Couchonomics with Arjun

What It Really Takes for Banks to Innovate Without Breaking Trust

Dec 16, 2025
Guest
Giovanni Everduin
Giovanni Everduin, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Commercial Bank International, dives into the intricacies of banking innovation. He explains how regulation can spur rather than hinder progress and why legacy systems pose significant challenges. The conversation shifts to the hybrid future of finance, balancing on-chain and off-chain solutions. Giovanni clarifies misconceptions around tokenization and stablecoins while emphasizing the importance of prioritizing real-world applications over technology hype. Learn how banks can innovate responsibly and partner with fintechs to drive meaningful change.
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INSIGHT

Three Real Barriers To Bank Innovation

  • Banks face three linked barriers to innovation: regulation, legacy systems/data, and legacy mindsets that create death-by-POC.
  • Successful innovation must connect prototypes to business problems and stakeholder buy-in.
INSIGHT

Regulators Can Drive Innovation

  • Strong, competent regulators and sandbox approaches act as catalysts for meaningful banking innovation.
  • Regulatory capability can accelerate ecosystem-building and practical, use-case-led rules.
INSIGHT

Hybrid Future: On-Chain Meets TradFi

  • The future of finance will be hybrid: on-chain and off-chain systems will coexist and integrate.
  • Large incumbents and payment networks will evolve rather than vanish, keeping trust and compliance roles.
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