUDD Stablecoin.
Applications close 31 March 2026.
CryptoWinter26
Planning is well underway and early momentum is strong. The 2026 programme is shaping up to be larger and more ambitious than ever, with expanded policy, industry, and international participation.
Launch Special tickets are on sale now until 13 March, unless sold out prior.
Keep an eye out for speaker and programme announcements coming soon.
Thanks for your continued support. If you’d like to get involved in any of the work above, please get in touch.
Ngā mihi,
Trevor Topfer
Executive Director
BlockchainNZ