Stablecoins, Tokenization & the Future of Banking with Adam Nelson of FirstMark Capital

The global financial system is undergoing a profound transformation driven by the convergence of AI and blockchain-based infrastructure. Stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets are evolving from speculative crypto tools into essential settlement rails that provide 24/7 liquidity and bypass the inefficiencies of traditional banking. AI will increasingly serve as the coordination layer for financial interfaces and payment execution, effectively automating complex transactions. While legacy institutions currently maintain significant moats, they face mounting pressure to adopt these programmable, immutable technologies to remain competitive. Emerging companies like Rain and Velocity are already bridging the gap between crypto-native protocols and mainstream enterprise operations, signaling a shift toward a more efficient, software-driven financial architecture. This evolution promises to replace fragmented, slow-moving systems with a unified, instant, and transparent global network, fundamentally altering how value is stored and transferred.