The TEAMZ Summit 2025 in Tokyo. Ten thousand attendees. Japan loudly declaring itself a Web3 hub. All sounds impressive, right? I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment, a sense that a crucial voice was missing: the vibrant, disruptive, and utterly essential voice of Southeast Asia's creative Web3 revolution.
Let's be blunt. Japan's Web3 push, while ambitious, often feels…corporate. It’s large corporations trying things out, testing the waters, putting a toe in the water. And that's fine. Southeast Asia? We're not experimenting – we're building. We're using Web3 to solve real problems, empower marginalized communities, and a wave of creativity you simply won't find in a boardroom.
Where Was Southeast Asia's Energy?
The summit planners are likely already hard at work planning TEAMZ Summit 2026. I'm all for it. Here's a thought experiment: imagine if even half of the panels had featured Southeast Asian artists, developers, and community leaders. Picture that cross-pollination, picture the ideas that flow when you get a bunch of geniuses in one room – whew! To many advocates, this is an enormous missed opportunity. Instead, it underscores a particularly tone-deaf omission that continues to perpetuate the dominant narrative of Western and Japanese hegemony in the tech space.
This isn't just about representation. It's about the future of Web3.
Think about it. The fundamental principle behind Web3, if you believe the hype, is decentralization, correct? Taking on these concentrated power structures, empowering people to have more say in their own lives. But if the conversation is dominated by the same old voices – the same geographical areas, the same corporate interests – are we really achieving that decentralization?
Decentralization Demands Diverse Voices
Like many regions throughout the world, Southeast Asia is a hotbed of Web3 innovation—in large part because it’s not weighed down by legacy systems and entrenched interests. We’re witnessing grassroots adoption, artists including musicians and other creatives leveraging NFTs to circumvent traditional gatekeepers, developers staking on DeApps that solve hyper-local problems. Consider this:
The “Mirrored Body” idea NEC is promoting for Expo 2025 certainly sounds interesting, providing people with sovereignty over their data. In Southeast Asia, this is not just an idea – it’s a requirement. In communities where there is low faith in institutions, Web3 puts the power in the hands of the people. It empowers them to take back ownership of their identities and their data. To turn a blind eye to this perspective is both short-sighted and a disservice to the full promise of what Web3 could be.
| Feature | Japan | Southeast Asia |
|---|---|---|
| Web3 Approach | Corporate-driven, Cautious | Community-driven, Disruptive |
| Adoption Level | Experimentation, Exploration | Practical solutions, Widespread use |
| Focus | Financial Innovation, RWA Tokenization | Community Empowerment, Creative Expression |
To be candid, I’m sick and tired of seeing Southeast Asia treated as an afterthought. We're not a "key market" to be exploited; we're a vibrant ecosystem brimming with talent and potential.
Time To Amplify Southeast Asia's Impact
This isn’t just about aid, it’s about understanding the incredible value that Southeast Asia has to offer to the Web3 space. When you go out of your way to discover and uplift Southeast Asian talent, you’re terrific. You’re not just supporting a small group of developers with the future creation of more decentralized, equitable, and truly innovative Web3 ecosystem.
Let’s not allow the next united nations habitat iii summit to be another lost opportunity. Let’s make sure that Southeast Asia’s creative revolution receives the attention – and the funding – that it truly warrants. Or else, we’ll be on our way to creating a Web3 universe that entrenches the same inequities we’re seeking to flee. And that, my friends, would be a tremendous tragedy.
- Seek out Southeast Asian Web3 projects: Invest in them, support them, promote them.
- Attend regional events: Immerse yourself in the local scene, learn from the community.
- Amplify Southeast Asian voices: Share the work of artists and developers on social media, invite them to speak at conferences.
This isn't about charity; it's about recognizing the immense value that Southeast Asia brings to the Web3 table. By actively seeking out and supporting Southeast Asian talent, you're not just doing good – you're investing in the future of a more decentralized, equitable, and genuinely innovative Web3 ecosystem.
Let’s not let the next summit be another missed opportunity. Let's ensure that Southeast Asia's creative revolution gets the recognition – and the support – it deserves. Otherwise, we risk building a Web3 world that replicates the same inequalities we're trying to escape. And that, my friends, would be a tragedy.
