Is the future of money truly inclusive?

Can digital currencies create a more inclusive financial system, or will they deepen existing inequalities? In this episode of Crossing Channels, Sumedha Deshmukh and Bruno Biais join Richard Westcott to explore the promises, risks and policy challenges shaping the future of money. In this episode of Crossing Channels, Richard Westcott talks to Sumedha Deshmukh and Bruno Biais about whether the future of money can be truly inclusive. They explore the promise and limits of cryptocurrency, asking whether it offers a genuine alternative to existing financial systems or risks reproducing the same forms of exclusion, volatility and mistrust. The conversation examines why crypto may be useful in places where monetary and banking institutions are weak, but also why it can expose less informed users to new risks. They also discuss stablecoins, digital public infrastructure, regulation, trust and governance, and what policymakers need to consider if digital finance is to serve people’s real needs rather than simply benefiting those who are already better connected and better informed. Season 5 Episode 6 transcript Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform For more information about the Crossing Channels podcast series and the work of the Bennett School of Public Policy and IAST visit our websites at https://www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.iast.fr/. Follow us on Linkedin and Bluesky. With thanks to: Audio production by Alice Whaley Associate production by Burcu Sevde Selvi Visuals by Tiffany Naylor and Pauline Alves