The Chief Executive Officer of Trium Limited, Mr. Adebayo Adewolu at the 2024 International Capital Markets Association (ICMA) FinTech & Digitalisation Forum in London has called on emerging markets to embrace AI and tokenisation for capital market growth.
Adewolu participated as a panelist in a session titled “Will the new digital world ever fully replace the legacy market?”, where he was joined by experts from J.P. Morgan, ING, XU Exponential University, and the Digital Token Identifier Foundation.
Moderated by Andy Hill, Co-Head of Market Practice and Regulatory Policy at ICMA, the panel explored key themes such as the digital bond ecosystem, the integration of AI and machine learning, and the ongoing role of regulation in fostering technological innovation.
Focusing on the democratization of access to capital markets, Adewolu emphasized how digital channels could drive economic inclusion.
He pointed to technologies like tokenisation and artificial intelligence (AI) as key to reshaping capital markets by increasing efficiency, transparency, and accessibility.
He presented a visionary outlook on the co-existence of legacy systems and emerging technologies.
During the panel discussion, Adewolu highlighted the unique opportunity for emerging markets to leapfrog traditional infrastructures and adopt cutting-edge digital solutions more rapidly than developed economies.
“The legacy markets will not disappear overnight, but what we’re seeing is a unique chance for markets, especially in Africa and other emerging regions, to bypass old systems and adopt digital infrastructure faster than more established markets,” Adewolu said.
In addition to automation, Adewolu stressed the ongoing importance of human oversight. While AI and machine learning are becoming indispensable in areas like risk management and trading, he emphasized that experienced professionals will remain crucial in interpreting data and ensuring market integrity.
The forum, which brought together prominent financial institutions, also delved into regulatory challenges. Participants underscored the need for balanced regulation that allows technological innovation to thrive while safeguarding market participants and maintaining investor trust.