Emerging Finance & Crypto Come to the Heartland 

The Heartland Digital Asset Exchange (HDAX) is a convening of the Midwest’s most discerning family offices, institutional investors, and innovators with the global vanguard of digital assets and blockchain infrastructure.

Hosted in Kansas City, the inaugural HDAX (September 9, 2025) marked a milestone moment for the region — positioning the Heartland as a credible, trusted hub for compliant blockchain finance.

Produced by KC Digital Drive, HDAX reflects Kansas City’s growing leadership in digital infrastructure, emerging tech, and innovation-led economic development.

KCDD’s Role

As the backbone organization for this annual event, KC Digital Drive provides the organizational and financial framework to make HDAX possible — coordinating partners, managing production, and aligning the summit with KCDD’s broader mission to advance digital inclusion, innovation, and economic competitiveness for the Kansas City region.

Under the leadership of Heidi Lehmann, Chair of TIGER 21, Strategic Director at Ligo Partners, an Jim Starcev, KCDD’s Innovation Program Manager  KCDD helped deliver a world-class convening that bridged regional innovation with global capital.

“HDAX gives regional innovators a rare opportunity to plug into global capital conversations around digital compliance and infrastructure.”
— Jim Starcev, KC Digital Drive

Purpose & Impact

HDAX was designed to demystify tokenized finance and provide a credible, high-trust environment for investors exploring blockchain-based innovation — emphasizing education, regulation, and strategy over speculation.

By convening leaders from global institutions such as Coinbase, Fidelity Labs, Deloitte, TIGER 21, and others, HDAX showcased how compliant blockchain finance is transforming industries — from real estate and supply chains to energy and agriculture.

Keynote conversations included:

• Esther George, former President of the Kansas City Federal Reserve and current Kauffman Foundation Board Chair, on monetary policy and regional innovation.
• Grant Cardone, entrepreneur and investor, on the convergence of real estate and bitcoin as new wealth strategies.
• Anthony Bassili, President Coinbase Global Asset Management and Joe Kessinger, Managing Director Collaborative Capital, on Family Offices Enter the Digital Asset Arena

Regional Significance

HDAX underscores KCDD’s commitment to future-focused economic development — connecting Kansas City’s innovation ecosystem to national and global investment conversations.

The summit amplifies regional assets in fintech, digital infrastructure, and blockchain regulation, while aligning with KCDD’s broader strategy to:

• Advance digital transformation as a regional economic driver
• Bridge innovation ecosystems with inclusive community impact
• Position Kansas City as a Midwest hub for emerging technologies
  

Sponsors & Partners

Foundational sponsors included Polsinelli, Stellar Forge Mining, Mariner Wealth Advisors, Collaborative Capital, UMKC Tech Venture Studio, Nationwide Transportation, Inc, Bulla Network, and others — all helping to define the future of blockchain-enabled finance and infrastructure.

Produced by: KC Digital Drive
Leadership: Jim Starcev (KCDD), Heidi Lehmann (Ligo Partners / TIGER 21)
Media Partner: Fintech TV (NYSE + On-site Coverage)