Cambridge University Partners with 16 Financial Institutions to Develop Crypto Asset Ecosystem

The University of Cambridge, through the Cambridge Centre of Alternative Finance (CCAF), has rolled out a multi-year research initiative with 16 key financial institutions like WorldBank, IMF, and MasterCard to shed more light on the rapidly evolving crypto-asset ecosystem.  

The research initiative dubbed the Cambridge Digital Assets Programme (CDAP) seeks to paint a picture of the opportunities and risks presented by the crypto space through an evidence-based public dialogue.  

Per the announcement:

“It is designed to address the broader ecosystem trends and issues through impactful research outputs that can help guide public opinion, inform regulation and policy discussion, as well as support evidence-based decision making by individuals and institutions globally.”

Moreover, the new programme intends to offer greater clarity about the digital asset ecosystem and value transfer systems by providing data-driven insights. Other players in the collaborative research include Visa, Goldman Sachs, Fidelity, Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub, Invesco, and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

Bryan Zhang, CCAF’s executive director, welcomed the initiative and noted:

“The growing adoption of digital assets increasingly blurs the lines between roles, responsibilities and applicable rules, stretching the boundaries of long-term institutional arrangements.”

CDAP’s research agenda will be categorized into three workstreams: emergent money systems comprising crypto-assets, enterprise and consumer tokens, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and stablecoins. 

Michel Rauchs, CCAF’s digital assets lead, stated:

“We believe that this programme will provide decision-makers with the objective analysis and empirical evidence that they need to navigate the digital assets maze.”

A recent study from Visa showed that building wealth and the financial way of the future were the primary drivers of owning cryptocurrencies. 

Furthermore, insights gained entailed cryptocurrencies being part of the popular consciousness and were poised for additional growth, especially in emerging markets.