Fintech and the geopolitics of crypto-currencies

As Facebook advances its plan for a new cryptocurrency – Libra – we ask what the fintech revolution means for national security. Will a major player like Facebook take crypto mainstream, and if so, how could that reshape global financial flows and economic power? In this National Security Podcast, Katherine Mansted explores what is shaping the cryptocurrency landscape - from the invisible creators of Bitcoin, to nation-states with a penchant for fintech innovation. We discuss the opportunities and pitfalls of Facebook’s proposed new cryptocurrency, Libra, as well as the other crypto actors on the scene. Chris Zappone is Digital Foreign Editor at The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, where his writing focuses on the interplay between technology, politics, economics, and the future. Elise Thomas is a Researcher working with ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre. She has previously worked as a freelance journalist, including writing for Wired, Guardian Australia, SBS, Crikey and The Interpreter. Katherine Mansted is a senior adviser at the National Security College and non-resident fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. We’d love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to [email protected]. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or find us on Facebook. The National Security Podcast and Policy Forum Pod are available on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.