Michael Lau is the Chairman of Consensus, the global event series by CoinDesk, and concurrently serves as the Senior Vice President, Group Head of Business Development at the digital asset company Bullish. ^{[1] [2]}

Education

Lau earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto. He continued his education by obtaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Strategy & Innovation from the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. Additionally, Lau holds a certificate of participation in the Chief Marketing Officer Program from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. ^{[1] [3] [10] [12]}

Career

Lau began his career with over a decade of experience in traditional capital markets. He held several positions within the equities business at the financial services firm J.P. Morgan. Following his time there, he joined CLSA, a capital markets and investment group, where he held senior leadership roles. He served as the Chief Operating Officer for Equity Advisory and was later appointed Global Chief Marketing Officer. In the CMO role, he was responsible for leading marketing initiatives across the firm's various divisions, including alternative asset management, corporate finance, capital markets, securities and wealth management which served as a basis for later work with blockchain technology.

In early 2020, Lau transitioned to the digital asset industry by joining the financial services division that would later become the cryptocurrency exchange Bullish. His initial role involved leading institutional sales and marketing for the exchange product. He was later promoted to Senior Vice President, Global Head of Sales, before taking on his current position as Senior Vice President, Group Head of Business Development. In this capacity, he oversees global business development for the entire Bullish group ecosystem, which includes the regulated Bullish Exchange, the media and events company CoinDesk, and CoinDesk Indices.

Concurrently with his role at Bullish, Lau serves as the Chairman of Consensus, CoinDesk's flagship global conference series for the cryptocurrency, blockchain, and Web3 industries. As Chairman, he is responsible for leading the strategy, partnerships, and overall development of the events. He is based in Hong Kong. ^{[5] [2] [1] [4] [10] [11] [12]}

Major Initiatives

Consensus Hong Kong 2025

As Chairman, Lau was a key figure in the launch of the inaugural Consensus Hong Kong conference in February 2025. He led the strategy and development for the event, which was positioned as a major global gathering for the digital asset industry in Asia. The event's success was highlighted by several key metrics and received official recognition. ^[6]

Key outcomes of the inaugural Consensus Hong Kong include:

• Attendance: The event attracted nearly 10,000 attendees.
• Global Reach: Participants came from over 100 countries.
• Programming: The conference featured over 300 speakers.
• Ecosystem Events: It generated over 350 side events in the city.
• Economic Impact: The event produced an estimated HKD $275 million in economic impact for Hong Kong.

The conference's significance was acknowledged with a specific mention in the Hong Kong Financial Secretary’s 2025-2026 Budget Speech. ^[1]

Following the event, Lau commented on its success and the decision to return to the city in 2026. In a press release dated May 14, 2025, he stated:

"The overwhelming success of Consensus Hong Kong 2025 was a testament to Hong Kong's status as a leading global FinTech hub and its unique role as a gateway to Asia. This vibrant city, with its dynamic ecosystem and entrepreneurial spirit, has proven the demand for a world-class conference. We are excited to return with an even larger platform to host the most influential voices in blockchain, Web3, and AI, and to create unparalleled networking opportunities." ^[7]

Interviews

TOKEN2049 London 2022 #01

On November 13, 2022, Michael Lau, then Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sales at Bullish, delivered a keynote titled “The Innovation Trajectory of Blockchain & Crypto” at TOKEN2049 London. In his presentation, Lau described what he referred to as the “innovation trajectory” of blockchain, outlining its development through stages that included Bitcoin, decentralized finance (DeFi), and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). According to Lau, these phases illustrate how the technology has progressed and diversified into different applications.

Lau drew on academic frameworks from Paul Jaroski and Clayton Christensen to explain his perspective, distinguishing between invention and innovation. He argued that innovation involves the commercialization of ideas and the creation of practical applications, whereas invention alone does not guarantee broader impact. From his point of view, the period often described as the “crypto winter” represented a stage in which the industry was shifting away from speculative activity toward more use-case-driven development.

As part of his remarks, Lau cited Bullish as an example of how companies have responded to market conditions. He explained that the firm focused on institutional capital and regulatory requirements, which led to the development of a regulated exchange incorporating automated market maker (AMM) features alongside a central limit order book (CLOB). According to Lau, this structure was intended to provide liquidity and mechanisms for price discovery suited to professional traders.

In addition, Lau discussed NFTs in the context of digital identities and communities, suggesting that their role extended beyond collectibles and indicated broader cultural and technological trends. He concluded by stating that periods of market downturn can contribute to the industry’s adjustment and ongoing development. ^[13]

Michael Lau on Cryptocurrency Regulation #02

On July 12, 2023, Michael Lau appeared as a guest on the first episode of "Super Excited with Casey Lau", titled "Bullish about Hong Kong's Crypto Future with Michael Lau". During the interview, he discussed his professional background and his views on cryptocurrency regulation and adoption, with particular emphasis on developments in Hong Kong.

Lau outlined his move from investment banking to the cryptocurrency sector in 2020, stating that this transition was influenced by his interest in blockchain technology. At Bullish, where he serves as Head of Global Sales, the company’s model integrates traditional exchange infrastructure with features associated with decentralized finance, while maintaining a focus on institutional clients.

In the discussion, Lau described Hong Kong’s new crypto regulatory framework, introduced on June 1, 2023, as an important development for the local digital asset industry. He contrasted this with regulatory uncertainty in the United States and noted that regions such as Europe and Latin America are advancing in adoption, often driven by specific use cases such as cross-border transactions.

He also referred to Hong Kong’s position as a financial hub linking East and West, observing that the easing of COVID-19 restrictions has contributed to renewed industry activity in the city. According to Lau, the growth of industry conferences in Hong Kong reflects this momentum.

Lau further commented on the role of digital currencies, including central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and stablecoins, suggesting that their application may be directed primarily toward corporate efficiency and international payments rather than retail use. He indicated that regulatory clarity, together with the availability of talent and capital, could support Hong Kong’s efforts to strengthen its role in the digital asset sector. ^[14]