A debate examining Bitcoin’s role as a safe-haven asset in the wake of the Iran war will take place at an upcoming industry event. The central question is whether Bitcoin can continue to serve as “digital gold” going forward.
At “Bitcoin Seoul 2026,” to be held June 4-5 at the FKI Tower in Yeouido, Seoul, key issues surrounding Bitcoin’s future will be discussed intensively, ranging from its safe-haven status to reserve strategies by governments and corporations, as well as security threats in the era of quantum computing.
On the first day of the event, a panel discussion will be held under the theme “Bitcoin: Still Digital Gold?” Steve Young Kim, Asia-Pacific Leader at Binance, will moderate the session, with Ashish Birla, CEO of Evernosh, and Jason Fang, CEO of Sora Ventures, among others, taking part. The panel will assess the changing role of Bitcoin amid recent expanding geopolitical risks.
Attention is particularly focused on how discussions around government-level Bitcoin strategic reserves, which have been spreading primarily in the United States, will affect the market. In a separate session, Fang will deliver a presentation titled “Asian-Style Bitcoin Reserve Strategy,” covering Bitcoin holding trends among governments and corporations and its potential use as a strategic asset.
A session exploring Bitcoin’s financialization potential will also be held. Fisher Yu, co-founder of Babylon, will present “Bitcoin’s Financialization: The Emergence of Programmable Collateral,” introducing a framework for using Bitcoin as a core collateral asset in on-chain finance. The session will explain how Bitcoin’s role is expanding from a simple store of value to a core asset across global on-chain finance, including lending and derivatives.
Security concerns about Bitcoin that have recently emerged ahead of the quantum computing era will also be addressed as a major agenda item. As quantum computing technology, which can process complex cryptographic operations in far shorter times than existing computers, rapidly advances, concerns are growing in the blockchain industry over the long-term possibility that the cryptographic systems currently used in the Bitcoin network could be rendered ineffective.
In the panel session titled “The Quantum Threat Facing Bitcoin,” participants will assess the impact of advances in quantum computing technology on Bitcoin’s cryptographic systems and wallet security, and discuss response strategies including the potential transition to post-quantum cryptography. Hwang Seok-jin, a professor at Dongguk University, will chair the session, with Kim Tae-il, CEO of Core Security; Koo Min-woo, Korea Deputy Head of Chainalysis; and Takatoshi Shibayama, Asia-Pacific Head at Ledger, participating.
‘Bitcoin Seoul 2026’ event poster