Emre Yumlu 
The world’s largest crypto gathering, TOKEN2049 Singapore, has officially begun. Taking over the entire Marina Bay Sands venue, the first day delivered a wave of announcements and strategic moves that signal where the industry is heading next.
What Happened on the First Day of TOKEN2049?
Maelstrom Launches Private Equity Arm: “Maelstrom Equity”
Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, used the stage at TOKEN2049 to unveil a new division under his family office: Maelstrom Equity. For the first time, the firm will accept external institutional capital, targeting both majority and minority stakes in crypto and crypto-adjacent companies.
With a focus on businesses facing liquidity challenges or those primed for transformational growth, Maelstrom is expanding beyond venture and liquid markets into buyouts and growth equity. This move positions the firm to play a pivotal role in reshaping mature verticals within the crypto ecosystem.
KuCoin Rebrands With a New Identity: “Trust First. Trade Next.”
Global exchange KuCoin introduced its refreshed brand identity at TOKEN2049, centered around the principle “Trust First. Trade Next.”
Originally launched in 2017 as “the crypto exchange for everyone,” KuCoin now positions itself as “the crypto partner you can trust.” The updated visual identity reflects its core ethos of security, transparency, and accessibility, aiming to reinforce trust during periods of market volatility while strengthening its global appeal.
MEXC Ventures Commits $30M to Ethena’s ENA
Another key headline from Day One came from MEXC Ventures, which announced its second strategic investment in ENA, the governance token of the Ethena protocol. This brings its total commitment to $30 million.
When combined with a previous $16 million investment and a $20 million USDe acquisition, MEXC’s total exposure to the Ethena ecosystem now stands at $66 million. According to Cecilia Hsueh, Chief Strategy Officer at MEXC, the firm’s approach extends far beyond capital deployment, aiming to integrate operational synergies and project-level support to accelerate ecosystem growth.
Tether Gold (XAUt) Goes Live on Celo
Tether Gold (XAUt) has officially launched on the Celo network, expanding access to tokenized gold across more than 150 countries.
The addition complements Celo’s existing integration of USDT, which has already been used in over 119 million transactions as a gas currency. With XAUt now live, users within the Celo ecosystem gain seamless access to one of the oldest stores of value, bridging traditional assets with blockchain infrastructure.
Celo Introduces Nightfall Privacy Layer for Enterprise Payments
The Celo Foundation also announced the deployment of Nightfall, an open-source zero-knowledge privacy layer built by EY. Now live as a Layer 3 on Celo, Nightfall represents the first time a payments-focused blockchain has adopted this technology.
Nightfall leverages ZK proofs and ZK-ZK rollups to deliver private, auditable transactions at a fraction of traditional costs. The solution is designed for B2B payments, supply chain finance, and other enterprise use cases where confidentiality and efficiency are mission-critical.
A Strong Start to a Landmark Event!
Even on its first day, TOKEN2049 demonstrated why it remains the epicenter of the crypto world. From major equity announcements and rebranding strategies to significant investments and technical innovations, the event is shaping the conversation around both the current state and future trajectory of digital assets.
As the week continues, participants can expect even more high-profile panels, product launches, and strategic collaborations. TOKEN2049 has once again proven to be more than just a conference—it is where the next chapter of the crypto industry is written.
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