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The Bottom Line

This year’s edition of Money20/20 was back in full force. It was a well-attended event by all players in the ecosystem, a definitive difference from last year when lingering COVID-19 travel restrictions kept many would-be attendees on the sideline.

The conversation among the 13,000 registered attendees in Las Vegas, and countless others working the periphery, expanded beyond last year’s darling – cryptocurrency – to encompass other issues financial institutions will face as they head into a potentially turbulent 2023. This year’s top themes included safety and security, innovation, and evolving regulation.

Here are a few recurring observations from our time there...

A Google search for "metaverse" results in roughly 203 million results – an overwhelming number of options for learning more about an emerging digital world.

But what exactly is the metaverse? And what does it mean for financial institutions now and in the future?

As I shared in a recent article, the metaverse is a vision, not just a technology. It's a virtual world driven by the thriving global gaming culture that lets people create an entirely virtual version of themselves.

In that world, users create and pursue unique experiences. Much like the real world, some form of currency is necessary, providing opportunities for banks and credit unions.