NYU Blockchain Lab X The Future Flow of Money

​The global financial system is undergoing an architectural shift mirroring the early days of the internet. While public discourse focuses on market volatility, the real transformation is happening in the "plumbing" of banking. The NYU Blockchain Lab invites you to explore how institutional infrastructure is being rebuilt for a new era of programmable finance. We will examine the critical procurement challenges banks face as they navigate the choice between open-source flexibility and the convenience of fintech solutions that often compromise sovereignty.

​This session provides a deep dive into how custody, tokenization, and settlement are merging into a future of institutional DeFi. We will discuss the dual-layered stack integrating sophisticated wallet technologies with sovereign ledgers like Enterprise Ethereum and Hyperledger Besu. Using real-world applications like cross-border payments, we will illustrate how traditional ISO 20022 messaging is being translated into on-chain intents to achieve atomic settlement. Join us to understand the technical and strategic blueprints defining the next decade of Wall Street.

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​Michael Kriak — CEO @ Consensys Mesh

​We are honored to welcome Michael Kriak, a central figure in the Ethereum ecosystem. As CEO of Consensys Mesh, Michael oversees the incubation of critical Web3 infrastructure at the intersection of traditional enterprise and decentralized innovation.

​With over two decades of leadership in digital transformation, including roles as COO and CFO of Mashable, Michael bridges the gap between high-level financial strategy and the practical realities of deploying enterprise-grade blockchain. This is a rare opportunity to learn from an industry veteran actively building the infrastructure for the global value layer.