Dr. Neha Narula

Director, Digital Currency Initiative, MIT

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Neha Narula is the Director of the Digital Currency Initiative at the MIT Media Lab, where her research interests are in cryptocurrencies and distributed systems. She received her PhD in computer science from MIT in 2015, where she published work on fast, scalable databases. Neha has has given a TED talk on the future of money, was named to WIRED's list of 25 leaders shaping the next 25 years of technology, and was listed on Fortune's Ledger 40 under 40. She is on the Board of Directors for Block and on the New York Fed's Innovation Advisory Council.

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GFTN Insights

Roundtable Room 1 (Level 2)

Open

Tue, 6 May | 10:00AM - 11:30AM

Permissionless blockchain in financial services

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The objective of this roundtable is to bring together regulators, financial institutions, and technology leaders, to advance industry thinking on the use of permissionless blockchain in financial services.

Key outcomes of this roundtable:

To identify why permissionless blockchains have not made significant inroads with industry incumbents, exploring whether the hurdles are primarily commercial, regulatory, reputational, or a lack of expertise
To explore how financial services can be provided on transparent, permissionless and immutable blockchain while advancing the goal of consumer protection
To assess the challenge posed by the fragmented landscape of blockchain infrastructure and brainstorm potential solutions to enable greater interoperability

John O'NeillHSBC Group Head of Digital Assets & Currencies, HSBC

Matthew OsborneEurope Policy Director, Ripple

Rehan AhmedChief Executive Officer, Marketnode

Sonja DavidovicSenior Digital Expert, International Monetary Fund

Varun PaulSenior Director, Financial Markets, Fireblocks

Liang LiChief Executive Officer, Hashkey OTC

Khai Uy PhamCross-border wholesale CBDC projects leader, Banque de France

Anton BukovCo-Founder, 1inch

Dr. Neha NarulaDirector, Digital Currency Initiative, MIT

Pradyumna AgrawalManaging Director, Investment, Temasek

GFTN Insights

Roundtable Room 1 (Level 2)

Open

Tue, 6 May | 04:00PM - 05:30PM

Re-thinking payment controls in a blockchain and tokenized world

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Traditional AML/CFT frameworks for cross-border payments were built around correspondent banking, a model that relies on centralised oversight and intermediary controls. However, the rise of payment tokens on blockchain introduces greater transparency, real-time traceability, and enhanced enforcement capabilities—enabling regulators and financial institutions to detect, monitor, and act on illicit activity more efficiently than ever before.

As the global financial system undergoes a paradigm shift toward tokenized payments, it is crucial to re-examine payment control mechanisms in this new landscape. This roundtable will convene leading regulators, financial institutions, and blockchain experts to explore:

1. How blockchain-based payment tokens enhance monitoring, detection, and enforcement – Are decentralized networks more transparent than traditional banking rails? What are the limitations?
2. Redesigning payment controls for a tokenized world – Should AML/CFT rules evolve to account for programmability, smart contracts, and decentralised compliance models?
3. Moving forward: Bridging regulatory principles with tokenized payments – How can policymakers, financial institutions, and blockchain innovators collaborate to ensure payment security without compromising efficiency?