Virtual Policy Forums 2026
In 2026, C:\>DIR convened a series of Virtual Policy Forums examining some of the most significant challenges facing regulators as digital technologies reshape financial markets and the wider economy.
2026 Global AI in Financial Services Report launch
April 2026
C:\>DIR, in conjunction with the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), Financial Innovation for Impact (Fii) and other global partners, hosted a conversation unpacking the AI in Financial Services 2026 Global Report - a landmark global study drawing on insights from:
350+ FinTechs and traditional financial institutions
140+ AI vendors
130 central banks and financial authorities
Joined by an expert panel, the session shared a first look at the report’s most critical findings.
Stablecoins, Tokenisation and Regulatory Responses to Distributed Financial Market Infrastructure
May 2026
This high-level Forum examined how tokenisation is reshaping markets and what regulatory responses are needed. The forum discussion was informed by research findings from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), including its report “Tokenised Assets: Pathways for Emerging Market and Developing Economies”.
Moderated by Agustin Carstens, C:\>DIR Co-Convenor, former General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements and former Governor of the Bank of Mexico, the forum brought together expert public authorities as well as the Finternet Labs, Ethereum Foundation, and SWIFT for an insightful panel discussion to explore some of the most pertinent issues.
Computational Regulation: From Policy Sludge to Smarter Rules
June 2026
Drawing on a newly published ADB research paper on "policy sludge", this C:\>DIR Virtual Policy Forum, in collaboration with RegGenome, explored how AI tools can help identify opportunities to streamline and modernise regulatory frameworks. Policy sludge - the accumulation of overlapping, fragmented, and outdated rules - burdens regulated institutions and drains supervisory capacity.
As financial services become increasingly cross-border and technology-driven, and geopolitical tensions are driving fragmentation of rules and standards, the discussion examined whether and how computational regulation can support more effective regulatory alignment and cooperation across jurisdictions, and what governance safeguards are needed to ensure these tools strengthen regulatory legitimacy and autonomy.
Moderated by Gillian Tett, Provost of King's College Cambridge and Financial Times columnist, the Forum brought together leading researchers, former regulators, and policymakers from regulatory authorities, academic institutions, and international organisations.
COMING UP…
Governance and Safeguards of Digital Public Infrastructure: The Way Forward
1 December 2026, 12pm GMT
Digital identity, instant payments and data exchange are becoming the shared infrastructure of the digital economy, connecting governments, financial institutions, businesses and increasingly AI agents. But who governs these interconnected systems? Responsibility is often spread across multiple authorities, creating gaps and overlaps between institutional mandates that can undermine effective oversight, public trust and responsible innovation.
This C:>DIR Forum explores how governments and regulators can bridge these divides and put effective, joined-up governance of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) into practice. Drawing on experiences from Asia, Africa and Latin America, the discussion will examine what effective cross-institutional collaboration looks like, why it matters particularly in lower-capacity environments, and the priorities for regulators and policymakers over the next two years.