18 Nov 2025 Anthony Lehrman
$1 Million Aus Crypto Con Whale Lab Pitch Competition Presented by Wayex
The Australian Crypto Convention has announced The Whale Lab VC Pitch Competition, a landmark partnership presented by Wayex, an Australian-founded crypto exchange that boasts some of the deepest liquidity in the market, in partnership with XDC Network, Labrys, Hashlock and judges from leading Web3 VC’s Animoca Ventures, Greythorn Asset Management, Faculty Group and Apollo Crypto to launch the #BuildOnXDC Challenge. This is a flagship initiative offering one exceptional Australian Web3 startup a $1 million AUD collective investment and a comprehensive acceleration package, after they pass all required due diligence.
Collectively, these leading APAC funds have committed $1 million AUD to help launch the next generation of Web3 innovation from Australia to the world once they pass any due diligence required.
Director of Capital Markets at Animoca Brands, Leigh Travers, says, “In the world of crypto, attention and awareness are a key part of the economy. The Whale Lab offers startups an opportunity to showcase their project to a massive audience of investors, partners, and future users, potentially shaping the future of the industry.”
What the #BuildOnXDC Winner is Guaranteed
Labrys “Workshop Package”
- End-to-end requirements mapping, user flows, and solution architecture
- Production-grade Figma UI/UX design
- Coordinated build and onboarding aligned with XDC Network
Zero-Cost XDC Integration
- Full technical support from XDC Innovation Labs
- No migration or deployment fees
- Instant EVM compatibility and live mainnet deployment
Free Smart Contract Audit by Hashlock
- Full-scope professional audit and certification
- Investor-ready security documentation
- Compliance-aligned audit report
Core requirement: The winning project must be prepared to go live and deploy on the XDC Network.
From Pitch to Product: Australia’s Web3 Fast-Track
Finalists will pitch live on the Main Stage at #AusCryptoCon 2025, with the winner being chosen on the day of the final pitches.
Media Contact
Wayex Media Contact: [email protected]
About Whale Lab
Whale Lab is the flagship VC pitch competition at Australian Crypto Convention brought to you by the crypto exchange Wayex, connecting APAC’s top Web3 founders with institutional capital. Powered by live demos, expert judging, and immediate funding commitments, Whale Lab turns visionary pitches into funded ventures.
About Wayex
Wayex is an Australian-based digital asset platform transforming how people buy, sell, and spend cryptocurrency. Originally launched as CryptoSpend, Wayex bridges the gap between traditional finance and digital assets, empowering users to make crypto truly usable in daily life.
About XDC Network
XDC Network is an enterprise-grade, EVM-compatible Layer 1 blockchain optimised for trade finance, RWA tokenisation, and global payments. Delivering 2,000+ TPS, 3-block finality, and ISO 20022 compliance, XDC powers institutional-grade Web3 infrastructure worldwide.
Jointly issued by Wayex, XDC Network, Labrys and Hashlock for APAC media distribution.
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