CONNECT recap: Arthur Hayes on money printing, Wall Street moves onchain

RWA Signal Insight
InfrastructureThe CONNECT by Cointelegraph event in Seoul highlighted the ongoing integration of traditional finance into blockchain ecosystems, focusing on institutional adoption and asset tokenization. Industry leaders discussed how established banks and asset managers leverage existing customer relationships to dominate the emerging onchain market. Franklin Templeton emphasized its strategy of using tokenized money market funds to provide investment income, noting a recent partnership with MoonPay to facilitate stablecoin-to-fund conversions. Meanwhile, R3 is expanding its reach by connecting private financial networks to the public Solana blockchain to broaden institutional access. Experts also addressed the practical challenges of corporate crypto treasuries, stressing the need for careful liquidity management and tailored risk strategies. Discussions further explored the growing demand for stablecoin-based cross-border payments in emerging markets like Latin America and Africa. These developments underscore a broader shift where financial institutions are prioritizing infrastructure and utility over the original crypto ethos of disintermediation.
Key points
- Franklin Templeton partnered with MoonPay to enable stablecoin-to-tokenized fund conversions.
- R3 is integrating its private Corda platform with the Solana public blockchain.
- Codex reports rising stablecoin payment demand between Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
- SharpLink manages Ethereum treasury holdings through a mix of share buybacks and direct purchases.
Background
Franklin Templeton is a global asset manager that launched the first U.S.-registered mutual fund to use a public blockchain for transaction recording and share ownership. R3 is a prominent enterprise software firm known for its Corda platform, which provides private, permissioned distributed ledger technology specifically designed for regulated financial institutions.