The World Laureates Summit 2026 (WLS 2026), a premier high-level dialogue platform between science and public governance, officially opened on February 1 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The summit is hosted by the World Laureates Association (WLA) and notably co-hosted by the global cryptocurrency exchange KuCoin. The event, themed "Basic Science: Addressing Human Challenges Through Scientific Consensus," brings together over 1,000 participants, including Nobel laureates, Turing Award winners, policymakers, and technologists to explore the role of fundamental science and frontier technologies in global governance.
As a co-host, KuCoin is actively participating to explore blockchain's foundational value. The exchange hosted a featured forum titled "Science in the Web3 Era: Foundations & Opportunities" and a "Blockchain x Science Forum." These sessions, moderated by KuCoin EU Managing Director Sabina Liu, convened leading cryptographers and economists to examine how blockchain technology reshapes trust, security, and scientific collaboration in a post-quantum and AI-driven world. Discussions centered on blockchain's roots in cryptographic integrity and its economic framing of consensus mechanisms.
Michael Gan, former CEO of KuCoin and current Deputy Secretary-General of the WLA, is a key participant. He is engaging in multiple roundtable and closed-door discussions with scientists and policymakers on AI, fundamental science, and global collaboration. Gan emphasized that frontier technologies like AI and blockchain should serve to build more open and trustworthy global collaboration systems, integrating his practical tech experience with global scientific and policy perspectives.
The summit has received high-level support from the UAE government, signaling the growing strategic importance of fundamental science and frontier tech within national development and global governance frameworks. KuCoin's involvement positions the exchange and blockchain technology at the center of a critical, multidisciplinary dialogue aimed at addressing long-term human challenges.
