The global financial landscape is at a crossroads. While digital financial services have brought convenience and accessibility, they have also introduced new challenges—ranging from regulatory uncertainty to inefficiencies in cross-border transactions to fraud risks, while still limiting affordability for many due to high costs.
A groundbreaking whitepaper, Regulated Blockchain: Infrastructure for regulated DeFi: Foundation for a golden age in finance, authored by fintech visionary Obi Emetarom, presents a transformative framework that addresses these issues and paves the way for a Regulated Internet of Value—a blockchain-powered financial ecosystem that seamlessly integrates innovation with compliance.
Traditional finance (TradFi) remains encumbered by high costs, cumbersome processes, and regulatory complexity. According to the World Bank, global remittance fees averaged 6.2% in 2023, significantly above the 3% target set by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), making transactions expensive for millions worldwide. Meanwhile, crypto-based decentralized finance (DeFi) has struggled with trust, adoption, and oversight. In 2023 alone, crypto-related hacks and fraud accounted for over $1.8 billion in losses, according to Chainalysis, underscoring the need for a more secure and regulated approach.
The whitepaper argues that Regulated Blockchain Infrastructure is the missing link, providing a secure, efficient, and transparent foundation that combines the best of both worlds.
Regulated Blockchain is a new way of using blockchain technology to democratize financial services innovation while enforcing clear rules set by financial regulators and enabling real-time oversight.
It combines the security and speed of blockchain with the oversight needed to guarantee compliance, prevent fraud and ensure trust. Unlike cryptocurrencies that operate outside government control, Regulated Blockchain allows banks, fintech companies, and payment providers to use blockchain for faster, cheaper, and safer transactions— all with necessary compliance and regulatory oversight. This means people and businesses can spend, save and invest money more effectively, banks can deliver their offerings more efficiently, and regulators can prevent illegal activities, all while making financial services more accessible to everyone.
By embedding regulatory protocols directly into blockchain technology, financial institutions, fintech companies, and regulators can unlock frictionless financial services, automated compliance, and unprecedented levels of transparency.
“This whitepaper is a call to action for policymakers, financial institutions, and innovators,” said Obi Emetarom, the paper’s author and the CEO and co-founder of Zone. “The world cannot afford to operate on outdated financial models. Regulated Blockchain Infrastructure offers a clear path toward a future where financial services are secure, inclusive, and universally impactful. This is not just about improving efficiency—it’s about reshaping global finance to work for everyone, everywhere.”
The whitepaper outlines how Regulated Blockchain Infrastructure can accelerate economic growth, maximize financial inclusion, and improve regulatory efficiency.
For central banks and regulators, it provides a framework for seamless oversight and risk mitigation while supporting innovation.
For fintech firms, it presents a structured pathway for adopting blockchain technology without regulatory friction.
For investors and global financial institutions, it creates a transparent and secure environment that enhances capital allocation and investment opportunities.
At the same time, the rise of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), now being piloted in over 130 countries according to the Atlantic Council, signals growing institutional adoption of blockchain-based financial solutions.
The Regulated Blockchain builds on this momentum by integrating programmable compliance, self-custody of assets, and automated financial products to redefine how value is exchanged, stored, and managed globally.
Obi’s ultimate vision is for multiple Regulated Blockchains to interconnect and jointly function as a Regulated Internet of Value that will power the fully digital and automated economy of the future.
With the accelerating pace of technological change, the time to rethink the foundation of the global economy is now.
As policy makers, regulators, financial institution leaders, and technology innovators work together to shape the future of financial services, this Regulated Blockchain whitepaper provides a roadmap to a more efficient, inclusive and impactful financial ecosystem.
