During Blockchain Week’s Token2049 event in Dubai, the city was not only soaked by torrential rains but also flooded with announcements and partnerships from the crypto community. In this week’s edition of the #hearsay column, we provide an inside look at Blockchain Week in Dubai, UAE.

Despite the chaos caused by the rain early in the week, Dubai became a focal point for the future of finance. Among influencers and industry figures, your columnist found himself navigating the flooded streets of Dubai, where he discovered exciting developments in the crypto world.

Arriving in Dubai, the columnist immersed himself in the art scene at the Blockchain Life conference. He stumbled upon 10101.art, a platform selling NFT tokens/shares of artworks by renowned artists. The platform aims to democratize access to art by offering shares in blue-chip artworks as an investment opportunity for art enthusiasts.

The unexpected biblical flood in Dubai did not deter Token2049 from taking place, although it did cause delays for attendees. Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, made waves with announcements aimed at enhancing Telegram’s crypto functionality. Durov’s plans included integrating USDT into the TON blockchain, along with other features to empower Telegram users in the crypto space.

Other notable announcements included a strategic partnership between QCP and Further Ventures to drive digital asset innovation in Abu Dhabi. Abra also made headlines with SEC-approved offerings for institutional and private clients, aiming to bridge on-chain and off-chain ecosystems for its users.

Drift announced a DAO and airdrop of a new governance token, while the Data Ownership Protocol (DOP) revealed a partnership with Bitcoin.com. These developments signify a new wave of growth and innovation in the crypto industry.

Despite the anticipation for exclusive events during Blockchain Week, the columnist found himself without invites or yacht parties, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the crypto world. Nevertheless, the week in Dubai was filled with excitement and promising developments for the future of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.