How to Transform Global Finance With Cryptocurrency

Stop treating crypto as a separate strategy. The leading enterprise CFOs and treasury leaders are integrating blockchain as core financial infrastructure Traditional remittance costs average 6.5% per transaction, while Stablecoin transfers cost under 1% - representing 85% cost reduction for multinational operations. Settlement time comparisons prove even more compelling: → Traditional cross-border payments: 3-5 business days → Stablecoin settlements: 10-30 seconds Major institutions have already implemented this infrastructure: → JPMorgan processes billions monthly through JPM Coin, with transactions on their Onyx platform reducing settlement times by over 90% → PayPal launched PYUSD, now integrated into 430 million active accounts globally → Visa collaborates with Circle to use USDC for blockchain settlement, processing $3 billion in stablecoin payments in 2024 For treasury management, the advantages compound: → 24/7 liquidity across borders without banking hours or holidays → Elimination of pre-funding requirements in destination currencies → Direct settlement between parties without correspondent bank fees → Reduction in currency conversion costs Blockchain adoption for financial infrastructure continues accelerating. Stablecoin market cap reached $200B in 2024, with projections of $1.1T by 2035 according to Megatech Insights (17.8% CAGR) Implement this infrastructure through regulated partners like Circle (USDC), Paxos (supporting PYUSD), or JPMorgan's Onyx platform. Start with specific use cases in treasury operations or cross-border payments where ROI proves immediate and measurable The companies gaining competitive advantages now will maintain multi-year leads over those still deliberating

I believe blockchain is a transformational force for markets. Displacing trust with truth and transacting bilaterally without counterparty risk is massive. One of the biggest opportunities for market transformation is with public equity. Today, as many as eight different parties sit in between the buyer and seller of equities on a US national exchange. Each one of those parties’ extracts rent. Decentralized custody exchange on blockchain can distill these markets down to just buyer and seller. So what does this mean in dollars? First, there is no need for a registry service – blockchain is the registry. No DTC, Euroclear, etc. DTCC’s annual revenue is $5B, so assume that’s $100B of enterprise value released. Next, there is no need for a centralized exchange. Trading happens on a public decentralized custody marketplace. The marketplace ensures KYC, but other traditional exchange activities – such as selling data – go away. If we just look at NASDAQ and NYSE, that’s about $70B+ of value released. There is no need for an introducing broker. Traders attach their wallet to the exchange and trade. Self-custody and democratized leverage (more on that below). No Schwab, Robinhood, Fidelity, etc. That releases $100’s of billions of value. Finally, lending is democratized. Today, lending is done against counterparties (e.g., you are a Goldman prime brokerage client). With blockchain native securities, lenders can get immediate and true security perfection on their collateral. Lenders no longer care who the borrower is – they have 24x7x365 collateral liquidity. Anyone with dollars can become a prime broker in what becomes a limit-order-book loan market. This not only releases $100’s of billion in value it creates a democratized capital market that benefits both lenders and borrowers. Beyond the value released through disintermediation, putting equity native to chain opens up massive ecosystem benefits, such as cross collateralization to other chain-native assets. Note, this is not “tokenizing” a security that sits at DTC. Nothing I outlined above can happen doing this, as you fail the first tenet of blockchain: displace trust with truth. Equity needs to be native to chain. The blockchain (and corresponding exchange) that drive this disruption will capture at least part of the value released. This is why we built Provenance Blockchain and Figure Markets and why I have been so dogged in pursuing the Celsius and FTX bankruptcies. Chapter 11 provides a way for a bankrupt company to issue public securities exempt from national registration (no S-1). I had thought giving creditors ownership through chain-native equity in a system with such disruptive potential was a great thing, but unfortunately I wasn't successful. Absent that path, we have another way to solve this. It's too big of a market to walk away from. Stay tuned.

Cross-border payments are still running like it's 1973. Businesses lose billions annually to a system designed when the internet didn't exist. They accept 3-5 day settlement times, hidden fees, and complex banking relationships because 'that's just how international payments work.' - 'Wire transfers are reliable,' they say. - 'SWIFT is the global standard,' they argue. - 'If it's not broken, why fix it?' But here's the thing: the 'stablecoin sandwich' is quietly transforming how money moves across borders. Consider this: - When a European business pays a Mexican supplier today, that payment touches 4-5 banks - Each bank takes a fee and adds 24-48 hours to settlement - The total cost? Often 2-3% of the payment amount The supplier doesn't receive funds for 3-5 business days. Inside the industry, we're watching a transformation. The stablecoin sandwich—local currency to stablecoin to local currency—is making traditional cross-border payments obsolete. Imagine this instead: EUR → USDC → MXN Instant settlement. Near-zero fees. 24/7 operation. Some teams that come to mind tackling this head on and handling all the complexity (tag others in comments!) Layer1 Mural Pay Borderless.xyz Iron Routefusion Sphere The business never needs to touch crypto or understand blockchain—they just get faster, cheaper payments. We're witnessing the birth of a new financial rail that's as transformative as SWIFT was in the 1970s. By 2026, this won't be a novel concept. It will be how all international payments work. The future of money movement isn't about building new banking relationships or better SWIFT messaging. It's about making the complexity of cross-border payments disappear completely, powered by stablecoins.

"At the heart of this vision [of the next-generation #monetary_and_financial_system] is the concept of #tokenisation, the process of recording claims on real or financial assets that exist on a traditional ledger onto a #programmable_platform.   #Tokenisation represents the next logical progression in the evolution of the monetary and financial system, as it enables the integration of #messaging, #reconciliation and #asset_transfer into a single, seamless operation.   Its potential lies in its ability to knit together operations encompassing money and other assets that would reside on the same programmable platform.   This could be made possible by a new type of financial market infrastructure – a "#unified_ledger" – which may or may not use #distributed_ledger_technology (DLT). By bringing together tokenised #central_bank_reserves, #commercial_bank_money and financial assets into the same venue, a unified ledger can harness tokenisation's full benefits.   Tokenisation is poised to both improve the old, by overcoming the frictions and inefficiencies of the current architecture, and enable the new, by opening up new #contracting possibilities. In #cross_border_payments, tokenisation could replace the #complex_chain_of_intermediaries and the sequential updating of accounts in today's correspondent banking transactions with a #single_integrated_process.   Together with state-of-the-art #compliance_tools made available on the platform, tokenisation would thereby reduce #operational_risks, delays and costs. Similarly, it would enhance capital markets by enabling the contingent execution of actions in terms of #collateral_management, margining adjustments and delivery-versus-payment arrangements."   — From: #BIS (Bank for International Settlements), The Next-Generation Monetary and Financial System (Chapter III), Annual Economic Report 2025, June 24, 2025   The full document is here: https://lnkd.in/eJZXBY9R

Crypto’s solution for international wire fees was one of my big “ah ha” moments. I used to send money to my family in India and was happy to pay the $30 fee each time. I was also happy to wait four days for my transaction to go through–it’s not like I was missing a meal because of it. But there are plenty of folks around the world who can’t afford that luxury. Just look at the numbers: International wire fees = $15 - $50 + processing fees + forex spreads Let’s say an even $30. The net national income per capita globally is about $8,700, which is about $24 per day. So a single international wire transfer costs more than a day's wages for the average earner. Now let’s look at another downside: of all the MTOs facilitating payments, Western Union is by far the industry leader (UAE Exchange in Abu Dhabi is a distant second, getting only a third of WU’s international volume). This monopoly status gives WU the power to completely turn off services with the flip of a switch. In countries like Cuba and Afghanistan, WU suspended transfers precisely when people were most in need. Blockchain as a P2P solution to this archaic system is quietly changing lives by the day. Orgs like Ripple and Circle have already had a massive impact by offering low-cost solutions to the unbanked, and Stripe’s recent acquisition of Bridge (whose mission is to transform global money movement) should make anyone bullish about the future of cross-border payments. We’re rewriting the rules of access and equity one transaction at a time. [Image source: ir.com] #FinancialInclusion #CrossBorderPayments #BankingTheUnbanked

🔥Stripe Acquires Bridge - A Game-Changing Merger in Global Financial Infrastructure 🏢 Who They Are: 🟣Stripe is the backbone of internet commerce, providing comprehensive payment infrastructure that powers millions of businesses worldwide. 🌉Bridge is a pioneering stablecoin platform that enables seamless conversion between traditional currencies and digital dollars, making global money movement faster and more accessible. 💡 How It Works: Bridge's technology allows for instant conversion between various dollar formats (USD/EUR, USDC, PYUSD, USDT) through simple APIs, while Stripe brings its robust payment processing, billing, and business banking infrastructure. Together, they're creating a unified platform where traditional finance meets digital currency innovation. ⚠️ Important Risk Considerations: • Cross-border transactions at unprecedented speeds (< 30 mins vs 2-3 days) require enhanced monitoring systems • Multiple stablecoin formats and currency conversions create complex transaction paths that need careful oversight • Operating across high-growth markets like Nigeria, Argentina, and Mexico presents unique regulatory challenges • Integration period between platforms demands vigilant security measures ✨ The Game-Changing Benefits: 1. Financial Inclusion: Providing stable currency access to regions battling hyperinflation/ limited banking infrastructure 2. Cost Reduction: Dramatically lowering cross-border payment fees (currently 3-4%) and improving aid distribution efficiency (only ~40% of donations typically reach recipients) 3. Business Enablement: Empowering global merchants to accept local currency payments while settling in stable currencies 4. Technical Innovation: Combining Stripe's trusted payment infrastructure with Bridge's stablecoin technology creates new possibilities for financial services 🚀 Industry Impact: This merger signals a massive shift in how TradFi views cryptocurrency infrastructure. It validates stablecoins as a practical solution for real-world financial challenges and sets the stage for mainstream adoption of digital currency technology. 🌍 Global Implications: We're witnessing the evolution of money for a truly global economy. Where you're born shouldn't dictate your access to stable currency and economic opportunity. This merger brings us closer to that reality. 🔮 Looking Ahead: This is one of those potential catalysts that bridges the gap between TradFi and digital currency innovation. With Stripe's credibility and Bridge's technology, we're looking at a future where moving money is as simple as sending an email…(wait until Ripple gets rolling!) The transaction is pending regulatory approval, but one thing is clear: the future of global finance is being shaped right now, and it sure is exciting! Connecticut State Police NEACH - New England Automated Clearing House Association Nacha Connecticut Bankers Association (CBA) Bank Compliance Association of Connecticut, Inc. TRM Labs Chainalysis