A Day Defined by Progress
If Day 1 of the London Blockchain Conference 2025 proved anything, it’s that blockchain and AI are no longer future talk – they’re building today’s digital infrastructure.
Across a packed schedule of visionary keynotes and technical panels, industry leaders explored the shift from hype to real-world delivery. Here’s everything you missed and why it matters.
Morning Momentum: Vision Meets Reality
“It’s No Longer About Promises – It’s About Progress”
The conference opened with Lilly Douse, CEO of Talk Crypto To Me, setting a focused tone: 2025 is the year for results, not rhetoric. Her call for collaboration and tangible progress resonated across the day’s sessions.
“It’s no longer about promises – it’s about progress.”
Sebastian Thrun: From Self-Driving Cars to Ethical AI
AI and blockchain may seem worlds apart, but Sebastian Thrun, the engineer behind Google X and Waymo, reminded attendees that innovation thrives on convergence.
Recounting his early experiments with autonomous driving, Thrun challenged the audience to think ethically about progress:
“We’re at the point where it’s immoral for a human to drive a car.”
He argued that exponential technologies – AI, automation, blockchain – are colliding in ways we’re only beginning to grasp.
“We can no longer live in a world where everything can be understood – only proven correct.”
A fitting tone-setter for a conference focused on speed, scale, and integrity.
Recovering Digital Assets: Every Minute Counts
Security experts followed with a practical reminder: prevention and recovery must go hand in hand. After all, in digital asset investigations, speed is non-negotiable.
“Speed is key in those early hours.”
Their advice: confirm, quantify, and coordinate quickly. With rising institutional adoption, the ability to respond fast is now core to operational resilience.
Dr Scott Zoldi: Trustworthy AI Starts with Blockchain
Dr Scott Zoldi, Chief Analytics Officer at FICO, delivered one of the morning’s most discussed talks. His message: the more powerful AI becomes, the more we need blockchain to keep it honest.
“Blockchain will govern AI.”
As algorithms become more complex and opaque, Zoldi argued that immutable, auditable records will be essential for compliance and ethics. He also called for “focused” AI models – domain-specific systems that outperform general-purpose chatbots in accuracy and governance.
“Focused models outperform generalist AI when the goal is trust and compliance.”
Afternoon Insights: Adoption, Regulation, and Real-World Change
Anthony Day: Making Blockchain Invisible
After lunch, Anthony Day, Marketing Director at VeChain, opened with a striking observation: nearly everyone uses AI daily, but few knowingly use blockchain.
His point? Adoption will skyrocket when the technology disappears into the background.
“Blockchain in isolation is hard to contextualise – but when it enables something useful, it becomes indispensable.”
Day predicted that by 2030, around 80% of blockchain transactions could be managed by autonomous AI agents. His showcase: VeBetter, a sustainability platform already tokenising over one million real-world actions per week, from fitness challenges to eco-friendly behaviour.
This wasn’t speculation – it was blockchain driving measurable human impact.
Quantum Risk and Smart Contract Security
On the Insights Stage, a technical panel took aim at a growing threat: quantum computing.
The discussion covered new attack surfaces in cross-chain protocols and the long-term need to upgrade cryptographic standards.
“Quantum computing may challenge our notions of digital trust – it’s not here yet, but we must prepare now.”
The consensus: proactive adaptation today prevents existential risk tomorrow.
Stablecoins Come of Age
With stablecoins now representing roughly 30% of all blockchain transactions, regulation and transparency were top of mind.
Speakers compared Europe’s MiCA framework with the U.S. GENIUS Act, both designed to enforce reserve integrity, licensing, and redemption rights.
“These frameworks aren’t about restriction – they’re about reliability.”
The conversation also highlighted the rise of local-currency stablecoins – potentially the next step toward financial inclusivity and global liquidity.
Narratives, Custody, and Collaboration
From storytelling to infrastructure, the message was consistent: blockchain’s future depends on clarity and credibility.
Laura Estefania of Conquista PR emphasized that reputation drives adoption:
“One of the most important currencies is your story.”
Carol Lago reframed custody as an enabler, not a constraint – providing the bridge for tokenisation and regulated digital finance.
Meanwhile, Jane Moore from the UK Financial Conduct Authority offered a refreshing dose of regulatory optimism:
“Being alone in a room won’t make good policy – talking will.”
Her note that the UK recently lifted its ban on crypto exchange-traded notes (CETNs) drew applause – a signal that regulation and innovation are finally starting to align.
Blockchain for Good
Day 1 closed on an inspiring note.
Mandulis Energy showcased how it’s using blockchain to convert waste into renewable energy credits for Ugandan communities, while Resify, built on VeChain, rewards users for disconnecting from their phones to support mental well-being.
Proof that blockchain’s reach extends beyond finance – into sustainability, wellness, and social progress.
What Day 1 Proved
By the end of the first day, several themes had clearly emerged:
- Trust is the foundation – transparency and auditability underpin everything.
- Purpose over hype – the focus is shifting from “what’s possible” to “what works.”
- Collaboration over competition – regulators, developers, and enterprises are learning to move together.
- AI + Blockchain = Accountability – a partnership that could define the next decade.
Looking Ahead
Day 1 of the London Blockchain Conference 2025 felt less like an introduction and more like a turning point.
If this pace continues, blockchain’s long-promised future of integrity, automation, and inclusion might be closer than ever.
On Day 2, expect deeper dives into digital identity, enterprise tokenisation, and cross-industry interoperability – but for now, Day 1 has made one thing clear: blockchain isn’t waiting for the future anymore. It’s building it.
