Will the evolution of blockchain into finance “take decades to take shape”?

As blockchain technology gains ground in traditional finance, Antoine Rousseau, Commercial stationThe vice president of and head of brokerage solutions, shared his thoughts on the complexities of merging these systems. In an interview ahead of the upcoming Benzinga Future of Digital Assets conference, Rousseau detailed the painstaking process of integrating blockchain into long-established financial structures.

A careful transition for traditional institutions

Rousseau, who previously worked with State Street’s digital asset strategy team, described how traditional financial institutions are cautious in their approach to blockchain.

“Large financial institutions are prioritizing identifying and mitigating threats to their current structures, while adapting new sectors to fit within existing regulatory frameworks,” he said. he explained. He noted that demand for regulated digital asset options among retail investors has increased, signaling a shift toward blockchain adoption.

Compliance and compatibility challenges

Integrating decentralized technologies into conventional finance poses challenges, particularly around regulatory compliance and internal risk systems.

“Significant challenges remain, including ensuring regulatory compliance and integrating decentralized elements with established risk and reporting systems,” Rousseau noted.

The structure of traditional finance, refined over decades, relies heavily on operational consistency, making the shift to transparency and decentralized control a complex process.

Looking to the future

Rousseau emphasized that this transformation will not happen overnight.

“Traditional finance… has spent decades building business models around the inefficiencies of current structures,” he said.

A real shift toward an individual ownership model, supported by blockchain, “will likely take decades to take shape.” Although slow, he recognized that this evolution could lead to lasting changes in the industry.

Like the Benzinga Event on the Future of Digital Assets approaches, Rousseau’s perspective brings a thoughtful angle to the ongoing discussion about blockchain’s role in reshaping finance while preserving structural integrity.

As the digital assets market continues to mature, the convergence of regulatory changes, M&A activity, and adoption trends will define the future of this dynamic field. Benzinga’s Future of Digital Assets event in New York this November will provide industry leaders and investors with a platform to further explore these developments, providing insight into the evolving regulatory environment and the latest dynamics of the market.

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