Blockchains, Cryptoassets, and DeFi: Unpacking the Jargon and Exploring the Implications

The future of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) appears simultaneously promising and uncertain, as revealed in this SFI Roundup through the diverse perspectives of leading financial experts. This blend of academic, regulatory, and industry viewpoints provides a well-rounded exploration of the challenges and opportunities. Future scenarios unfold in various directions, raising fundamental questions on the nature of trust, the appropriate degree of centralization and of transparency, and the need for regulation. The experts converge on one point: whether DeFi proves to be a game-changer or merely an incremental improvement, it has already forced the financial industry to evolve, from banks' internal systems to the emergence of cryptocurrencies as an investible asset class.

The most recent SFI Roundup offers practical and research insights into this topic from SFI Prof. Andrea Barbon, UNISG; SFI Prof. Andreas Fuster, EPFL; Dr. Matthias Jüttner, Head of Banking Operations Analysis at the Swiss National Bank; Philippe Meyer, Head of Digital Blockchain Solutions at BBVA (Switzerland); SFI Prof. Fabian Schär, UNIBAS; and Dr. Stephan Zwahlen, Chief Executive Officer at Maerki Baumann.

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