At Crypto Expo 2025 in Dubai, the panel Building a Blockchain Ecosystem: Partnerships, Innovation, and Growth, moderated by Anndy Lian, featured experts Hakim Bousba (Surge Group), Jehanzeb Awan (J. Awan & Partners), Mete AI (ICB Network), and Pratik Gauri (5ire). Their discussion highlighted the critical role of partnerships in driving blockchain adoption, addressing gaps, and fostering community engagement.
Partnerships: The Backbone of Blockchain
Anndy Lian emphasized partnerships’ enduring value, drawing from his Bybit experience with Red Bull and Borussia Dortmund. “Partnerships always stay very true to us,” he said, noting their role in navigating market volatility.
Hakim Bousba highlighted sports partnerships as a path to mass adoption, citing Tezos’ Red Bull collaboration and Chiliz’s ties with FC Barcelona and PSG, which introduced fans to NFTs and tokenized voting. He also noted Binance’s stock market integration efforts, stating, “By attracting stock traders to crypto markets, we can bring a lot of volume and users.”
Jehanzeb Awan stressed mutual economic value in partnerships. “Behind any strategic initiative, you have to understand why you’re trying to do that,” he said, using the analogy: “If I have 50 mangoes and you have 200 apples, I can partner with you to get the apples.” He cautioned against PR-driven partnerships, referencing a failed $900 million stadium deal.
Mete AI discussed ICB Network’s collaborations with universities and ministries to tokenize certificates and KYC processes. “We are making so many collaborations with universities worldwide,” he said, aiming to bridge Web2 and Web3 through education.
Pratik Gauri underscored partnerships for credibility and adoption, citing 5ire’s work with the World Economic Forum and India’s government, training over a million students. “Partnerships play a massive role for adoption, credibility, and brand building,” he stated.
Bridging Web2 to Web3
Transitioning Web2 users to Web3 was a key focus. Gauri advocated for educational toolkits to legitimize crypto, noting banks’ growing acceptance of CBDCs. Mete AI suggested using NFTs as event tickets, stating, “If we can use an NFT as a ticket, it changes a lot of minds.” Awan argued that technical understanding isn’t necessary, asking, “How many of you know how the internet works technically?” He emphasized user-friendly interfaces, saying, “If I can buy crypto in three clicks, I’m going to buy it.”
Bousba highlighted account abstraction (ERC-4337) to simplify blockchain interactions, noting, “It’s made to help anyone understand blockchain.” Lian urged integration with Web2 startup communities, advising, “Merge yourself with startup communities,” to promote Web3 solutions.
Addressing Ecosystem Gaps
Education and regulation emerged as critical gaps. Gauri called for university partnerships in Southeast Asia, stating, “Awareness would go higher with university partnerships.” Mete AI proposed AI-driven education, saying, “With AI, we can educate everyone on blockchain.” Awan noted regulators’ challenges, stating, “If they create strict regulations, everybody will complain; if they don’t, there are blowups.” Bousba advocated for intra-industry partnerships among L1s and L2s to standardize technologies.
The Role of Influencers
The panel debated influencers’ roles. Bousba criticized their lack of credibility, saying, “The audience is losing trust because influencers are just trying to make money.” Awan advocated for regulation, stating, “If you promote coins that are rug pulls, you should end up in jail.” Gauri predicted a diminishing role, noting, “Ten years down the line, the role would considerably decrease.”
Closing Thoughts
Gauri predicted a $10 trillion industry through partnerships. Mete AI urged startups to prioritize collaborations over PR. Awan emphasized real-world use cases like stablecoin trade finance in Africa. Lian concluded, “Community is the best partnership. Without people to use the tech, there will be no future,” underscoring community-driven growth.
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