In a forward-thinking discussion on Wednesday, Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani shed light on the evolving landscape of financial services, highlighting the significant innovations happening globally.

From advancements in payments to lending and cross-border transactions, Nilekani’s insights painted a picture of a world rapidly moving towards financial inclusivity and empowerment through technology.

Central to this vision is the concept of the ‘Finternet’, a term coined to describe the integration of financial services with the internet, empowering individuals to actively participate in the economy’s growth and mange various types of assets. 

Nilekani emphasized that the ‘Finternet’ is not just about digitizing financial services but about creating a secure, universal infrastructure where all kinds of assets, from user-controlled to regulated and registered, can be managed seamlessly. The core idea is to enable people to control and participate in the upside of the economy by owning and managing a diverse range of assets. 

At the heart of this concept is the amalgamation of different asset classes. Nilekani explained that the objective is to bring together various asset types, including registered lands, regulated financial products like bonds and deposits, and even more unconventional assets such as artworks and equine. By tokenizing these assets, they can be easily accessed and traded on a secure, regulated platform. 

Tokenization, a process that converts the ownership of an asset into a digital token on a block chain, allows for fractional ownership, greater liquidity, and easier transferability of assets.

 

This, Nilekani believes, will democratize access to wealth by breaking down the barriers to owning traditionally inaccessible assets. For instance, a piece of artwork or a plot of land could be divided into tokens, allowing multiple people to own a fraction of it and benefit from its appreciation. 

Moreover, Nilekani highlighted the importance of a secure and regulated infrastructure to support this ecosystem. The ‘Finternet’ would rely on a robust legal and technological framework to ensure that these digital assets are protected and that transactions are transparent and secure. This would not only boost investor confidence but also pave the way for broader participation in the financial system. 

Nandan Nilekani’s vision of the ‘Finternet’ represents a significant leap towards a more inclusive and empowered global economy. By enabling people to control and benefit from a wide range of assets through a secure and regulated platform, the ‘Internet’ could revolutionize the way we think about ownership and wealth creation in the digital age.