Digital Assets Policy Project

Digital asset innovation is creating new ways to conduct financial and economic activity, including:

• New systems to transfer value efficiently and instantly; 
• Replacing centralized intermediaries with more distributed systems; 
• Providing more accessible and inclusive services; 
• Digitizing property rights and information; 
• Automating financial transactions  and functions.  

The Digital Assets Policy Project explores how digital asset innovation may disrupt traditional industries and reshape markets. The program asks challenging public policy questions raised by this innovation.  

• How should we balance the value of encouraging innovation and realizing potential economic and social benefits with the need to protect public welfare and minimize undesirable risks?  
• What are the potential effects of these technologies on financial stability, efficiency of financial markets, competition, consumer welfare and access to financial services? 
• What are the implications of these technologies for the economic, foreign policy, security and strategic interests of the United States?  
• Can our existing regulatory framework respond to these challenges adequately?