zkME Technology wins $20,000 PitchFest at Consensus Hong Kong with DeFi identity solution

Published: 2026-02-12 09:59:12 |

Hong Kong-based DePin firm zkME Technology won the $20,000 PitchFest prize at Consensus Hong Kong after a two-day startup competition. zkME, which says it has 3.5 million users and is raising a Series A round, pitched an identity verification solution it describes as essential infrastructure to help DeFi reach mainstream adoption. Founder and CEO David Alexander Scheer argued 2026 will deepen TradFi–DeFi convergence. Judges included representatives from Bullish Capital Management, CMT Digital, Fabric Ventures and YZi Labs. Runner-up Hubble AI presented an AI-powered platform for building bespoke trading strategies via natural-language prompts, stressing it supplies infrastructure rather than finished strategies. Other finalists included Onchain Labs (tokenized real-world assets), Coinbax (DePin infrastructure with a planned mainnet rollout in Q2) and several semi-finalists across tokenized RWA, DePin and AI sectors. Key takeaways for traders: zkME’s win highlights investor interest in identity and compliance primitives for mainstream DeFi growth. Hubble AI’s runner-up showing signals growing crossover between AI and trading infrastructure. Projects focused on tokenized real-world assets and DePin infrastructure continue to attract attention, suggesting potential flow of venture funding into RWA, identity, and AI-enabled trading tools.

Neutral

This event is primarily a startup competition outcome rather than market-moving regulatory or macro news. zkME’s victory signals investor and industry interest in identity and compliance infrastructure for DeFi, which is positive for long-term sector maturation but does not directly affect token prices. Hubble AI’s runner-up placement highlights growing integration of AI with trading tools—relevant for traders seeking new infrastructure but not an immediate price catalyst. Short-term market impact: likely negligible — no token launches, partnerships with major exchanges, or funding amounts that would redirect capital flows were announced. Traders should expect limited price reaction except potentially for small-cap tokens tied to the named projects if they exist and trade on market sentiment. Long-term impact: modestly bullish for the DeFi infrastructure niche. Increased venture funding and adoption of identity/compliance solutions could reduce institutional barriers to entry, supporting steady capital inflows into DeFi and tokenized RWA over time. Historical parallels: accelerator and pitch wins (or VC interest) typically boost developer attention and fundraising prospects for infrastructure projects but only occasionally produce immediate token rallies unless paired with major commercial deals or token economic events.