ACCESS EU 2024: Halborn's Digital Asset Security Summit in Amsterdam

On June 7th, 2024, the historic Euronext building in Amsterdam was abuzz with the energy and innovation of blockchain experts, financial leaders, and technology enthusiasts as Halborn hosted its second ACCESS summit—ACCESS EU. Following the success of the inaugural ACCESS summit in New York City last summer, the Amsterdam event aimed to further cement Halborn's position as a leader in security for blockchain and digital assets.

ACCESS EU brought together an array of industry leaders to discuss and explore the future of digital assets, blockchain technology, and some of the latest trends in tokenization, regulation and real-world use cases for companies and financial institutions. The one-day event featured a series of engaging panels, keynotes, and networking opportunities, all designed to foster collaboration and innovation within the digital asset ecosystem.

Opening Remarks and Keynotes

The day began with a warm welcome from the summit’s fantastic MC, Brenner London, a digital asset lead at ING Group, followed by opening remarks by Halborn's Co-Founder and CEO Rob Behnke, setting the stage for an insightful and dynamic summit. There were two keynotes throughout the day, the first of which was delivered by Halborn Co-Founder and CTO Steve Walbroehl who highlighted the real-world opportunities and risks associated with blockchain technology, providing a comprehensive overview of the current landscape and future directions.

Later in the day, Halborn’s Director of Security Piotr Cielas took the stage to discuss enterprise custody solutions, focusing on the design and best practices of cold storage—a critical component for securing digital assets.

ACCESS EU Panel Discussions

1. Shaping the Future of Finance with DLT

Moderated by Andrii Degeler, Head of Media at TNW (The Next Web, a Financial Times company), this panel featured insights from Tracy Li (Istari Ventures), Luc Falempin (Tokeny), and Charles Adams (Nickel Digital Asset Management). The discussion revolved around the evolving role of stablecoins, educational gaps among institutional investors, and the significant barriers to the widespread adoption of tokenized assets. The panelists also shared their strategies for evaluating blockchain investments and the emerging trends likely to impact the digital asset ecosystem.

2. Transforming Digital Assets Infrastructure: Tokenization and Real-World Assets (RWA)

Eric Balchunas, from Bloomberg, moderated this session with Jorge Antolínez (ioBuilders), Caio Barbosa (Lumx), and Niccolò Bardoscia (Intesa Sanpaolo). The conversation delved into how tokenization is reshaping financial infrastructure, particularly in ETFs and emerging markets. They discussed technological advancements and coming changes in the next few years, liquidity, accessibility, and the primary challenges in tokenizing real and financial assets.

3. Securing Digital Transactions: Integrating DLT in Modern Payment Systems

This panel, led by Halborn’s CEO Rob Behnke included Christian Rau (Mastercard), Dmitry Lazarichev (WireX), and Ran (Goldi) Goldshtein (Fireblocks). The session explored the transition from traditional financial systems to DLT-based payment systems, focusing on security challenges, non-custodial payment networks, and the potential for fostering financial inclusion in emerging economies.

4. Integrating DLT into Capital Markets

With Eric Balchunas moderating, Dotun Rominiyi (London Stock Exchange), Jón Egilsson (Monerium), and Eliezer Ndinga (21.co) discussed the transformative impact of DLT on trading mechanisms, market operations, and ETFs. They highlighted successful DLT implementations and shared their visions for future technological advancements in capital markets.

5. Compliance and Data-Driven Risk Mitigation for Digital Asset Ecosystems

Faustine Fleuret of Adan moderated this insightful discussion featuring Navin Gupta (Crystal Intelligence), Simone Maini (Elliptic), and Sandip Wadje (BNP Paribas). The panelists addressed the unique opportunities DLT-based compliance solutions offer, the evolution of compliance in the digital asset space, and strategies for managing risks associated with emerging technologies all based on questions from the moderator but also from the audience.

6. Modern Banking: Risk Management, Compliance, and Security Approaches

In this session, moderated again by Faustine Fleuret (Adan), Jeff Schiemann (AMINA Bank), Oliver Tonkin (BCB Group), and Sandip Wadje (BNP Paribas) shared their perspectives on cybersecurity threats, advanced security measures, and the role of collaboration between traditional banks and fintech companies.

7. Creating a Unified Framework: Standards and Regulations in DLT Security

The final panel, moderated again by TNW’s Andrii Degeler, included Sudha Iyer (Citi), Gabi Urrutia (Halborn), and Ilya Brovin (Sumsub). The discussion focused on the challenges of building secure DLT platforms, leveraging AI and machine learning for fraud detection, and the importance of international collaboration in enhancing DLT security.

Conclusion and Networking

The summit concluded with closing remarks from Halborn CEO Rob Behnke and a vibrant happy hour, providing attendees the opportunity to network, discuss ideas, and form new partnerships.

ACCESS EU successfully highlighted Halborn's commitment to advancing blockchain security and fostering innovation within the digital asset space. The diverse range of topics, expert speakers, and engaging discussions ensured that attendees left with valuable insights and a renewed enthusiasm for the future of blockchain technology. 

For more details about the summit and upcoming events, and to stay tuned for the date of ACCESS in NYC happening later in2024, visit ACCESS by Halborn.