From January 15 to 18, 2026, the city of Auxerre was transformed into French capital of cryptocurrencies. The fourth edition of CryptoXR brought together several thousand visitors to the Auxerrexpo exhibition center, confirming the status of a major event for the Web3 ecosystem in France. Between cutting-edge conferences, practical workshops and a festive atmosphere, this meeting was able to combine education and conviviality.
A 2026 edition that exceeds expectations
After attracting 6,800 visitors in 2025 CryptoXR is relaunching its game this year, with notable enthusiasm from the VIP opening evening on Thursday January 15, organized in the prestigious setting of Saint-Germain Abbey. The cocktail dinner, accompanied by Burgundy wines, allowed professionals in the sector to initiate initial discussions in a relaxed atmosphere.
The event then unfolded on 6,000 m² of exhibition spacewelcoming more than 70 stands and 100 speakers. The B2B day on Friday mobilized business leaders, project leaders and institutional investors around central themes: MiCA regulation, DeFi governance and mining in Europe.
Saturday, open to the general public, broke attendance records. The 30 workshops offered allowed neophytes to learn the fundamentals of Bitcoin (BTC) and blockchain, while the most seasoned explored the latest innovations in artificial intelligence applied to trading.
Major players at the meeting
The 2026 edition confirmed the attractiveness of CryptoXR among major exchange platforms. Krakenone of the most renowned exchanges in the world, was represented by Dorian Vincileoniwho came to present the ambitions of the platform on the French market. Since the acquisition of BCM at the end of 2024, Kraken has had a PSAN registration allowing it to operate legally in France and develop its European presence under the MiCA regulatory framework.
But the exchange does not stop there: thanks to obtaining a MiFID II license in early 2025, Kraken is now able to offer regulated derivatives products to advanced crypto traders on European markets. A unique offering in Europe, where Kraken is positioned as one of the first platforms to offer perpetual futures regulated under MiFID II, with access to more than 150 contracts and a daily volume oscillating between 1 and 2 billion dollars. A major step forward for European investors looking for a trading environment that is both sophisticated and fully compliant with regulatory requirements.
Bybit EU was also present in force, notably with Margaux BonettiHead of business development France. The platform, which obtained its MiCA license in May 2025 from the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA), offered an exclusive offer to visitors: up to 80 USDC bonus for new registrants, including a partial refund of the entrance ticket.
This presence of Bybit EU marks a significant turning point. Remember that the exchange was on the AMF blacklist until February 2025, before being officially removed after more than two years of compliance efforts. Now listed as an authorized service provider on the website of the Financial Markets Authority, Bybit EU illustrates the regulatory maturation of the sector.
Among the innovative projects present, the team of Qubic attracted significant interest. This new generation Layer 1 blockchain is distinguished by several remarkable technical characteristics: fee-free transactionsinstant finality and ultra-fast smart contracts.
The particularity of Qubic lies in its innovative consensus mechanism called Useful Proof of Work (UPoW). Unlike traditional Proof of Work, the energy consumed by miners is redirected to training artificial neural networks. The Aigarth project, powered by hundreds of thousands of miners, aims to create billions of neural networks, with the ambitious goal of achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI) by 2027.
Bitcoin invites itself among traders in Auxerre
As in the previous edition, CryptoXR continued its local Bitcoin adoption initiative. In partnership with Swiss Bitcoin Payseveral dozen businesses in the city have accepted payments in BTC via the Lightning Network. This second-layer technology allows almost instantaneous and very low-cost transactions.
In 2025, this initiative made it possible to record 439 transactions in Bitcoin, 82% of which directly within the exhibition grounds. Auxerre then rose to second place among French cities with the most points of sale accepting BTC, just behind Paris. The average amount of payments revealed distinct uses: 6,400 satoshis in the living room compared to 25,600 satoshis in town.
A unique format combining business and festivities
The strength of CryptoXR lies in its ability to bring together professionals and the general public in a friendly atmosphere. The organizer Maxime Chery was able to create an event that contrasts with the elitist Parisian salons. With an entry price maintained at accessible levels (from €20 for students), CryptoXR democratizes access to the Web3 ecosystem.
The 2026 program addressed crucial topics for the sector: the impact of the European MiCA regulation on market players, the future of mining in the European Union, the security of digital assets and the emergence of automated trading by artificial intelligence. The panels brought together leading experts, promoting quality discussions on current and future blockchain issues.
On Saturday evening, the Closing Party extended the event until 4 a.m. with five DJ sets. The Sunday after party, organized at Levrette Café from noon to midnight, allowed participants to debrief the event and consolidate the connections made during the weekend.
What this changes for French users
The success of CryptoXR 2026 demonstrates the growing maturity of the French crypto ecosystem. The presence of major exchanges like Kraken and Bybit EU, now in compliance with the European regulatory framework, reassures individual investors. The MiCA regulation, which has come into force gradually since 2024, imposes strict requirements in terms of consumer protection and transparency.
For users, this results in a more secure environment for buying, selling and holding digital assets. MiCA-licensed platforms must, among other things, separate client funds from their own assets, publish proof of reserve and comply with reinforced anti-money laundering standards.
The integration of innovative projects like Qubic also illustrates the diversification of blockchain use cases beyond simple speculation. The intersection between blockchain and artificial intelligence opens up new perspectives, transforming mining energy into a useful computational resource.
FAQ: CryptoXR 2026
CryptoXR is the main public event dedicated to cryptocurrencies, Web3 and artificial intelligence in France. Organized each year in Auxerre, it brings together professionals, enthusiasts and curious people around conferences, workshops and moments of conviviality.
Notable participants included the Kraken and Bybit EU platforms, as well as the Qubic project team.
PSAN registered or MiCA licensed platforms such as Kraken and Bybit EU allow you to buy, sell and hold cryptocurrencies in compliance with French regulations. It is recommended to favor the players listed on the AMF website.
Maximize your Tremplin.io experience with our 'Read to Earn' program! For every article you read, earn points and access exclusive rewards. Sign up now and start earning benefits.
