More than 30 keynote and panel discussions sessions were run with participation of 80 speakers and executive visitors from more than 20 countries; demonstrating strong Metaverse market potential. Exhibition opens to public til 5 November 2022
(25 October 2022, Hong Kong) The inaugural Metaverse Asia Expo (MAE 2022) concluded successfully on 21 October 2022, having presented 5 days of fun and powerful exposition which attracted close to a hundred exhibitors across Asia to showcase numerous creative ideas, latest products and innovative solutions for the Metaverse business landscape. The exhibition was arranged to accommodate participation from various time zones. In total, over 30 keynote and panel discussions sessions were run with participation of more than 80 speakers and executive visitors from more than 20 countries. The tremendous success of MAE 2022 revealed the strong business potential for Metaverse, the possibility of which has empowered different industries to explore innovative business models to expand their business ventures. The MAE 2022 Exhibition Halls, Theaters, VIP concert room and premium spaces in Metaverse are now open for public visit free of charge till 05 Nov 2022 via MAE 2022 Metaverse Portal address - https://www.metaverseasiaexpo.com/portal
This inaugural event was supported by various professional institutions, such as the Association of Blockchain Development (ABCD), Asia CEO Community, GBX, Allinial Global, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Cyberport Hong Kong, Invest Hong Kong, the GBA Carbon Neutrality Association, etc. Dr. Bernard Chan, Under Secretary for Commerce Economic Development, noted in his opening speech that the Hong Kong SAR (HKSAR) government is keeping a close watch on contemporary digital applications and budding technological fields like the Metaverse and will continue to update policies to ensure timely facilitation and support as we continue to digitize and incorporate innovative technologies into our operations.
Dr. Kyle Wong, President of the Association of Blockchain Development, responded, “We would like to thank the HKSAR government and other partner organizations for their enthusiastic support which have contributed to the remarkable success of this first Metaverse Asia Expo. The event’s encouraging outcome has also confirmed and demonstrated the Metaverse’s potential to help transform business and interactions, whether in finance, education, art, or entertainment. We expect the Metaverse economy to grow rapidly in the coming decades, and would advise enterprises to invest promptly to at least understand the Metaverse phenomenon so as to take full advantage of this new market. As Hong Kong strives to be an international hub for technology and innovation while serving as the gateway connector between the Greater Bay Area and other Mainland cities, we are strategically placed to develop into a regional Metaverse economic hub. This means that enterprises of all magnitudes, from large companies to start-ups, should seize the opportunity to develop new products, technologies, and markets.”
The 5-day expo presented a number of Metaverse-themed discussion panels on hot topics such as the Metaverse capital market, education in the Metaverse era, Metaverse in the Greater Bay Area, ESG and Carbon Neutrality in the Metaverse, etc. 30 discussion panels were held with more than 80 guest speakers, including top management of MNCs, companies with business in mainland China and the GBA, the Consulate General of Israel to Hong Kong and Macau SAR, Israeli enterprises, professors from tertiary institutions, as well as HKSAR Government officials and representatives of public bodies in Hong Kong.
Metaverse is intertwined with NFTs. During the MAE 2022, NFTIV, one of the exhibitors,
presented NFT-as-a-Service for Businesses and Individuals – “Codeless Experience to Create Your Own NFTs”. Vincent Lau, the CEO & co-founder of NFTIV, said: "Blockchain provides new technologies, NFTs and the Metaverse provide opportunities to create wealth and to change lives. The arrival of the wave of digital assets like e-commerce 10 years ago, drives the market with opportunities and new motivation. By creating the Shopify version of the NFT platform, NFTIV helps brand owners, creators, designers, and entrepreneurs to cross the technical threshold and focus more on creative ideas and expanding brand influence.” In addition, Mr. Lau also mentioned NFTV enables different users to create and own NFT Collections without coding knowledge; users can also use Visa and Mastercard to purchase NFTs. The seamless user experience leads everyone into the Web 3.0 era effortlessly. NFTIV will continue to expand its services to a wider range of industries such as animations, SDGGreen, Asian sports, NFT online games, Kung Fu, Art, Luxury Goods, and many more in foreseeable future.
To demonstrate the potential of Metaverse in brand building, TAPPY Technologies launches Tappy Wallet to help users integrate their daily accessories into payment devices. Users can add multiple wearables from participating consumer brands, add payment cards, view transactions, and lock/unlock the wearables in case of a lost/stolen scenario, all from one single Tappy Wallet App. Users can make payments at any merchants that accept contactless payments. Tappy also provides an option for US users to apply for a Tappy Digital Prepaid Card using the Tappy Wallet with instant approval and no credit check.
On Day 4 of the MAE2022, GreatMeta, the event manager of MAE2022, explained their core technology and solutions in “Metaverse as a Service (MaaS)”. Targeting the 2B MaaS offers, seven key focus areas include: (a) Expo and Conference, (b) Product Launch & Ceremony, (c) Sales Engagement, (d) Training & Education, (e) Recruitment & Team Building, (f) Party and Gaming and also, (g) GreatMeta Space.
At the Israel Tech Opening, Mr. Amir Lati, Consulate General of Israel to Hong Kong and Macau SAR shared the experiences of local companies in Israel, who have worked on developing Metaverse technologies and applications. “Israeli tech firms are known for their innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Metaverse promises to become the next digital frontier for businesses and individuals on a global scale. Companies are making adaptations to embrace the next generation of the internet. Israel’s startup pedigree and eye for innovation have positioned the nation as a prospective Web 3.0 powerhouse. We definitely are set on becoming a hub for the next generation of the internet.” Mr. Amir said. A number of Israeli tech enterprises also participated in the technology sharing session and presented their latest businesses and technologies. The session has high attendance and many of the attendees were from Israel. The audience was duly impressed, thanking MAE 2022 as truly a global event.
On the last day of the expo, panel discussions were held on topics relating to digital asset governance, regulation, and security in the Metaverse. Julianne Doe, Senior Consultant at global law firm Dentons, said, “Metaverse governance is critical if we want commerce, education and entertainment to take place in a safe and orderly environment where participants are expected to follow standards and controls that will govern activities within an online environment. It may be that such standards need to be set by blockchain technology. Current laws may need to be totally rethought – for example, traditional property law finds no place in metaverse asset ownership; and how do you apply concepts of extraterritoriality to a borderless world?”
In the evening on the same day, Allinial Global hosted the keynote session on "Metaverse for Accounting Practices” at the Metaverse Asia Expo 2022. Mark Koziel CPA, CGMA, President and CEO of Allinial Global did the opening speech before passing on to the facilitator, Tim Koo, Founder & Managing Partner at Normsun & Co (Hong Kong) and the speakers / panelists to share their expertise and experience on the Metaverse.
The event has come to a successful closure with an immersive celebration VIP party. With reality x virtual world concert hall, guests could dance and sing on stage with a big screen showing real live performances. The party started with MAE 2022 Chairman, Mr Dennis Wu and Dr Kate Kwan’s duet performance! Games and best avatar dress-up contest allowed guests to immerse into the exciting and fun atmosphere of the Metaverse world.
While the keynote and panel discussion sessions have been concluded, the Exhibition Halls, Theaters, VIP concert room and premium spaces will still be open free of charge for the public till 5 November 2022. The MAE 2022 metaverse venue can be accessed via the link: https://www.metaverseasiaexpo.com/portal. Everyone is invited to visit the Metaverse.