Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman Outlines 3 Ways Blockchain Can Fix Finance

Why It Matters

If adopted, blockchain‑enabled post‑trade and collateral processes could unlock significant trapped capital, lower settlement costs and speed payments, giving Nasdaq a strategic advantage and accelerating the industry’s shift toward tokenized assets.

Summary

Nasdaq chief executive Adena Friedman told a Swell conference that blockchain can reshape finance in three ways – by streamlining fragmented post‑trade settlement, by enabling faster, cross‑border collateral mobility, and by modernizing sluggish payment infrastructure. She warned that large amounts of capital are trapped in clearinghouses and brokers, and that tokenized securities filings with the SEC would let trades settle into digital wallets while preserving the core U.S. market structure. Friedman emphasized that the goal is to layer blockchain technology onto the resilient, liquid equity market to cut friction and free capital, not to replace existing systems.