October 01, 2025
By Joe Pan
Innovation may start at the company level, but moving the entire industry—or creating legislative frameworks—demands collective effort. This spirit of alliance took center stage in Seoul as the Korea Web3 Blockchain Association (KWBA) and Hong Kong’s Web3 Harbour (W3H) formally joined hands, positioning Asia as the next great frontier for decentralized technology.
Web3 Collaboration Builds Momentum
At a joint roundtable held in Seoul, the KWBA and W3H announced a Statement of Cooperation on September 24, 2025, aligning their missions to amplify policy dialogue, industry education, and partnerships across Asia’s rapidly-evolving digital asset sector. Over a dozen industry representatives, including protocol founders, digital asset advisory firms, and market surveillance innovators, participated in the event—with Galaxy Digital’s John Cahill underscoring the day’s collaborative spirit.
John Cahill, Advisory Committee Member of W3H and Chief Operating Officer for Asia at Galaxy Digital, declared, “The continued growth of Web3 hinges on robust international partnerships. Today’s dialogue is a testament to what can be achieved when we collaborate.”
A Two-Hub Strategy for Regional Leadership
Both the KWBA and W3H bring distinct advantages. The KWBA serves as a platform for transparency and sustainable industry growth in Korea, while W3H establishes Hong Kong as a regional node for cross-border blockchain progress. The organizations made clear that their partnership aims to transcend local market boundaries, creating a unified standard for Asia within the global Web3 ecosystem.
“The Web3 industry is evolving beyond speculative assets to become a foundational layer of trust-based digital infrastructure. This roundtable marks a pivotal moment for South Korea to strengthen its leadership role in global Web3 discussions and enhance the overall competitiveness of the Asian ecosystem,” said Wonhee Cho, Chairman of the KWBA and Managing Partner at DLG Law Group.
W3H Executive Director Jeffrey Tchui, who is also Head of APAC Ecosystem at the Hedera Foundation, emphasized Korea’s outsized role, stating, “South Korea is a critical strategic base in the global Web3 market liquidity.”
Purpose-Driven Structure
Although neither KWBA nor W3H played an official organizational role at September’s Korea Blockchain Week, their leadership commitment draws key industry voices and influences standards-setting throughout the region. With eight delegates from KWBA and five from W3H in attendance at the roundtable, the event showcased the power of public-private cooperation aimed at policy innovation and global expansion.
The organizations announced the launch of a Local Advocacy Working Group tasked with engaging government agencies, building industry education programs, and facilitating new partnerships—practical steps meant to address regulatory fragmentation and boost cross-border innovation.
About the author
Joe Pan is an editor and producer at Blockwind News. An early adopter of blockchain technology, he has covered major crypto conferences globally since 2019 and moderated Web3 events across Asia. Joe is part of the founding team of Blockwind News and teaches Asia’s only accredited Master of Journalism course on “Covering Cryptocurrency and Blockchain” at Hong Kong Baptist University.
