Sofie Blakstad is the CEO and Founder of hiveonline, a multiple award-winning blockchain-based community finance platform supporting unbanked entrepreneurs in developing economies. She is a respected authority on blockchain, CBDCs and digital assets, economics and development economics.
Sofie Blakstad‘s experience has spanned technology development, system architecture, infrastructure delivery and business transformation in global banking and she has built technology and businesses for eight major international banks in over 60 countries, with projects worth over USD 1bn.
Sofie’s work at hiveonline, alongside hands-on interactions with African customers and institutions, includes analysis of regulations, market developments, customer behaviour and women’s inclusion in sub-Saharan Africa, giving her extensive knowledge of market opportunities, constraints and challenges on the continent.
Sofie’s second book, Fintech Revolution: Universal Inclusion in the New Financial Ecosystem, has been named one of the best Fintech books of all time, she also chairs the Edinburgh Futures Institute’s FI and Fintech Industry Advisory Panel. Sofie advises international organisations such as the UN, NGOs, Central Banks and commercial banks on sustainable applications of blockchain and DLT. She has twice been included in the Innovate Finance’s Women in Fintech Powerlist and named in the top 10 Women in Crypto.
Video Timeline
- 00:16 – You are the founder of hiveonline, a multiple award-winning blockchain-based community finance platform supporting unbanked entrepreneurs in developing economies – could you please tell us a bit more about this?
- 01:28 – Can Blockchain be one of the solutions against ‘financial inclusion’?
- 02:25 – You speak a lot about CBDCs (Central Bank Digital Currencies) – Do you think it could be the future of money?
- 04:32 – What are the differences between cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and CBDCs?
- 06:42 – What do you think are the biggest barriers to seeking capital for small businesses?
- 08:53 – How can blockchain help companies financially thrive?
- 10:35 – How can companies implement better sustainable applications of blockchain?
- 12:13 – What is next for you?
