DePin company secures 20,000 USD award at competitive PitchFest event showcasing Web3 innovation
Emerging Company Claims Top Honor at Premier Blockchain Conference
Hong Kong-based zkMe Technology emerged victorious at the prestigious Consensus PitchFest competition, securing a 20,000 USD prize after a rigorous two-day evaluation process at Consensus Hong Kong 2026. The company, which describes itself as essential infrastructure for mainstream DeFi adoption, beat out 11 other finalists to claim the top prize at one of Asia’s most influential blockchain and Web3 gatherings. The judging panel included representatives from leading investment firms Bullish Capital Management, CMT Digital, Fabric Ventures, and YZi Labs, who evaluated competitors on their technological innovation, market potential, and ability to address critical challenges in the cryptocurrency sector. ZkMe Technology, categorized as a DePin (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) company, currently serves 3.5 million users and is actively raising a Series A funding round, positioning itself for rapid expansion in the competitive decentralized finance space. The company’s identity verification solution aims to bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized systems, addressing one of the most significant barriers to mainstream cryptocurrency adoption.
Competitive Landscape and Runner-Up Innovation
Runner-up Hubble AI showcased its AI-powered platform for building bespoke trading strategies through natural language prompts, emphasizing that it provides infrastructure rather than specific trading strategies. This distinction is crucial in the regulatory landscape surrounding financial technology, where companies must carefully navigate compliance requirements while delivering innovative solutions. The competition highlighted the diverse range of solutions being developed to address challenges in the crypto sector, from identity verification to artificial intelligence integration. The PitchFest competition forms a core component of the Consensus Hong Kong conference, which wrapped up with more than 11,000 attendees visiting booths and stages across two days of programming. While day one focused on institutional projects and professional investor audiences, the second day concentrated on developers and technical innovation, reflecting the conference’s comprehensive approach to covering all aspects of the blockchain ecosystem.
Broader Conference Highlights and Industry Developments
Beyond the PitchFest competition, Consensus Hong Kong 2026 featured significant announcements from major players in the cryptocurrency industry. World Liberty Financial, a crypto project linked to President Donald Trump, unveiled plans for a foreign-exchange platform using the USD1 stablecoin to offer cheaper cross-border transfers than traditional remittance services. This development signals growing institutional and political interest in stablecoin applications for real-world financial services. Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson announced that LayerZero will port to Cardano and that the privacy-focused Midnight mainnet will debut next month, representing significant technical developments in the broader blockchain ecosystem. The Easy A x Consensus Hackathon saw FoundrAI take the top spot, demonstrating the conference’s commitment to fostering innovation through competitive events that bring together developers from around the world.
Hong Kong’s Strategic Position in Global Blockchain Development
The success of zkMe Technology at Consensus Hong Kong underscores the city’s growing importance as a hub for blockchain innovation and cryptocurrency development in Asia. Despite regulatory challenges and questions about the region’s political autonomy, Hong Kong continues to attract blockchain companies and investment, leveraging its sophisticated financial infrastructure, international connectivity, and strategic position at the gateway to mainland China. The conference itself has quickly established itself as a must-attend event for anyone serious about blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and Web3 development in the Asia-Pacific region. Both PitchFest and the hackathon will return when CoinDesk hosts its flagship North American Consensus conference in Miami on May 5-7, creating a global circuit for blockchain innovation and networking. For zkMe Technology, the PitchFest victory provides not only significant prize money but also valuable exposure to potential investors, partners, and customers at a critical stage in the company’s development. Past PitchFest winners have gone on to secure substantial funding rounds, with the inaugural 2025 champion TransCrypts raising a 15 million USD seed round led by Pantera Capital just months after their victory.
Wing Sum
Arts, Culture & History Journalist, Apple Daily UK
Contact: wingsum@appledaily.uk
Wing Sum is an arts, culture, and history journalist with professional experience documenting cultural heritage, artistic expression, and historical memory within Chinese-speaking communities. She received her journalism education at a prestigious Chinese journalism school, where she specialized in cultural reporting, archival research, and ethical storytelling.
Her work at Apple Daily and other liberal Chinese magazines and newspapers includes coverage of literature, film, visual arts, and the preservation of collective memory. Wing Sum’s reporting is grounded in interviews with artists, historians, and cultural practitioners, supported by archival sources and scholarly research.
She brings newsroom experience in balancing cultural critique with factual accuracy and historical context. Editors value her careful sourcing and resistance to sensationalism when covering sensitive historical topics.
Wing Sum’s authority is reinforced by sustained publication within established media institutions and adherence to editorial standards governing accuracy and attribution. At Apple Daily UK, she contributes culturally rigorous journalism rooted in experience, research, and professional integrity.
