How blockchain technology and DLTs are changing financial markets

Financial markets are fundamental to the success of businesses globally and to society as a whole, and regulators have been established in order to help maintain confidence and trust in financial organisations, and the market as a whole. Those organisations involved in the financial sector are constantly searching for ways to reduce any risks to which they are exposed, all the while ensuring that they treat customers fairly and remain compliant at all times. The balance between running a compliant, regulated business and making money for shareholders is inevitably a balancing act as the larger your compliance department is, the greater the costs are; in theory, stronger risk controls ensure a business is able to remain regulated and so generate profits. Therefore, any solution able to lower risks and, at the same time, improve service standards for clients, is to be welcomed by regulators as well as financial services companies. “Historically, settlement cycles have been getting short…