MEET THE SPEAKER: KEITH VANDER LEEST – STABLECOINS AND CBDCS: THE UK AND EU’S PATH TO INSTANT, 24/7, AND LOW-COST GLOBAL TRANSFERS

Speaker Name: Keith Vander Leest

What's one thing you hope attendees take away from your session?

We are still in the early stages of mainstream adoption of blockchain based payments. There is tremendous opportunity in the industry to innovate. Many things still need to be built. There will also be a consolidation of tokens and blockchains.

In one sentence, what do you do and what is your role?

I am the General Manager of BVNK in the US, over the last year I have been helping banks, asset managers, and adjacent providers develop their digital asset strategy with a specific focus on payments using stablecoins and tokenizied deposits.

What's the biggest challenge facing the industry in this area?

We need to start moving away from proof of concepts and start moving to pilots with real world value being provided. There are still many things to be built into blockchain payments that are standard in fiat - i.e. ISO20022 standard or equivalent, pull payments,

What's one piece of advice you'd give to someone working in fintech today?

Listen more, always assume there is more to learn and you don't have the full picture.

What book, podcast, newsletter, or resource would you recommend to our audience?

Anything from Jason Mikula, Kiah Haslett or Alex Johnson. They go deep on how the banks work and why regulation is the way it is.

What topic will you be speaking about at FinTech Connect 2026?

Stablecoins and CBDC’s: The UK and EU’s Path to Instant, 24/7, and Low-Cost Global Transfers? – Payment Innovation Theatre

Just for fun: if you could have dinner with any person, past or present, who would it be and why?

Abraham Lincoln - I admire his ability to lead through conflict. The team he built around him was diverse and seen as rivals, he kept them together and got them all moving toward a bigger goal of unifying the country.

What industry trend are you watching most closely?

Programmable money through smart contracts. We have yet to really see them take off.

Why is this topic particularly important right now?

Smart contracts are one of the unlocks for domestic only use cases for blockchain based payments. Smart contracts along with AI will transform payments in certain industries.

What's one prediction you have for the next 3-5 years?

The complexities of the blockchain will be abstracted away and our day to day lives as regards to payments will look similar to today but with less cost and friction