The Blunt Dollar Oswaldo Zapata: Why Banks Are Betting Big on Quantum
9 snips
Dec 9, 2025 Oswaldo Zapata, a string theorist turned quantum finance expert with extensive research at prestigious institutions, shares his insights on quantum computing's real impact in finance. He demystifies quantum technologies, explaining their relevance to portfolio optimization and cybersecurity risks. Oswaldo critiques the hype around quantum finance, discusses its tangible applications, and warns about potential threats to current encryption methods. He emphasizes the need for financial institutions to prepare for the upcoming quantum revolution.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
From String Theory To Quantum Finance
- Oswaldo stayed in academia longer than many peers who moved into finance after their PhDs.
- He later taught quantum topics online and pivoted into advising finance firms on quantum.
Quantum Computing Is Practical, Not Mystical
- Quantum computing combines quantum mechanics and computer science to solve problems classical computers struggle with.
- Finance pros should focus on practical uses, not deep physics, to assess impact.
Hard Problems Make Quantum Unavoidable
- Some financial problems scale so fast that classical hardware becomes infeasible, making quantum approaches potentially necessary.
- Portfolio optimization is a clear example where quantum algorithms could outperform classical methods as qubit counts grow.