The Sora Summit 2025, hosted during Taipei Blockchain Week, stands as a pivotal gathering for global Web3 innovators, investors, and thought leaders shaping the future of decentralized technologies. Organized by Sora Ventures, a leading Asian venture capital firm founded in 2018, this high-impact event brings together pioneers from across the blockchain ecosystem to explore emerging trends in Bitcoin utility, cryptography, decentralized science (DeSci), and NFT innovation.
With its roots in Macau’s inaugural 2018 summit — which drew over 1,000 attendees and featured speakers from Binance Labs, Pantera Capital, and KPMG — Sora Summit has evolved into a premier platform for cross-border collaboration between East and West. This year’s edition in Taipei continues that legacy, spotlighting real-world applications of blockchain technology and fostering dialogue on how Web3 can drive meaningful societal change.
Core Focus Areas of Sora Summit 2025
Bitcoin Utility: Unlocking New Value Layers
Bitcoin is no longer just digital gold. The emergence of Ordinals and BRC20 tokens has catalyzed a developer renaissance on the Bitcoin network, transforming it into a platform for innovation. These protocols enable data inscription on satoshis, paving the way for NFTs, fungible tokens, and even decentralized applications directly on Bitcoin’s base layer.
This shift isn't merely technical — it has economic implications. Increased on-chain activity boosts transaction fees, benefiting miners and reinforcing network security ahead of the next halving event. As the ecosystem matures, developers are exploring how Bitcoin can support more complex use cases without compromising decentralization or security.
👉 Discover how Bitcoin’s evolving utility is reshaping investment strategies in 2025.
Cryptography & Data Privacy: Building Trust in Web3
One of the biggest barriers to enterprise adoption of blockchain is the lack of privacy. Public ledgers offer transparency but expose sensitive data — a non-starter for institutions. That's where advanced cryptographic techniques like zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), homomorphic encryption, and secure multi-party computation (sMPC) come into play.
Privacy-preserving layers allow organizations to verify transactions or execute smart contracts without revealing underlying data. This enables compliant financial services, confidential voting systems, and private identity solutions within decentralized frameworks. As regulatory scrutiny increases, robust encryption will be essential for Web3 to gain mainstream trust.
Decentralized Science (DeSci): Democratizing Research
Decentralized Science, or DeSci, aims to disrupt traditional research models by leveraging blockchain for open funding, transparent peer review, and community-driven discovery. By tokenizing scientific assets — such as research papers, datasets, or intellectual property — projects can create sustainable economies around scientific progress.
Initiatives like BioDAOs and IP-NFTs empower researchers to raise funds directly from global communities, bypassing gatekeepers like grant committees or pharmaceutical giants. For example, VitaDAO funds longevity research through tokenized governance, while AthenaDAO focuses on women’s health innovation.
This model fosters inclusivity, accelerates discovery timelines, and ensures that breakthroughs benefit the public — not just shareholders.
NFT Utility: Beyond Digital Collectibles
While NFTs gained fame during the last bull market as digital art and profile pictures, their true potential lies in utility. From ticketing and membership passes to real-world asset tokenization and gamified loyalty programs, NFTs are becoming functional tools in everyday digital experiences.
Projects like OnChainMonkey are pioneering NFT ecosystems with tangible benefits — exclusive access, community governance, and cross-platform integrations. As infrastructure improves, expect NFTs to play key roles in identity verification, supply chain tracking, and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs).
Key Insights from Sora Summit 2025 Sessions
Fireside Chat: Why the Future of Science Is Decentralized
In a virtual fireside chat, Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase and co-founder of Research Hub, emphasized that centralization slows innovation. "When funding and publication control rest in few hands," he noted, "entire fields can stagnate." DeSci flips this model by enabling global participation and incentivizing collaboration through tokens.
Armstrong highlighted Research Hub’s mission: to build an open scientific commons where ideas flow freely and contributors are rewarded transparently.
Ordinals Deep Dive: Technical Progress and Challenges
Speakers including Casey Rodarmor, creator of the Ordinals protocol, shared insights into the protocol’s rapid adoption and technical evolution. With over 40 million inscriptions since launch, Ordinals has proven demand for expressive on-chain data.
However, scalability remains a challenge. As block space competition rises, solutions like dedicated indexing tools (OrdinalsBot, Ordzaar) and wallet enhancements (Xverse Wallet) are critical for user experience.
Investing in Bitcoin’s Expanding Ecosystem
A panel featuring Tyler Evans (2140 Bitcoin Ecosystem Fund), Jason Fang (Sora Ventures), and Jason Lau (Chief Innovation Officer at OKX) discussed investment trends in Bitcoin-native projects. They agreed that while Ethereum dominates DeFi and NFTs, Bitcoin’s unmatched security and brand recognition make it ideal for long-term value storage with growing functionality.
“Bitcoin isn’t being replaced,” said Fang. “It’s being upgraded.”
The Role of Exchanges in Web3 Adoption
In a closing discussion moderated by CoinDesk’s Sam Reynolds, exchange leaders including Lennix Lai (OKX) stressed that centralized platforms remain vital gateways for new users. Despite the push toward self-custody, most retail users still enter crypto through exchanges.
Lai argued that modern exchanges must do more than trade — they should offer education, staking, NFT marketplaces, and even identity solutions to guide users into full Web3 participation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the purpose of Sora Summit?
A: Sora Summit connects global Web3 innovators to discuss advancements in blockchain technology, foster East-West collaboration, and support early-stage projects through networking and investment opportunities.
Q: Who should attend Sora Summit?
A: Developers, investors, entrepreneurs, researchers, and anyone interested in Bitcoin innovation, decentralized science, privacy tech, or NFT utility will find valuable insights at the summit.
Q: How does DeSci differ from traditional research funding?
A: Unlike traditional models controlled by institutions or governments, DeSci uses blockchain to enable community-driven funding via DAOs and tokenized incentives, increasing transparency and accessibility.
Q: Are NFTs still relevant in 2025?
A: Absolutely. NFTs have evolved beyond collectibles into functional tools for access control, digital identity, real-world asset representation, and community engagement.
Q: Why focus on Bitcoin utility now?
A: With innovations like Ordinals and BRC20, Bitcoin is experiencing a renaissance in developer activity. These layers add functionality without altering Bitcoin’s core consensus — making now a pivotal moment for expansion.
Q: Is privacy compatible with public blockchains?
A: Yes. Through cryptographic techniques like zero-knowledge proofs and secure computation layers, private transactions and data handling are possible even on transparent ledgers.
Final Thoughts: Shaping the Next Era of Web3
The 2025 Sora Summit underscores a turning point — one where blockchain moves beyond speculation toward real utility. From reimagining scientific discovery to unlocking new dimensions of Bitcoin functionality, the event highlights how decentralized systems can solve tangible problems.
As these technologies mature, collaboration between builders, investors, and regulators will determine their trajectory. Events like Sora Summit provide the ideal forum for these conversations — accelerating innovation while ensuring inclusivity and sustainability.