Shaping the future of DeFi: Global standards, security and innovation in public blockchain infrastructure

IOSCO’s 2023 policy recommendations on DeFi emphasise the principle of "same activity, same risk, same regulation" to ensure that DeFi arrangements are held to the same standards as traditional financial systems. Against the backdrop of tightening regulations like MiCA and DORA in Europe and growing geopolitical tensions over digital sovereignty, regulators worldwide grapple with the challenge of applying IOSCO's principle to DeFi. How can innovation thrive while addressing critical issues of security, interoperability, and cross-border compliance?

This roundtable brings together regulators, blockchain architects, and financial innovators to explore the evolving role of DeFi and public blockchain infrastructure in global markets.

Key topics include:

1. Global standards and geopolitics
2. Tech neutrality and security in DeFi
3. DeFi and tokenisation: Reshaping capital markets
4. The future of staking and investor protection

Observers can refer to these pre-reading reference materials to prepare for the roundtable:

• BIS: Cryptocurrencies and decentralised finance: functions and financial stability implications: Cryptocurrencies and decentralised finance: functions and financial stability implications
• IOSCO Final Report on DeFi Policy Recommendations (2023): FR14/23 Final Report with Policy Recommendations for Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
• OECD Report: "Why Decentralised Finance (DeFi) Matters and the Policy Implications:
• Decentralized Finance (DeFi): Reshaping Traditional Banking Systems: 5133479.pdf
• Global Standards Mapping Initiative 5.0: DeFi Stand-Alone Report: DeFi-Stand-Alone.pdf
• Project Guardian – Monetary Authority of Singapore: Project Guardian: 2024 Reflections, 2025 Directions