Regulated stablecoins have become a focal point for policymakers, with experts in digital regulation discussing their future use at the World of Web3 (WOW) Summit in Hong Kong. The panel, titled “Digital Assets: Policies & the Road Ahead,” examined the role that regulated stablecoins are likely to play in the future of finance. The group discussed how regulated stablecoins would most likely remain in use by 2030 and how the current growth rate of the stablecoin market helps to ensure this.
The panelists acknowledged the growth of the crypto industry and emphasized the importance of both centralized and decentralized approaches to digital assets. Alexandra Sasha, the first deputy to the Danish Parliament, spoke of the need for both centralized and decentralized payment options. She stated that "you will have people who will want to centralize the digital era, and you will always have the people who do want this decentralized way of using payments, of course, unless it gets banned, but I do not think that’s the goal of anyone."
Kelvin Lester Lee, commissioner of the Securities Exchange Commission of the Philippines, expressed uncertainty about whether regulated digital assets would be thriving by 2030. However, he acknowledged that they would still be present and might also look different. This suggests that while the future of digital assets is uncertain, it is clear that they will continue to be an important part of the financial landscape.
Douglas Arner, a professor working in the areas of interconnection between finance and technology regulation at the University of Hong Kong, added that this entire decade would be a competition between centralized approaches and decentralized approaches. According to Arner, the competition applies just as much in the context of the metaverse as it does in the context of the crypto ecosystem. He believes that by the end of the decade, there will be a spectrum of different structures where there’s a high likelihood that regulated stablecoins will emerge as the most widely used monetary instrument embedded in blockchain applications.
While there is still uncertainty about the future of regulated stablecoins, the panelists agreed that they are likely to remain an important part of the financial landscape. As the crypto industry continues to grow and evolve, it will be interesting to see how regulatory policies adapt to ensure the continued use and development of digital assets. It is clear that digital assets will continue to play a crucial role in shaping the future of finance, and that they will require careful management and regulation to ensure their continued success.
Image source: Shutterstock