Director & Head, Payments Development and Data Connectivity Office, Monetary Authority of Singapore
Jo is a division head at the FinTech & Innovation Group (FTIG) at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Her division, the Payments Development and Data Connectivity Office, is responsible for developing the Singapore payments ecosystem and driving payments development initiatives in addition to the development and implementation of cross-border data connectivity. She has led a number of landmark payments policy and infrastructure projects including Direct FAST, PayNow cross border connectivity linkages with Thailand, India and Malaysia, Project Nexus, SGQR, Payments Council, and the cessation of cheques in Singapore. In her previous role as payments policy lead at FTIG, Jo was the project director for the Payment Services Act.
Prior to joining FTIG, Jo was Assistant General Counsel at the MAS Legal Department. In that role she advised extensively on financial services regulations and free trade agreements. Her private practice experience was at Allen & Gledhill and Amica Law.
Jo graduated from the National University of Singapore with an LLB (Hons) Degree, and was called to the Singapore bar. She has a Master of Laws from University College London, and is a non-practising solicitor of England and Wales.
Roundtable Room 1 (Level 2)
Open
Stablecoins have introduced a new paradigm for digital finance, offering the promise of faster payments, greater financial inclusion, and seamless cross-border transactions. But with this potential comes risk—from financial crime and illicit activity to consumer protection gaps and systemic market threats. As regulators race to put the right guardrails in place, the question remains: What does an optimal regulatory framework for stablecoins look like?
Tighter oversight could bring greater legitimacy and mainstream adoption, but at what cost? Could excessive restrictions stifle innovation and limit stablecoins’ ability to compete with traditional finance? Meanwhile, financial institutions are stepping into the space, bridging the divide between regulated banking and digital assets—but is this the answer to ensuring stability, or simply a step toward the centralization of stablecoins?
This discussion brings back the banking and crypto voices from the three-part debate (Battle Royale of Payments, Digital Currency Showdown and Stablecoins vs Tokenised Deposits) with policy experts to tackle the key risks of ML/TF compliance, consumer protection, and financial stability. Expect a hard-hitting discussion on the future of stablecoin regulation as we break down the real risks, real opportunities, and real regulatory solutions that will determine whether stablecoins remain an experimental asset class—or the foundation of the next financial revolution.