In this episode of Non-Consensus Investing, Ram Ahluwalia of Lumida Wealth hosts Ben Forman from ParaFi to discuss the burgeoning world of stablecoins and digital assets. The conversation explores the transformative potential of stablecoins in capital markets, delves into Ben's journey from traditional assets to digital ones, and examines the implications of the recently passed Genius Act. They also cover the impact on financial institutions, payment rails, and the convergence of traditional finance with blockchain technology.
(00:28) Ben’s background & move from KKR to ParaFi
(04:44) Stablecoins as a financial, legal, and geopolitical breakthrough
(10:12) Impact on banking and deposits
(19:26) Stablecoins vs. payment infrastructure
(23:29) Winners & losers in the stablecoin era
(33:34) Moats & defensibility in crypto
(33:57) Tech disruption in traditional payments
(35:25) ParaFi’s crypto investment focus
(36:18) Tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs)
(37:18) On-chain capital & private credit
(39:14) Why regulation is now a tailwind for digital assets
(47:32) Why AI agents need stablecoins and blockchain rails
(54:01) What’s going on with digital asset treasury companies