In this episode of #TechTalks, the conversation turns to key takeaways from two industry conferences — Consensus in Miami and the Digital Finance Forum in Bermuda — and what they signal for the future of digital assets. Building on themes explored in our previous episode, there is a clear sense of acceleration, with several anticipated developments already beginning to take shape.

A central theme across both conferences was the shift from retail-driven activity to institutional participation, particularly through the tokenisation of real-world assets. The emergence of on-chain financial products, including ETFs incorporating blockchain elements, points to a market that is maturing rapidly and integrating more seamlessly with traditional finance.

Appleby’s Jerome Wilson, George McCallum and Karim Creary also highlight more specialised innovation shared at Consensus, with market participants developing differentiated offerings such as solutions in estate planning, reflecting an ecosystem that is both deepening and diversifying.

The discussion also explores the growing convergence of AI and digital assets, particularly the rise of agentic commerce and AI-enabled transactions. With digital assets expected to underpin many of these use cases, the importance of clear and enabling regulation remains front of mind. In this context, Bermuda’s digital assets ecosystem continues to evolve and mature, supported by forward-looking initiatives such as proposed developments under the Payment Services Act discussed in our last episode.

Reflecting on the Digital Finance Forum in Bermuda, the trio note increasing global interest in the jurisdiction, alongside plans to bring elements of the government and broader ecosystem on-chain. Combined with direct engagement with regulators and a pragmatic legislative approach, Bermuda continues to strengthen its position as a leading jurisdiction for digital assets.

Our #TechTeam share their perspectives throughout the episode, underscoring both the progress made and the opportunities ahead.

About Appleby

Appleby is one of the world’s leading international law firms. Our global teams of legal specialists advise public and private companies, financial institutions and private individuals. We are a full service law firm providing comprehensive, expert advice and services across corporate, dispute resolution, property, regulatory, and private client and trusts practice areas. We have offices in ten highly regarded, well-regulated global locations, operating in nine and practising the laws of eight jurisdictions. Our office locations include the key international jurisdictions of Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Mauritius, and the Seychelles, as well as the international financial centres of Hong Kong and Shanghai...