Last week, the course “Fintech and the challenges of crypto-assets” took place in Santander, hosted by the Menéndez Pelayo International University (UIMP) and the CNMV.

The objective of the event was to provide specialised training on distributed ledger technology and its application to securities markets, innovation in investment services and crypto-assets.

The CNMV Chair, Rodrigo Buenaventura, gave the opening speech and the course directors, CNMV’s Vice-Chair, Montserrat Martínez Parera, and Víctor Rodríguez Quejido, Policy and International Affairs Directorate-General, coordinated the sessions, which took place on 24 and 25 June. The Vice-Chair stated “New technologies have a major impact on society, and particularly on the financial system”. In her opinion, “distributed ledger technologies can offer opportunities to significantly improve the functioning of securities markets, but their impact on investor protection must also be taken into account”. In his speech, Víctor Rodríguez highlighted that “Next year, there will be a European regulatory framework in place for the issuance and provision of crypto-asset services, although its implementation is a major challenge for supervisors given its global scope and ongoing progress”.

The CNMV’s Deputy Director of Fintech, Francisco del Olmo, focused his presentation on distributed ledger technology and financial systems, and the new Securities Market and Investment Services Law (LMVSI for its abbreviation in Spanish) in a session in which sector’s renowned experts analysed its benefits and challenges, as well as practical cases. Special attention was also paid to analytical and generative artificial intelligence in securities markets.

The second day was centred around the digital euro and to the new regulatory framework for crypto-assets, the MiCA Regulation, and the challenges and opportunities that they present. Montserrat Martinez Parera closed the event and spoke on supervisors’ role in this area. 

The CNMV thanks the speakers and their participation.

For more information, please visit the course’s web page on the CNMV’s site 

This is the second consecutive year that the CNMV has organised a course with the UIMP on a current topic of interest for securities market professionals. In 2023 it surrounded sustainable finance.