The writer’s next book is ‘The Future of Money: How the Digital Revolution is Transforming Currencies and Finance’
Financial innovation sometimes brings great rewards. It can make the financial system more accessible to underserved segments of the population and improve lives. But some innovations can lead to disaster, which usually hurts the poor more than others.
Governments must find the right balance between promoting innovation and managing risks. As the world economy recovers from the Covid recession, which has exacerbated inequalities, the stakes could hardly be higher. The pace of innovations, including some truly groundbreaking ones, has picked up, heightening the urgency of addressing this question.