Project Fogg is YAP Global’s travel sponsorship programme, named after the tale of Phileas Fogg who travelled around the world in 80 days. A Yapper can apply to work in another hub such as New York, London, or Singapore for 3 months. This gives us a chance to immerse in a different crypto market, collaborate with the wider team, and challenge ourselves professionally. 

Like the project’s namesake, Phileas Fogg who embarked on an epic tour around the world in 80 days, I was ready for an adventure in my career. While my journey was measured in months rather than miles, London remains transformative when viewed through the borderless lens of crypto.

Expanding My Horizons  

It has been a year and a half since I joined YAP Global’s Asia-Pacific team. Based in Singapore where institutional crypto adoption is prized, I amplify the stories of clients at the intersection of traditional and decentralised finance. This gave me front-row seats to Asia’s first spot crypto ETFs launching in Hong Kong and the impactful conversations at TOKEN2049.

While these regional experiences were invaluable, I began to grow curious about projects beyond the APAC region and with a greater crypto-native edge. Given this, Project Fogg offered the perfect opportunity to explore new crypto narratives and sharpen my public relations skills at the London office. I’ve also grown to enjoy working in the heart of London’s financial scene and keeping my finger on the pulse of newsworthy stories.

Here are some of my key takeaways.

Venturing Into New Territory

Project Fogg marked the chance to try something new. This meant casting my regional lens aside for a while and diving into crypto’s technical rabbit hole. I represented a client whose expertise lies in removing the bottlenecks in agentic AI workflows and making the technology more accessible to developers. 

Translating their technical complexities into resonating pitches stretched my creativity and pushed me to think outside the box. My knowledge of the space deepened, as did my confidence. This proves that stepping outside your comfort zone is where real learning happens.  

Bullish Times Ahead  

My time in London coincided with the UK Treasury’s pledge to support the crypto industry and deepen regulatory cooperation with the US. This pro-crypto momentum was palpable at networking events: During Bitcoin Pizza Day gatherings, speakers unpacked everything from the enduring strength of Bitcoin’s Proof of Work consensus to the excitement two Papa John’s pizzas could bring. 

Fast forward to today, the unassuming asset is now becoming the cornerstone of institutional portfolios. This renewed optimism made me reflect on how far the industry has come, and reinforced the importance of storytelling in capturing these pivotal moments.

Beyond the Screen 

And of course, I had a great time getting to know my colleagues better. Working across several countries and time zones, opportunities to collaborate with the wider team are precious. 

Who knew that the office culture across hubs could be so diverse: Being used to Asia-Pacific’s formal and structured approach to media outreach, the London team’s creative pitches were a refreshing change. I even had a go at it by leading an agency-wide Stablecoin Summer pitchout. While the Singapore team sips iced Yuanyang and jokes about valuing efficiency even in our speech (Props to you if you understand the phrase “This story confirm can one!”), the London team bonds over after-work pints and teaches me to enjoy every step of the process. 

From Tower of London lunches to afternoon brainstorming sessions, I often come out of such interactions feeling inspired. Like the industry events I attended, there was camaraderie over the possibilities of emerging technology in making finance more transparent and inclusive. Work aside, I definitely miss the snack breaks and the breadth of interesting stories in a bigger team. While remote working has its perks, these experiences highlighted how much richer work becomes when you truly know the people you’re collaborating with.

Phileas Fogg’s adventure taught him that the world was both bigger and smaller than he imagined. My time in London revealed a similar takeaway for the crypto industry:

Vast in its possibilities, yet intimately connected through the people who drive it forward.