MERGE Madrid 2025 + Warm-Up by Stakely: our contribution to institutional adoption

Madrid once again became the meeting point for financial institutions, regulators, and Web3 builders thanks to MERGE Madrid 2025. At Stakely, we kicked off our participation by organizing the Warm-Up by Stakely, where we set the stage ahead of the main event. We also brought the event closer to the community with a ticket giveaway, and the winner had the opportunity to join us during the event.

We started the MERGE week with Warm-Up by Stakely, an event we co-organized with CryptoDays and Algorand Foundation to bring together builders, partners, and the community. The idea was simple: spark meaningful conversations ahead of the main MERGE Madrid event and keep those discussions going throughout the summit.

Reality exceeded expectations. Over 120 attendees from the tech sector, traditional banking, and of course, the community, filled the venue with genuine networking and great energy. We loved the warm welcome and the synergy that emerged between such diverse yet complementary profiles.

We’re already thinking about the next one. Where would you like us to host the next Warm-Up?

Beyond sponsoring the event, we also took the stage alongside industry leaders to share our knowledge with attendees. At our booth, we engaged with hundreds of professionals eager to understand how non-custodial staking enables institutions and companies to integrate into DeFi while maintaining asset sovereignty, with security and compliance policies that fit within regulated environments.

At 11:50 AM, our CEO Jose Antonio Hernández joined a panel discussion with Jesús Pérez Sánchez from DragonStake and Anthony Chávez from Uniswap Labs to explore DeFi priorities for 2026, with only two months left in the year. The panel was packed with actionable insights and clear conclusions for the industry roadmap.

Then at 12:20 PM, our Co-founder and Head of Node Operations, Paco Ducha, broke down where blockchain yields truly come from and how they are modeled against risks such as slashing, operational correlation in restaking, and the liquidity of LSTs/LRTs. A session designed to cut through the hype and focus on economic fundamentals—perfect for both blockchain newcomers and those seeking a deeper technical understanding.

We gave away a ticket for MERGE Madrid, and the winner had the chance to join us for the entire summit. It was great to put faces to our community and hear their ideas and challenges firsthand. Want to be next?

We also recorded several interviews during the event that we’ll be sharing soon. Follow us on social media so you don’t miss a thing!

Alongside our speakers, Ignacio Iglesias, CTO and Co-founder, and María López, Stakely’s Growth Lead, also attended. We came with a full team to answer technical questions, connect with institutions, and most importantly, listen to the community. And yes, our merch flew off the shelves! We’re already restocking with new surprises for you.

This MERGE was special. Beyond sponsoring and speaking on stage, this year we kicked things off with our very own side event, Warm-Up by Stakely, which gave us a chance to connect and engage before the main program. That early connection made all the difference: better conversations, better ideas, and an even more united community.

So… what’s next?

We’ll continue to be present in Spain, this time at the European Blockchain Convention (EBC). From October 16–17, you can connect with our team in Barcelona. See you there!

Comming soon Stakely at European Blockchain Convention (EBC)