A thought leadership series on the future of finance and regulation
From breakthrough innovations to regulatory rethinks, this series features long- and short-form pieces by CCAF staff, fellows, and research affiliates – writing in a personal capacity.
Articles explore the fast-evolving intersections of financial innovation, market structure, policy and regulation, and the shifting systems that connect them. Views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance.
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The global financial system is undergoing a profound transformation driven by digital innovation. Yet, the pace of regulatory innovation and the scale of digital transformation within public authorities remain uneven and comparatively insufficient. This article, by Bryan Zhang, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, examines the widening innovation gap between innovators and regulators, and outlines potential strategies to foster and accelerate system-level innovation within central banks and financial regulators across both developed and developing economies.
Finance and accounting
Transition finance: bridging the climate investment gap
Philippa Martinelli, Head of Climate & Transition Finance at the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, explores the vital role of finance in tackling climate change. The article highlights the scale of the challenge, the urgency of transition finance, and the investment shifts needed to build a low-carbon, resilient global economy.
Finance and accounting
Data sharing as the way forward
In this article, Bryan Zheng Zhang (Executive Director and Co-founder of the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance) and Pavle Avramovic (Head of Market & Infrastructure Observator at the Centre), highlight how open banking and open finance are reshaping global financial services through secure data sharing. With over 95 countries adopting frameworks, the shift is delivering benefits for consumers and SMEs, while becoming a key layer of digital financial infrastructure – despite ongoing challenges around privacy, regulation and implementation.
Finance and accounting
From automation to autonomy: the agentic ai era of financial services
In this article by Bryan Zhang (Executive Director, CCAF) and Kieran Garvey (AI Research Lead, CCAF), they explore how agentic AI – capable of autonomous decision-making – could transform financial services by automating workflows, personalising advice, and reshaping roles, while also raising critical challenges around governance, fairness, and risk in an increasingly AI-driven economy.