Blockworks’ flagship institutional conference, Digital Asset Summit New York (DAS NYC), is returning to New York City on March 24–26, 2026, with U.S. SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins set to headline Day 1. The event will be hosted at Javits Center North and is positioned as a three-day gathering for institutions tracking how digital assets are reshaping markets.
Atkins to deliver a Day 1 keynote on U.S. crypto markets
Blockworks said Atkins — described in the announcement as the architect of “Project Crypto” — will deliver a keynote outlining his vision for the future of digital assets in U.S. markets. The agenda is built around institutional adoption, market structure, and regulation.
A three-day program aimed at institutional decision-makers
Blockworks said DAS NYC will bring together senior leaders across asset management, institutional allocation, hedge funds, banks, payments, and fintech. The conference will run multiple tracks, including Main Stage, Institutional, Investor, Insights, Bitcoin, Empire, and Forward Guidance.
The release also highlighted a speaker lineup that includes executives and officials such as:
- Devin McGranahan (Western Union)
- Samara Cohen (BlackRock)
- Stephen I. Miran (U.S. Federal Reserve)
- Michael S. Selig (U.S. CFTC)
- Richard Teng (Binance)
- Amy Oldenburg (Morgan Stanley)
Stablecoins, regulation, and institutional integration are core themes
Blockworks said the 2026 agenda will focus on:
- Stablecoins & FinTech and the evolution of global payments infrastructure
- Institutional Integration of digital assets in capital markets and enterprise finance
- The Investment Case for digital assets within broader macro and fund strategy frameworks
- Digital Asset Regulation, including policy frameworks and U.S. legislation
Sponsors and scale signals
Blockworks said past DAS events have represented over $3 trillion in assets under management, and it framed DAS NYC 2026 as a premier institutional gathering. The release listed sponsors including Ruby Sponsors (Eigencloud, Fairmint, Grayscale, LMAX Digital, Lombard Finance) and Diamond Sponsors (50T Funds, Bridge, Button, Circle, Dinari, Optimism, Pear Protocol, Solidus Labs, Veda).
Why it matters for crypto
- A sitting SEC Chair headlining an institutional crypto summit is a strong signal that U.S. market structure and policy are central to 2026 narratives.
- The agenda focus on stablecoins, payments, and regulation suggests “crypto rails” are now discussed as financial infrastructure, not just trading.
- A multi-track program geared to allocators and banks underscores the continued shift from retail cycles to institutional workflow adoption.
- Sponsor mix (including stablecoin and compliance infrastructure firms) reflects where industry budgets are going: settlement, risk, and distribution.
What to watch next
- Any published details on Atkins’ keynote topics and whether “Project Crypto” includes concrete timelines or rulemaking priorities.
- Additional speaker announcements and final agenda breakdown by track.
- Whether major policy updates or new institutional product launches are timed around DAS NYC week (a common pattern for large industry summits).
- Any post-event disclosures on institutional sentiment—especially around stablecoin regulation, tokenization, and market structure.
Source: Blockworks press release