Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, is actively exploring ways to transition “trillions of dollars” onto the blockchain, according to Aly Madhavji, founder of Blockchain Founders Fund.
“You’ve got Larry Fink of BlackRock asking, ‘How do we move trillions into blockchain?’” Madhavji said. “Ensuring this transition is truly democratized is exciting—this technology is finally making its way into the mainstream.”
At a recent roundtable, host Rob Nelson highlighted how traditional finance has long relied on intermediaries, from ETFs to centralized exchanges. But could direct asset control become the new standard?
Jack Knutson, head of business development at Symm Protocol, believes legacy financial systems are designed in a way that forces users to opt out rather than opt in.
“Everything today is opt-out when it should be opt-in,” Knutson said. “You should be choosing the privacy policies and terms of service you agree to, not having them imposed by default.”
For Knutson, blockchain-based finance offers an alternative where market makers set their own trading parameters rather than adhering to rigid structures dictated by platforms like DYDX, GMX, or Hyperliquid.
“When market makers come to us, they decide how much collateral to put upfront, the margin requirements, which markets to trade in, and whether to offer Perpetuals or options. It’s entirely up to them—no other platform gives this level of control,” he explained.
Nelson compared this shift to disruptors like Airbnb and Turo, which revolutionized rentals by enabling direct transactions between users. So why has finance been slower to adapt?
Madhavji suggests the industry was simply too early for widespread adoption of tokenized assets—but that moment is now approaching.
Knutson agrees, calling this the beginning of “open finance.”
“These markets will run 24/7. Stocks, forex, and options are all moving on-chain. It’s only a matter of time before major institutions like JP Morgan follow suit,” he said. “The future of finance is decentralized, and Symm is helping pave the way.
