Industry players from the financial services industry recently joined FinanceMalta officials to participate in three top-tier fintech events in London. The London roadshow kicked off with the renowned fintech conference, The Global Blockchain Expo, followed by the Innovate Finance Global Summit, and a bespoke evening event organised by the London Blockchain Foundation.
This year's Global Blockchain Expo showcased two days of top-level content from leading brands, embracing and developing cutting edge blockchain technologies. The conference agenda presented a series of expert keynotes, interactive panel discussions and solution-based case studies for key industries that are set to be disrupted the most by new technology, including legal sectors, retail, financial services, healthcare, insurance, energy, music, government and real estate.
Speaking at the event were Dr Joshua Ellul, MDIA chairman, Dr Wayne Pisani, partner at Grant Thornton and Daniel Bilocca, head of Risk and Compliance at KSi Malta. The two private companies co-sponsored the event alongside FinanceMalta.
FinanceMalta's COO, Ivan Grech said: "This year's blockchain event was co-located with the IoT Tech Expo, AI & Big Data Expo and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo so the delegates had the opportunity to explore the convergence of these technologies in one place."
Held at the historic Guildhall, the Innovate Finance Global Summit, showcased the very best of industry and the global and cross-sector nature of financial innovation. Dr Abdalla Kablan participated in a fireside chat at the summit.
On IFGS, Grech commented that this was one of the top global fintech events of 2019.
"FinTech has changed how we look at financial services; it is shaping how the next generation will interact and think about finance. Catalysed by the financial crash 10 years ago, it has evolved into a powerful global movement driven by companies delivering ideas that harness the power of the digital age to create better, sustainable services for a more diverse community."
At the London Blockchain Foundation evening event, practitioners and regulators, lawyers and innovators working within the UK and Maltese jurisdictions presented their latest thinking of the intent behind the respective regulatory developments, the legislation, the trade-offs that regulators face in creating such legislation and a view on the future development of such legislation.
"Over the past few years we have seen Blockchain and cryptocurrency regulation evolving from outright prohibition and cautionary guidance to emerging rules to encourage innovation while addressing known risks and maintaining alignment with relevant legislation," said Grech. "A spectrum of regulatory approaches appears to be emerging, with, at one end of the spectrum typified most strongly by Malta - ambitious, greenfield rule-sets giving both promoters and backers of new initiatives a purpose-designed legal framework, and at the other end, which perhaps best describes the US and UK efforts, a robust interpretation of existing laws and regulatory 'safe space' for certain approved innovators."
For further information about upcoming events that FinanceMalta will be present at please see the online calendar via www.financemalta.org/calendar