"TEAMZ WEB3/AI SUMMIT 2025" Event Report: Identifying the Essence of the Era Paved by Next-Generation Technologies

"TEAMZ WEB3/AI SUMMIT 2025", organized by TEAMZ Co., Ltd., was held on April 16-17, 2025.

At the opening on the first day, the company's CEO, Tianyu Yang, took the stage and spoke about his enthusiasm for the event and his expectations for the future development of technology.

"These days, we use online data to predict what will happen in the future, but the changes are so rapid every day that it is very difficult to predict what will happen. We live in such a world," he said. After emphasizing the importance of online information and the need to learn and gather information, he spoke about his belief that in the business world, innovation is born from physical offline interactions.

He expressed his hope that this conference will create opportunities for innovation, and emphasized that providing such an environment is TEAMZ's mission and the motivation for TEAMZ to continue its challenging efforts.

In commemoration of the Osaka-Kansai Expo (2025 Japan International Expo), which began on April 13, 2025, a session was held to consider Osaka's development into an international financial city, entitled "The Future of Web 3.0 Opened by the EXPO2025 Digital Wallet and Osaka's Leap to Becoming an International Financial City."

Utilizing the resources of the SBI Group, the "SBI FinTech Center OSAKA" was established in Osaka City on April 1, 2025, with the aim of supporting companies focusing on the fintech field in the Osaka and Kansai regions.

In addition, Genki Oda, Managing Executive Officer of SBI Holdings and Chairman of the Japan Cryptocurrency Exchange Association (JVCEA), introduced the plans to hold a "Blockchain Business Contest" on July 11 of the same year, and expressed his strong desire to promote innovation from Osaka.

In terms of collaboration with the Expo, in addition to exhibiting at the venue, the SBI Group is participating in events and campaigns related to the official character "Myakumyaku", and is providing technology as a platform for issuing NFTs that can be acquired through these events.

Nae Nakamura, International and Regional Manager of the Startup Support Division of the Osaka Industrial Development Bureau, a public interest foundation, mentioned that the bureau's incubation program provides support for startups mainly in Osaka and Kansai, including the Web 3.0 field. She expressed her intention to develop a support environment to revitalize the Web 3.0 field, which is attracting global attention.

As for trends in the Web 3.0 field, the Ethereum international developer conference "EDCON (Community Ethereum Development Conference)" is scheduled to be held in Osaka in September 2025, and it is expected that lively discussions will be held in the area on cutting-edge applications of blockchain technology and the future of Web 3.0.

Yoshihiro Yoshida, CEO of HashPort Inc., said that the number of visitors to the Expo on the first day exceeded 140,000, and mentioned that the number of users of the "EXPO2025 Digital Wallet" is second only to the Expo's official app, the "Visitor's App," and said that he feels that it is making a significant contribution to the Expo's major theme of "cashless."

Furthermore, he cited the historical example of elevator technology being first exhibited at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, which led to its subsequent widespread use, and said that he would like to embody the idea of ​​the Expo as a "testing ground for the future society" through the spread of digital wallets. He also expressed his enthusiasm for global expansion based on blockchain technology, saying that the number of users of the wallet could exceed 10 million, compared to the visitor target of 28.2 million set by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Yuki Kamimoto, CEO of N.AVENUE Co., Ltd., who moderated the session, praised the fact that the "EXPO2025 Digital Wallet" is a Web 3.0 product, but is designed to hide the complexity specific to blockchain from users.

The session concluded with a video message from Kenichi Kawamoto, Director of the Planning Bureau of the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition.

Kawamoto also positioned the Expo as a "testing ground for future society," and set two challenges to promote the social implementation of advanced technologies and new social systems: the full introduction of cashless payments within the venue and the demonstration of the "EXPO2025 Digital Wallet." He expressed his expectations that payments by facial recognition and the system in which visitor experiences themselves are recorded on the blockchain as personal stories are initiatives that go beyond the scope of the Expo, and will ultimately lead to Osaka's evolution as an international financial city.

In the session titled "The Future of a New Economy and Society Brought About by Web 3.0 and AI," five panelists gave passionate speeches.

Takuya Hirai, member of the House of Representatives and head of the Public Relations and Digital Society Promotion Headquarters of the Liberal Democratic Party, noted that, based on the history of the publication of white papers on crypto assets, an important point of the proposal is that the number of crypto asset accounts opened in Japan has now exceeded 12 million, with total assets reaching 5 trillion yen. In addition, he stated that, since so many people hold crypto assets as assets, policies should be promoted based on a separate taxation system in order to ensure the healthy development of the market and investor protection.

He also emphasized his intention to aim to build a new system area for social implementation while taking into account the balance between the Payment Services Act and the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, and stated that because crypto assets are diverse and fluid, it is difficult to uniformly classify them all and regulate or relax them, and that the white paper was designed based on that premise.

In the field of AI, the law adopts a flexible approach that is rare in the Japanese legal system, and is intended to promote the development of AI business while taking into consideration the risks of copyright and personal information protection, as well as governance. In addition, the law also showed a positive and tolerant stance toward the future of the fusion of Web 3.0 and AI.

Moderator Oda of JVCEA evaluated that it was significant that crypto assets were clearly determined to be within the scope of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, but not securities.

Jun Watanabe of SONY BLOCK SOLUTIONS LABS PTE. LTD. pointed out the need for development in the financial aspects of crypto assets while continuing to work to provide entertainment to users. Most recently, he introduced the achievement of the number of transactions of Soneium, an Ethereum layer 2 blockchain provided by the company, which ranked fourth globally, and expressed confidence in the results immediately after its release.

He also stated that this is the only case in which a project involving copyright infringement has been removed from the chain, and expressed the recognition that such measures are essential to gain the trust of users.

Technical research has been ongoing since 2017, and two years have passed since the development of Sonium. Going forward, the company plans to focus on creating services that are easy to understand and intuitive for users.

Yuzo Kano, CEO of bitFlyer Holdings, Inc., said that the proposal is almost consistent with what the Japan Blockchain Association (JBA) has been calling for. In particular, he expressed the view that there are still issues to be addressed regarding the definition of token issuers, and that further adjustments are necessary.

He also stated that Japan's presence has declined relatively due to the reduction of the upper limit on leverage transactions from 25 times, and revealed that the company has put in place a sufficient system, such as allocating more than 40 people to compliance and security.

He stated that the current domestic discussions on the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act are relatively flexible compared to international standards, and expressed his intention to actively propose diversifying services such as leverage and ETFs in the future. Finally, he expressed his strong enthusiasm by saying, "Make Japan Great Again."

Yusuke Otsuka, Executive Officer and CBDO at Coincheck, Inc., stated his view that, given that the company originally started out in the technology field, the company will advance product diversification by creating an environment in which application operators can freely issue tokens.

He also stated his intention to further strengthen the exchange's support system in the future to enable application-side companies to expand more smoothly.

The final session on the first day, "2025 Cryptocurrency Market Outlook: Will the Next Bull Market Come?", brought together leading industry analysts.

In this session, which predicted the future of the cryptocurrency market, which has not seen good price movements since the beginning of the year, Yoshikazu Abe, Executive Officer and CSO of HYPERITHM Inc., stated that the United States is currently driving the cryptocurrency market, and that although the market conditions are not good, "we view it as positive in the medium to long term." He also stated that from the perspective of a VC, although a risk-off mood is spreading, the same is true for existing finance.

From a future perspective, he pointed out that if major investors such as pension funds and insurance companies enter the market, it could lead to a full-scale bull market.

Masatoshi Matsushima, a cryptocurrency analyst at Monex Securities, said that the market will remain uncertain in the first half of 2025 due to trade friction and tariff issues. On the other hand, Bitcoin has a certain degree of stability as "digital gold," and since the US cryptocurrency regulations are expected to progress from around July, the market could pick up steam in the second half of 2025 starting from that time.

Tomoya Hasegawa, a market analyst at Bitbank Inc., also pointed out that on-chain data shows that investors of all kinds are currently withdrawing funds, and short-term dumping is also observed. However, he said that there are signs of bottoming out, and if the macroeconomic uncertainty can be dispelled, there is a possibility that funds will flow in again.

Matsushima and Hasegawa both expressed the view that the Bitcoin price in 2025 could easily rise to a maximum of around $200,000. On the other hand, Virtual Nishi, a cryptocurrency analyst and managing director of X-Mobile Inc., asserts that "it will not exceed the high since the beginning of the year."

Virtual Nishi said that it will be difficult for investors to invest in the cryptocurrency, given President Trump's remarks. Therefore, he said that unless the United States takes action such as purchasing additional Bitcoin, the all-time high is unlikely to be updated.

He also said that although Bitcoin is showing a solid movement, there is a possibility that companies that purchase Bitcoin at this time may be at risk. Specifically, he pointed out that continuing to hold Bitcoin could result in unrealized losses and a situation where they will be forced to sell it. In particular, he expressed the view that the average purchase price of Strategy, a US company that has continued to increase its corporate value by purchasing Bitcoin, will be in dangerous waters.

Hidekazu Kondo, founder of Japan Open Chain, a blockchain company based in Japan, said that from the perspective of those who design blockchain infrastructure, he is paying attention to the progress of quantum computers and changes in Ethereum governance. He also said that stable coins are expected to be fully introduced in Japan in 2025, and that this is expected to have a major social impact. He also expressed the view that if remittances become faster and costs are reduced, new business models will also be born.

Finally, Kondo concluded the session by saying, "Web 3.0 is full of dreams. I hope that 2025 will be the year of mass adoption."

At the opening of the second day, Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member and Vice-chair of the Tomin First Party, Nobuko Irie, took the stage and spoke about Tokyo's current efforts in the city, titled "Tokyo's Digital Economic Zone Opened Up by Web 3.0 and AI."

Ms. Irie introduced two major initiatives, "TiB (Tokyo Innovation Base)" and "SusHi Tech TOKYO," and spoke about the current situation in which Tokyo is actively supporting cutting-edge technologies such as the fintech industry, blockchain, security tokens, and stable coins, and her enthusiasm for the future.

She also explained that Tokyo's AI strategy calls for the creation of a "Japan Model" for the use of AI in government, and that the city is strategically promoting the use of AI from three perspectives: "the ability to use," "the ability to listen," and "the ability to create." She made clear her intention to work on establishing AI governance and rules as a local government in order to utilize AI in a way that will gain the trust and peace of mind of Tokyo residents.

The Osaka-Kansai Expo, which will be held from April 13, 2025, is an international event that exhibits various innovative technologies and ideas, but one that is attracting particular attention is the signature pavilion "null²".

This pavilion is produced by media artist Yoichi Ochiai, and aims to "reinvent the mirror, something that has not been done since the dawn of history," with the theme of fusing the digital and physical, providing a space to explore the boundaries between the digital and physical.

When entering the pavilion, you can be issued an ID platform for creating a digital copy of yourself called a "Mirrored Body." By linking a user's 3D model with an NFT on the blockchain, it is possible to accumulate personal data and create a digital avatar that grows in real life.

This session was presented by representatives of the companies involved in the design of the pavilion.

Yuya Higuchi, Director of the Biometrics and Vision AI Division and Web3 Thought Leader at NEC Corporation (NEC), said that in the past, possessing data itself was an important element in business, but in the future, the system will only start to function when that data is utilized and incentives are designed for good behavior.

Norikazu Miyagi, General Manager of the DX Consulting Division at Macnica Inc. and Outside Director of Sustainable Pavilion 2025 Inc., said, "We aim to issue 1 million mirrored bodies through the Expo," and cited the currently available functions of the mirrored body as being able to visualize one's future condition by entering health checkup data, and the use of it for meeting minutes, etc.

The mirrored body chain and mirrored body are designed to be granted as "SBT (Soulbound Token)."

It was also said that in a world where DID (decentralized ID) is realized, the nature of advertising will undergo a major transformation. null is positioned as both a new product and a grand social experiment.

Aro Kondo, CEO and Co-Founder of THXNET., said that there is still room for debate as to who should manage data and how it should be utilized, but if the view that users should manage their own data becomes mainstream, companies may be able to redirect the costs that have been spent on data management to providing richer user experiences by making information open.

He also mentioned the importance of providing technology to enterprises as "Web 3.0 as a Service," and said that further consideration of the characteristics of blockchain is also necessary.

The session, entitled "Intersection of Changes in the International Situation and Technology: Geopolitical Impact of Web3 and AI," was one of the highlights of the TEAMZ WEB3/AI SUMMIT 2025, and the venue was overflowing with many event participants, as it attracted a luxurious lineup of speakers.

In this session, moderated by Hironao Kunimitsu, CEO of Financier Co., Ltd., various discussions were held on whether Web3.0 can solve the issues in Japan, and on the issues in the Web3.0 field in Japan, focusing on crypto assets.

First, Toru Hashimoto, former governor and mayor of Osaka, and Takafumi Horie, a businessman, expressed their views that it is effective to utilize Web3.0 in order to eliminate the opacity of politics and administration. They argued that blockchain and Web3.0 technologies should be utilized, especially to make decision-making and political funds more transparent. Based on this, Hideto Kawasaki, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications and member of the House of Representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party, also expressed his view that a transparent system should be introduced in the future.

In relation to politics, Hashimoto stated that Web 3.0 will make "city and town council level lawmakers unnecessary." He said that DAOs (decentralized autonomous organizations) will enable sufficient decision-making, and cited Italy's Five Star Movement as a concrete example, arguing that "if there are complaints, Web 3.0 will allow people to make their own decisions."

Yuta Misaki, a businessman, entrepreneur, and influencer, spoke about the review of the cryptocurrency tax system and the consideration of introducing separate taxation. Attention on the tax reform of cryptocurrencies is increasing day by day, and Kawasaki, taking into account the current actions of the Liberal Democratic Party and related ministries, predicted that "the law will be revised as early as 2026."

In relation to this, Horie, based on his own experience, said, "I think it's a gray area as to whether cryptocurrencies can be used to raise funds." He pointed out that even if IEOs and other systems are in place, they have not spread widely due to the complexity of the screening process, and said that unless the barriers are lowered at every fundraising stage, the system will end up being "useless."

Horie's argument that the government should include more initiatives based on crypto assets in its annual "Basic Policies" was also impressive.

Echoing Horie's argument, Hashimoto emphasized his own opinion, saying, "Rather than thinking of other measures, saying that cash benefits may be saved, we should distribute tokens with limited uses." Utilizing tokens would make it possible to provide detailed benefits based on annual income, and by clarifying the use of the tokens, effective measures could be implemented. He encouraged the next generation of politicians to "work hard to realize such measures."

The session also touched on the meme coin TRUMP issued by US President Trump, and discussed the circulation of tokens such as "Japan Token" whose value reflects political and economic achievements, as well as how growing interest in Web 3.0 will make it possible to influence even more politicians.

The session immediately following, titled "Japan's Position and Policy Support in the Global Competition of Web3 and AI," also attracted many participants due to the impressive lineup of speakers. This session was moderated by Yusuke Shitara, editor-in-chief of the cryptocurrency and blockchain media "Atarashii Keizai."

First, JVCEA Chairman Oda, who also took the stage on the first day, explained the current trend of cryptocurrency accounts in Japan and efforts toward regulatory reform, including the cryptocurrency tax system. Although the number of users interacting with cryptocurrency is increasing steadily, with 12 million accounts opened in Japan, he expressed a sense of crisis, saying that Japan's share of cryptocurrency trading has now dropped sharply to around 1-3% in the world due to the past reduction in the leverage ratio from 25x to 2x.

In light of this background, he stated that they are currently working to increase the leverage ratio, and also mentioned the revision of the cryptocurrency tax system, which is currently being discussed in earnest in 2025. He said he feels a certain sense of accomplishment toward the reform, and emphasized that "this time, things will really change."

Representative Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, also emphasized that the current tax system on crypto assets is too high, and that "reform is necessary." He also said that blockchain is effective in making politics more efficient and transparent.

There is a high possibility that the crypto asset tax system will be passed as early as June 2026. In response to the question, "Will you support the bill related to the revision of the crypto asset tax system when it is submitted by the ruling party?", Tamaki stated, "I will absolutely support it." In addition, regarding the fact that it takes up to one year from the time the bill is passed to the time it is implemented, he said, "I will work to speed up the implementation."

In addition, there was an interesting comment about stable coins. Currently, the current limit on the amount of stable coins that are not issued in Japan is limited to 1 million yen per transaction. Oda pointed out that this is the "1 million yen wall" and appealed, "Just like the 1.03 million yen wall, I would like it to be improved." In response, Tamaki stated, "There are more hurdles to break through," emphasizing his determination to tackle the issue.

Finally, Tamaki stated that he would work quickly to realize the three goals of "separate taxation," "leverage rate revision," and "cryptocurrency ETFs," and declared, "We will also increase the net income from crypto assets." He stated that he would position crypto assets as a national strategy and achieve results, vowing to make further leaps forward in the future.

In his closing remarks, Yang announced that "TEAMZ SUMMIT 2026" will be held. The event will be held on April 15th and 16th, 2026, with the theme "Touch the tradition."

Yang said, "I would like to talk more with you all about the industries that will create tomorrow. I would like to have many more discussions," expressing his sadness at the end of the event and emphasizing its success.

So far, we have covered the sessions that Iolite is paying attention to.

Not only the sessions, but the booths were also filled with excitement, and the entire event was in high spirits.

This event was a great opportunity to experience the cutting edge of Web 3.0 and AI, which are rapidly changing day by day. In particular, there were many sessions that conveyed the enthusiasm of both the public and private sectors for Web 3.0, efforts to utilize Japan's uniqueness, and the enthusiasm to return to the center of crypto assets.

It has been announced that the event will be held over two days in 2026, but what kind of world will unfold before us by then?

We look forward to the next "TEAMZ SUMMIT 2026" with excitement and anticipation for a new era opened up by next-generation technology.

Image: Iolite

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TEAMZ Summit 2025 Official Agenda Announced – Highlighted Sessions Discussing the Future of Web3 & AI