Fintech Forward Newsletter - Issue 31

In this month’s newsletter we explore developments in the digital assets landscape and how stablecoins offer the potential to reshape the future of payments and financial services. Once viewed as a niche cryptocurrency use case, stablecoins are increasingly being adopted by banks, payment providers, fintechs, and corporates seeking faster, more efficient and programmable ways to move value globally.

Stablecoins were a major topic of discussion at Money20/20 Europe, where industry leaders highlighted their expanding role in global finance and the geopolitical implications of a market still dominated by US dollar-backed assets.

The recent launch of new stablecoin Open USD with the backing of more than 140 banks and technology companies demonstrates how momentum is building. The initiative reflects a growing shift towards stablecoins as enterprise-grade payment infrastructure, as it seeks to address longstanding challenges around cost, scalability and governance.

Beyond stablecoins themselves, the convergence of AI and digital assets is creating new opportunities and new risks for the financial sector. As programmable money meets autonomous decision-making, regulators are increasingly focused on issues such as financial stability, systemic resilience and monetary sovereignty.

In early September, the European Blockchain Convention (EBC 12) will bring together leading banks, fintechs, regulators, and technology providers in Barcelona, to explore the next chapter of innovation across digital assets, tokenization and blockchain-enabled financial services.