Vancouver Emerges as Global Blockchain Leader with 158 Crypto Companies

Vancouver's reputation as a hub for blockchain and cryptocurrency innovation dates back to 2013 when it became home to the world's first Bitcoin ATM.

This early adoption of cryptocurrency infrastructure set the stage for the city's emergence as a leading player in the global blockchain industry.

The ERC-721 token standard, which underpins all non-fungible tokens (NFTs), was co-authored by engineer Dieter Shirley at Axiom Zen, a Vancouver-based product studio, in late 2017.

Dapper Labs, another prominent Vancouver company, built the Flow blockchain and partnered with the National Basketball Association to launch NBA Top Shot, which passed $1 billion in cumulative sales by May 2022.