Ethereum’s Flagship Conference Returns September 16-19 with keynotes from Vitalik Buterin and the Ethereum Foundation’s Adrian Li.
With Japan advancing new legislation reclassifying crypto as financial instruments and institutional interest in Ethereum driving ETH higher, EDCON 2025 returns to Japan for its 8th global edition. EDCON brings the Ethereum community to Osaka for a high-stakes conversation on protocol evolution, financial integration, and the path to real-world adoption.
Taking place September 16-19 at Congrès Square Grand Green, the event is expected to draw over 6,000 developers, researchers, founders, and policymakers, produced in collaboration with public sector partners and enterprises including the Osaka Innovation Hub.
EDCON will be held as part of the larger Global Startup Crossroads–Osaka. Events such as the Global Startup EXPO 2025 at the Osaka–Kansai Expo are also scheduled to take place concurrently.
“Hosting EDCON in Osaka strongly demonstrates our unwavering commitment to supporting local entrepreneurs and driving the adoption of innovative technologies that will shape Osaka’s dynamic future,” said Osaka Prefecture and the Osaka Business Development Agency (Osaka Innovation Hub). “These initiatives perfectly complement the recent progress in Japan’s
cryptocurrency regulations, establishing Osaka’s vibrant business community in a unique position to fully seize new opportunities.”
This year’s program features keynote speakers including Vitalik Buterin and the Ethereum Foundation with participation from major L2s, DeFi protocols, Japanese enterprises, and financial institutions.
From Regulation to Real-World Infrastructure
Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) recently proposed reclassifying crypto as a financial product under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA). The move signals growing institutional alignment and could pave the way for licensed ETFs, lower capital gains tax, and stablecoin integration across banks, fintechs, and public infrastructure.
This policy shift sets the stage for EDCON 2025’s core focus: building compliant and scalable systems on Ethereum from protocol upgrades to real-world deployment.
Conference topics will include:
- Stablecoins & Tokenized Finance: Regulated issuance, Japan’s FX use case, RWA integration
- Ethereum Protocol & Roadmap: Fusaka upgrade, ZK-EVMs, PeerDAS, blob scaling, zkFOCIL, ePBS, cross-L2 interoperability
- Crypto x AI: DeFAI, verifiable ML, AI governance & alignment via DAOs
- Cryptography and Privacy: Privacy-preserving identity & reputation, ZKPs, FHE, MPC, post-quantum cryptography
- Consumer Applications: Wallet UX, mini-app ecosystems and the road to mass adoption
- Decentralized Acceleration (d/acc): infrastructure sovereignty, DeSci, open-source innovation acceleration
From Community to Community
Since its inception, the Community Ethereum Development Conference (EDCON) has been a community-driven gathering, staying true to its mission of fostering communication and collaboration among Ethereum communities worldwide.
For EDCON2025, the EDCON Team is leading a series of collaborative initiatives in partnership with communities across the ecosystem, each creating unique stages and experiences:
- Student Session with the Japan Student Web3 Association, bringing together student representatives from around the globe to explore how the next generation can participate in Ethereum.
- Two Workshops with BGIN on cybersecurity and privacy pool
- Workshop with Open Build on the theme of open
- Workshop with Uniswap Foundation on Uniswap v4 Hooks
- VC Connect Stage with Web3 Salon | AWAJ, A pitch competition dedicated to emerging Web3 startups.
- Super Demo with Akindo,will showcase the next generation of Ethereum projects
How to Register
Get the latest information on passes, as well as speaker, sponsor, and community partner applications at https://www.edcon.io/.
ABOUT EDCON
EDCON is a non-profit conference with deep roots in the Ethereum ecosystem designed by and for the community. Known for bridging public goods, policy, and protocol development, EDCON has hosted flagship editions across Paris, Toronto, Sydney, San Francisco, Montenegro, and Tokyo. The 2025 conference marks its return to Japan at a time of major regulatory and institutional momentum and continues its mission to bring Ethereum’s builders, researchers, and policymakers together in open dialogue. Visit edcon.io to s
