Could the blockchain be the solution to financial services' most pressing issues? Will this technology really make existing processes more efficient, secure, transparent and inexpensive?

During his keynote presentation, Andrea Macario will deliver a high-level overview of this revolutionary technology and how its transforming the financial landscape—from payments and KYC to trade finance and data security.

Initial Coin Offerings (“ICOs”) raised $3.8 billion in 2017. So far this year, companies have raised in excess of $12.4 billion, according to CoinSchedule, a website which tracks the data. As institutional players move into crypto and entrepreneurs around the world are looking into how they can get involved in this new fundraising phenomenon, the elephant in the room continues to be regulation.,

During this highly-anticipated session, our international panel of legal, regulatory and banking experts will dive into the latest developments on the subject and lend insights from their respective regions of the world.

The role of blockchain technology in the financial sector is not just a future consideration. Across the globe, real projects are underway where cryptocurrencies and distributed ledger technology are redefining processes in tangible ways—from how startups raise capital to how capital markets function. This panel will explore use cases that highlight how blockchain is providing secure, efficient solutions to some of the industry most pressing challenges.

Real estate deals on a blockchain are now a reality, and futurists are pointing to blockchain-based mortgage platforms as the next exciting use case for the disruptive tech.

While mainstream adoption is slow, high net worth individuals are increasingly unable to ignore the huge potential of cryptocurrency as a viable alternative to the costly inefficiencies driving their wealth offshore. How will the industry react? Will banks be removed from the process or will forward-thinking leaders adapt and adopt?

Blockchain has been at the top of mind for many financial executives over the past few years, but the hard questions remain to be answered. When and how will cryptocurrencies become a secure and mainstream medium of exchange? What shifts in business models and cultural mindsets will be required for companies to not only survive but thrive in this new ecosystem?

This panel will help make sense of it all and take an informed look at the future of banking as enabled by this emerging tech.

Regulation is evolving but remains patchy, with uncertainty on issues ranging from tax authorities to KYC and AML. What does a realistic roadmap look like and what best practices have been created already?

This panel will examine the different stakeholders’ approaches and provide insight into the future of regulation and how the financial sector should respond to the uncertainty.