Conference Focused on the Convergence of TradFi and DeFi

In an official announcement, the Fed emphasized that this conference will discuss new business models for stablecoins, the tokenization of financial products, and payment efficiency with the help of AI.

This step is assessed as a strong signal that the US central bank is beginning to accommodate the developments in digital financial technology.

Governor Christopher Waller emphasized that innovation is an important part of the payment system.

He equated the use of stablecoins through smart contracts with debit cards in supermarkets, to show that new technology is not dangerous.

"Innovation is always present in payments to meet the ever-changing needs of consumers and businesses. I look forward to discussions about the opportunities and challenges of new technologies, as well as hearing directly from those shaping the future of payment systems," he explained, quoted from Cryptopolitan.

Waller's Role in Innovation Drive

Waller also stated that the private sector must be the main driver of payment innovation, while the Fed plays a role in ensuring safety and efficiency.

He referred to stablecoins as a real example of market-based solutions that can support modern payment systems.

This statement reinforces Waller's image as a pro-crypto Fed figure. Besides stablecoin issues, he encourages the adoption of tokenization and distributed ledger in daily transactions.

The Fed Has Been Involved In Digital Payment Systems

The Fed has played an important role in payment infrastructure:

  • FedNow: since July 2023, a real-time payment program with 1,400 participating banks and daily transactions of around $2.7 billion.

  • Fedwire Funds Service and ACH payments: managed jointly with The Clearing House, serving billions of transactions each year.

With this foundation, the October conference is seen as a step to expand the Fed's digital role and understand how DeFi, stablecoins, and AI can be integrated into the national payment system.

Interest Rate Issues Also Get Spotlight

In addition to discussing technological innovations, Waller reiterated his support for the interest rate cut in September 2025.

I assess that the labor market conditions are weakening, so the Fed needs to lower interest rates from 4.25%–4.50% towards a neutral range of 3%.

According to him, the inflation risk due to import tariffs is only temporary, and inflation can return to the 2% target within 6–7 months.

"I think we should start cutting interest rates at the next meeting, then adjust the next steps according to economic conditions. In the next three to six months, there could be several additional cuts," he said.

This statement further strengthens expectations that the Fed will take a dovish stance, which usually boosts risky asset markets, including crypto.

CONCLUSION

The October 2025 Fed conference is not just a technical agenda, but also a strategic momentum. By discussing TradFi, DeFi, stablecoins, tokenization, and AI in one official forum, the Fed sends a clear signal that the era of digital finance can no longer be ignored.

Combined with the discourse on interest rate cuts, this policy combination has the potential to open a new chapter for the crypto market and global payment innovations.