In April, the crypto industry will see large-scale conferences, updates to key blockchains, and new steps by regulators. RBC Crypto tells us which events are worth keeping in focus.
April 8
Syscoin (SYS) – Nexus Update
The Syscoin blockchain is preparing to launch the version 5 update, codenamed Nexus. Activation is expected on April 8 at block #2,010,345 (00:30 UTC). According to the voting results, 95% of network participants supported the update.
Nexus will introduce a number of technical improvements: decentralized sequencing, AI-powered Sentry nodes, and a community-driven dynamic funding model. These features are aimed at increasing the scalability and resilience of the network.
Key innovations include integration with Bitcoin+ and Edgechains scalable solutions (including zkSYS), as well as the launch of a secure two-way bridge to the Bitcoin network. This will allow BTC to be used in Syscoin smart contracts, turning it into a programmable asset.
April 8–10
Paris Blockchain Week 2025 Conference
From April 8 to 10, the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris will host the sixth annual Paris Blockchain Week conference, one of the largest European events in the field of blockchain and Web3. More than 10,000 participants from more than 85 countries are expected.
The program features speeches from more than 400 speakers, including Input Output founder Charles Hoskinson, Blockstream CEO Adam Back, Ripple president Monica Long, Kraken co-CEO David Ripley, Crypto.com president Eric Anzianni, and other representatives from leading crypto companies and financial institutions. Officials include French Digital Minister Clara Chappaz and BNY Mellon’s head of digital assets Caroline Butler.
Conference topics cover key areas of the industry: open finance, Web3 in corporations, regulation (including MiCA), central bank digital currencies, asset custody, payment solutions and AI integration.
Special emphasis is placed on the Start in Block startup competition with a prize fund of 10 million euros and a hackathon in a hybrid format. A closed dinner for VIP guests under the glass pyramid of the Louvre is also planned as part of the forum.
April 9
IOST (IOST) – New Airdrop Model
IOST is launching a long-term airdrop program aimed at incentivizing sustainable participation in the ecosystem. Unlike traditional airdrops, which often cause short-term speculation, the new model will distribute tokens evenly over 48 months, with vesting and long-term holding bonuses. Rewards are based on current holdings and increase the longer the tokens are held.
The total airdrop volume will be 1.7056 billion IOST, distributed between two categories of users. L1 network token holders will receive half of the volume, 852.8 million IOST, based on the number of tokens in their addresses at the time of the snapshot and taking into account the holding time multiplier. The rest is intended for centralized exchange users and will be distributed through partner platforms based on staking activity and history.
April 11 and 25
Roundtable on Crypto Market Regulation in the US
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will hold a roundtable on cryptocurrency trading regulation on April 11. Participation will be possible both in person (upon prior registration) and online — the broadcast will appear on the official SEC website without registration.
The event will be the first in a series of public sessions hosted by the SEC’s Cryptocurrency Working Group, with future sessions scheduled for April 25 (on digital asset custody), May 12 (on tokenization), and June 6 (on decentralized finance, DeFi).
SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce said the roundtable series is intended to be a platform for open dialogue between regulators, industry participants, and experts. Key topics include investor protection, technology standards, and transparency in the digital asset space. Thematic discussions with representatives of crypto companies and research centers are also planned.
April 23–24
Blockchain Life Forum 2025 Conference in Moscow
Moscow will host the 14th international Blockchain Forum 2025 — one of the largest events in the Web3, cryptocurrency and mining industries. The forum will take place in MTS Live Hall and will bring together more than 15,000 participants and 100 speakers from more than 100 countries.
The program includes speeches by leading experts, an exhibition with 150+ stands, Startup Pitch sessions, a startup competition, networking zones, an award ceremony for the winners of the Blockchain Life Awards 2025, and an evening AfterParty. The forum will become a platform for dialogue between investors, traders, developers, miners, entrepreneurs, and government representatives.
Discussions on investment strategies in current market conditions, new approaches to mining, and other relevant topics are expected. Confirmed speakers include TRON founder Justin Sun, Litecoin Foundation co-founder Xinxi Wang, Bitget CEO Gracie Chen, Scroll co-founder Sandy Peng, BitMEX CEO Stefan Lutz, Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov, and Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy Sergey Altukhov.
April 29
BNB Chain Update
BNB Chain is preparing for the Lorenz update, which will be activated on April 29 and is aimed at improving the efficiency of the network. The main change is the reduction of the block generation time to 1.5 seconds, which should speed up transaction processing and improve performance.
Lorenz continues a series of technology updates following the March Pascal hard fork, which introduced support for Ethereum EIP-7702, an improvement that allows regular wallets to temporarily act as smart contracts for more flexible interaction with the network.
The next step is the Maxwell upgrade, expected in June 2025. It will reduce the block generation time to 0.75 seconds and make BNB Chain one of the fastest first-layer blockchain networks. The chain of upgrades is aimed at scaling, improving the user experience, and supporting a growing number of decentralized applications.
April 30
TOKEN2049 Conference in Dubai
TOKEN2049, one of the largest global events in the crypto industry and Web3, will kick off in the Madinat Jumeirah complex on April 30. The forum will last two days, but a whole week of events will take place in Dubai from April 28 to May 4 as part of the TOKEN2049 Week: meetups, dinners, closed sessions, parties, and workshops bringing together tens of thousands of participants.
The organizers expect more than 15,000 guests from 150+ countries and over 4,000 companies, including the largest crypto exchanges, venture funds, infrastructure projects and media. The platform will feature more than 200 speakers, including TRON founder Justin Sun, Binance CEO Richard Teng, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire, investor and author of “The Network State” Balaji Srinivasan, as well as NEAR co-founder Ilya Polosukhin, Arthur Hayes (Maelstrom) and Dan Morehead (Pantera Capital).
The program covers a full range of key topics: from decentralized finance and tokenization of real assets to AI, institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies, NFTs and Web3 infrastructures. TOKEN2049 is positioned as a global platform for discussing the future of the digital economy, establishing business connections and presenting promising projects.
Источник: cryptocurrency.tech
