In the 17th century, the Dutch East India Company was one of the first companies to issue shares to finance its colonial expeditions to the Asian continent. The decision enabled it to accumulate the capital necessary to explore new territories at a time when Europe and the world were still considered one and the same.
The democratization of investment and the diversification of risk quickly drove innovation. The year 1602 saw the creation of the world's first stock exchange in Amsterdam—and it became clear that the financial ecosystem of the time would be completely reshaped.
As we progress in the 21st century, the future of money is entirely digital—and tokenization is rapidly emerging as one of the most efficient financial tools. Key features such as blockchain technology and the potential of fractionation can take accessibility and transparency to unprecedented levels.
Against this backdrop, the key question appears to be more a matter of timing.
Successful adoption of any new technology hinges on multiple factors, including the creation of appropriate regulatory frameworks and the intricacies of the various assets involved.
The tailwind seen in 2023, however, bodes well. Last year, major firms took decisive steps in the use of such platforms and actively explored the possibilities of real-world asset digitization.
Such developments have been accompanied by the emergence of new platforms that are better aligned with international standards, such as Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti Money Laundering (AML).
From my personal experience, I have seen the enormous potential of this industry, and we are already capitalizing on it. Our initiative demonstrates this by offering tokens and building a portfolio of assets expected to exceed $3 billion in value. And we are not alone in this. More and more companies are venturing into this type of project and betting on this growing sector.
A new era looms in which the democratization of money and access to opportunities will play a leading role. The widespread adoption of digital assets could occur within the next half-decade, as factors such as technological advancements, regulatory clarity, transparency, and trust continue to evolve. We in the crypto community are instrumental in this process. By building secure, transparent, and inclusive digital assets, we can show how cryptocurrencies can democratize real access to wealth, which is crucial for mainstream acceptance.
More must-read commentary published by Fortune:
- An economic catastrophe is lurking beneath Russia’s GDP growth as Putin ‘throws everything into the fireplace’
- The ‘sustainability recession’ will end soon—and not by choice
- ‘Godmother of AI’ says California’s well-intended AI bill will harm the U.S. ecosystem
- 4 potential scenarios—and 1 map—showing how the world will trade goods for the next decade, according to BCG
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.
