DIGITAL ASSETS
PayPal integrated cryptocurrency transactions into its platform, processing billions in volume. Major card networks have piloted blockchainbased settlement systems, recognising potential efficiency gains in crossborder payments.
Yet progress remains uneven. Regulatory uncertainty continues hampering infrastructure development, with different jurisdictions imposing conflicting requirements.
The European Union’ s Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation created compliance obligations that differ substantially from American or Asian frameworks. Infrastructure providers must navigate this fragmentation, building systems flexible enough to accommodate varying regulatory demands while maintaining operational efficiency.
The interoperability problem Perhaps the most significant infrastructure gap involves interoperability – or rather, its absence. Different blockchain networks operate as isolated ecosystems with limited ability to communicate directly.
Cross-chain bridges exist, but they’ ve proven vulnerable. The Wormhole bridge hack in February 2022 resulted in US $ 325m in losses, while numerous other bridge exploits have cost users billions collectively. This fragmentation forces institutions to maintain separate infrastructure for each blockchain they support, multiplying operational complexity and costs.
140 December 2025