The Crypto Market Ecosystem – Paradise Lost or the Future of Finance?

The Executive MBA of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), as part of its Business Events actions, is organizing an event titled “The Crypto Market Ecosystem – Paradise Lost or the Future of Finance?”

The event will take place online on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, at 7:00 PM.

The emergence of cryptocurrencies, heralded by the advent of Bitcoin in 2009, promised a revolutionary shift in the global financial landscape.

Cryptocurrencies were envisioned as decentralized, transparent, and efficient alternatives to traditional currencies and banking systems. The rise of the crypto economy garnered widespread attention, attracting enthusiastic supporters and skeptics alike.

The rapid growth of the crypto economy led one in five adults in the US and one in ten in Europe to speculate on cryptocurrencies, achieving a peak market capitalization of €2.5 trillion.

However, as time passed, it became evident that while cryptocurrencies introduced innovative ideas and opportunities, they failed to deliver on some of their grand promises.

The decline in cryptocurrency prices since November 2021 has resulted in a loss of approximately €2 trillion in crypto assets’ value within less than a year, leaving millions of investors unprepared.

Alongside the rollercoaster of capitalizations, the ecosystem continued to evolve.

What began as a payment system gradually transformed into a comprehensive ecosystem offering a range of financial tools and services, such as fundraising instruments, decentralized exchanges, and decentralized lending platforms.

Today, the landscape looks very different.

There is widespread acknowledgment of the immense potential of the blockchain infrastructure underpinning the crypto economy. Meanwhile, Europe has already implemented two regulatory frameworks that set the rules for the crypto world.

So, what is the crypto economy?

Is it a paradise lost or the future of finance?

This is the central question of the Executive MBA’s online event.