Fintech Workshop 1: Retail CBDC in Developing Countries

Fintech Workshop: Lessons from experimentation with crypto-assets technology

Location: HQ1 iLab, HQ1-2-701

Overview

The fintech world is evolving so rapidly that the knowledge gap between technologists, and economists and regulators keeps widening. What approach can policymakers take to bridge this gap? How can central banks advance their learning of Distributed Ledger, crypto-asset or cyber security to evaluate the benefits of digital currencies? Staff at the IMF and WBG is fast-tracking their own understanding of these technologies by developing a private, educational crypto-asset. This session will review the lessons staff have learned so far.

Speakers

Aquiles Farias

Section Chief, Econometric and Modeling Support Team, IMF

Aquiles Farias : Mr. Aquiles leads a team responsible for providing “Advanced Quantitative Modeling, Econometrics and Scientific Computing” services to the Fund. He is also a digital advisor with expert knowledge on Digital Currencies, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Formerly Deputy Head of the Research Department at the Central Bank of Brazil, Mr. Farias holds a PHD in economics and has a strong background in Computational Economics and Quantitative Methods.

Herve Tourpe

Chief Digital Advisor, IMF

Herve Tourpe: As Chief Digital Advisor, Mr. Tourpe helps the Fund understand transformative technologies relevant to IMF’s Member Countries, such as Fintech, AI, Blockchain, Big Data or cyber risks. A passionate "techno-realist", he strives to provide expert advice on technology trends, opportunities and risks. Formerly Chief Enterprise Architect, Mr. Tourpe has a strong background in IT strategy and technology innovation.

Peter Zhou

Business Solutions Officer, WBG

Peter Zhou: Peter is a blockchain evangelist, FinTech practitioner, business solutions architect and corporate entrepreneur/innovator with 15+ years of experience. He has been wi+G8th several business areas at the World Bank Group including Treasury and IT Financial Engineering in the past 10 years, prior to that he was with Wells Fargo, and had his own startup. His most recent achievement was the world's first global blockchain based bond issuance called project Bondi, a tokenized security created, allocated and managed on a permissioned blockchain by World Bank Group and Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Moderator

Tristan Walker

Innovation Chief, IMF