Web3 leaders, investors, and founders head to Dubai as Unchained Summit confirms its 2026 return with speakers, venue, and full agenda direction officially set.
Dubai is officially back on the global Web3 calendar. Unchained Summit Dubai 2026 is confirmed for May 1 and May 2 at W Dubai – The Palm, organised by Aeternum Consulting Ltd. The announcement revealed the first confirmed speakers and outlined the event's strategic direction for the year ahead.
The summit returns with organizers positioning the 2026 gathering around institutional participation, regulatory discussion, and active deal-focused conversations within the Web3 sector. Coin Edition will serve as the official media partner.
Dubai's Role in the Global Web3 Conversation
The decision to return to Dubai reflects the UAE's growing status as a hub for digital assets. Global digital asset firms, financial institutions, and enterprise technology providers have accelerated their presence in the region, drawn by established regulatory frameworks and increasing institutional involvement from banks, venture firms, and infrastructure companies.
Unchained Summit's Dubai edition is designed to match this environment through curated participation and structured engagement. Organisers confirmed the event format prioritises direct interaction between founders, investors, enterprise leaders, and policy voices — with the goal of supporting active collaboration and commercial discussion throughout the two-day programme.
First Speakers Announced for Unchained Summit Dubai 2026
The 2026 edition will host over 80 speakers across two days, with announcements released in phases. The first confirmed lineup spans wallets, exchanges, infrastructure providers, venture firms, and enterprise technology organisations.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Eowyn Chen – Trust Wallet - David Norris – NEAR Foundation - Andrew Vranjes – Blockdaemon - Abdulla Al Dhaheri – The Blockchain Center Abu Dhabi - Anthony Bassili – Coinbase Asset Management - Richard Wang – Draper Dragon - Akshay Dalal – Google - Jack Platts – Hypersphere Ventures - Yat Siu – Co-Founder, Animoca Brands - Nic Puckrin – CEO, Coin Bureau - Niraj Pant – Ritual
Additional speakers will be announced in the months leading up to the event.
What the Summit Format Looks Like
Unchained Summit Dubai 2026 will feature structured investor-founder meetings, curated one-to-one introductions, and dedicated spaces for enterprise teams and infrastructure providers. The format centres on scheduled interaction rather than open-access networking, with sessions designed to support focused discussion, partnership evaluation, and commercial dialogue.
Akshay Dalal of Google noted that Web3 introduces new approaches to data, identity, and trust, while pointing to the role of compliance and regulation as adoption continues. Yat Siu highlighted the importance of gatherings that support shared understanding and long-term collaboration. Nic Puckrin said the current market phase places greater weight on informed analysis and open discussion.
Sharath Kumar, Founder and CEO of Aeternum, said the Dubai edition returns "at a point where globally significant digital asset activity is taking place in the UAE," with the summit structured to support purposeful engagement and partnership development.
Tickets and What's Next
With dates confirmed, the venue set, and the first speakers announced, Unchained Summit Dubai 2026 is now a fixed entry on the Web3 event calendar. Tickets are currently available, and further speaker announcements are expected in the months ahead as the summit continues its build-up.
