The OMFIF Podcast

Max Castelli, Head of Strategy for Sovereign Institutions at UBS Asset Management, discusses the implications of US policy changes following Liberation Day. He highlights the evolving dynamics of the U.S. dollar and its safe haven status amid market volatility. The conversation shifts to the increasing importance of gold as a safe-haven asset in uncertain times, particularly for central banks diversifying portfolios. Castelli also explores the challenges Europe faces in enhancing its global currency influence and how technology affects reserve management.

Zain Saidin, CEO of Tassat and expert in private blockchain solutions for finance, shares insights on the significance of privacy in capital markets. He discusses the delicate balance between transparency and confidentiality in trading, specifically how private blockchains cater to trusted counterparties. The conversation also delves into the potential of tokenizing real-world assets, the transformative impact of stablecoins on treasury management, and the innovative trends shaping the future of digital asset settlements.

Ahead of the Blue Economy and Finance Forum taking place on 7-8 June 2025, Louise Heaps, Global Lead Sustainable Blue Economy, and Maud Abdelli, Greening Financial Regulation Initiative Lead at the Worldwide Fund for Nature, join OMFIF's Isabella Frymoyer to explore how financial institutions can advance ocean sustainability. The conversation highlights the key priorities, challenges and tools needed to scale investment in the blue economy, ultimately outlining the importance of encouraging blue sustainable growth.

Jonathan Griffiths, a Senior Investment Specialist at Capital Group, joins Arunima Sharan to discuss navigating long-term investments in a volatile market. They delve into the 2025 Capital Market Assumptions, highlighting opportunities in emerging markets and the changing landscape for fixed income strategies. The conversation covers the potential depreciation of the US dollar, the impact of AI on market trends, and the importance of scenario analysis amidst geopolitical shifts. The duo emphasizes adapting strategies while maintaining a long-term investment perspective.

Instant payments systems are proliferating rapidly, and many central banks are working hard on interlinking them to enable quick, efficient cross-border payments. However, while IPS can provide extremely rapid, low-cost payments, they are not immune to fraud and erroneous payments. Given the speed of settlement, these problems can be even more difficult to resolve than they are for other payments systems.   Petia Niederländer, head of payments, risk monitoring and financial literacy at Oesterreichische Nationalbank, and Cian OMurhu, managing director and head of strategic transformation office at Swift, join Lewis McLellan, editor of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss the technical infrastructure required to address these issues, how they are being implemented and what work still needs to be done.

Richard Brown, Chief Technology and Product Officer at R3, shares insights from his experience leading the team behind the Corda blockchain platform. He discusses the accelerating tokenization of real-world assets and the convergence of private networks like Corda with public platforms such as Ethereum. The conversation delves into the transformative potential of decentralized finance, the challenges of compliance, and how financial institutions can innovate by integrating traditional finance with crypto. Exciting predictions suggest tokenized assets could surpass valuations of $30 trillion by 2032!

Paul Blustein, a notable author and former senior correspondent, dives into the throne of the U.S. dollar in global finance. He argues why the dollar remains irreplaceable despite rising contenders like the euro and renminbi. The discussion also explores the role of cryptocurrencies and potential impacts from U.S. sanctions. Blustein warns of challenges, including American legislative dysfunction, that could disrupt the dollar's dominance, while highlighting its unique dual role as a currency and political tool.

OMFIF’s 2024 survey of central banks found that, while three-quarters of respondents are continuing their plans to issue central bank digital currencies, one-third have delayed their timelines. However, this was before the change in US government and the decision not to pursue CBDCs, instead prioritising digital assets. A follow-up OMFIF survey revealed that this development has encouraged some central banks outside the US to move in the opposite direction and accelerate their CBDC plans. Wolfram Seidemann, chief executive officer of Giesecke+Devrient Currency Technology, joins John Orchard, chairman of OMFIF’s Digital Monetary Institute, to discuss why CBDCs should be issued sooner rather than later, how public sector payment rails can boost private sector innovation and what the future financial system might look like.

Amelia Santos-Paulino, chief of investment research at the United Nations Trade and Development's investment and enterprise division, joins OMFIF to discuss some of the key priorities in sustainability for UNTAD in 2025. She considers the space for trade and investment flows in international climate discussions, particularly in the face of recent elections. She also discusses the critical growth sectors associated with sustainable trade and the opportunities and challenges faced by emerging markets in this area.

Max Castelli, Head of Strategy for Sovereign Institutions at UBS Asset Management, and Phillipp Salman, Director of Strategy for Sovereign Institutions, delve into how political shifts are shaping sovereign investment strategies. They discuss the implications of Trump's policies and the U.S. dollar's future in a changing economic landscape. There's insightful chatter on AI's role in transforming markets, particularly regarding the Magnificent Seven stocks, and the need for diversification in investment portfolios as central banks respond to these dynamics.