FinTech, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation
The Milken Institute's FinTech program explores market innovation and developments, analyzes alternative regulatory approaches, and offers policy recommendations to facilitate FinTech’s responsible development and foster a more favorable economic environment for small businesses and entrepreneurs. We engage and educate policymakers and stakeholders to improve access to capital, financial inclusion, transparency, and compliance. Our guiding principle is to ensure that financial technology innovations and entrepreneurial opportunities are accessible to individuals and businesses while increasing the stability and efficiency of the U.S. financial system.
- Access to capital and financial inclusion
- Alternative regulatory approaches
- Market innovation and developments
- Policy to facilitate FinTech’s responsible development
- Policy to foster a more competitive and innovative environment
- Transparency and compliance
- Artificial Intelligence and Agentic Commerce
- Blockchain and Cryptocurrency
- Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises
- Future of Work
- Innovative Finance and Access to Capital
- Neo-Banking
- Small Business Data and Ecosystems
- Stablecoin and Tokenization
- Supply Chain Resilience
Small Business, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Growth
Community bank consolidation, technology, globalization, and policy changes have disproportionately affected small businesses and start-ups by fundamentally reshaping the competitive landscape and entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Small Business, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Growth Initiative aims to address these challenges through policy recommendations and programmatic solutions that foster a more robust entrepreneurial environment and inclusive prosperity across regions and demographics.
Featured Thought Leadership
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Global Digital Asset Adoption: Asia
Asia is a global proving ground for digital financial innovation, regulation, and adoption. With the world’s largest population—4.9 billion—significant capital heft, and a unique mix of emerging and emerged economies, the region benefits...Read Article -
Global Digital Asset Adoption: Sub-Saharan Africa
In Sub-Saharan Africa, FinTech is shaped by youthful demographics and mobile-first populations in search of solutions to bring down costs and accelerate growth. According to the World Bank, Sub-Saharan Africa received $54 billion in...Read Article -
Global Digital Asset Adoption: Latin America
There are bold headlines about crypto in Latin America. Countries like El Salvador have made a splash on the crypto scene, with leaders who are moving fast and breaking things.Read Article
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FinTech in Focus — April 7, 2026In This Newsletter:
- Prediction Markets Go Beyond Gaming
- Privacy Tech Positions for Institutional Demand
- The Ratings Agencies Wrestle with Stablecoin
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FinTech in Focus — March 24, 2026In This Newsletter
- Future of Finance
- Digital Assets Market Structure Holding Pattern
- Institutional Tokenization Gears Up
FinTech, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation
Most Recent Content
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Digital Financial Infrastructure in Focus
The world’s financial system operates at digital speed, but much of its infrastructure remains slow, fragmented, and opaque.Read Report -
Global Digital Asset Adoption: Asia
Asia is a global proving ground for digital financial innovation, regulation, and adoption. With the world’s largest population—4.9 billion—significant capital heft, and a unique mix of emerging and emerged economies, the region benefits...Read Article -
2025 Digital Asset Market Structure Discussion Draft – US Senate Banking Committee
The Milken Institute ("Institute") appreciates the opportunity to submit comments in response to the Senate Banking Committee’s (“Committee’s”) Request for Information (“RFI”) on digital asset market structure. As a nonpartisan, nonprofit...Read Letter -
Milken Institute Statement on Passage of Digital Asset Legislation
The Milken Institute applauds the House’s historic, bipartisan passage of the GENIUS Act and the CLARITY Act. This final passage of the Senate’s GENIUS Act will provide long-sought regulatory clarity for stablecoins as they continue to...Read Article -
Global Digital Asset Adoption: Sub-Saharan Africa
In Sub-Saharan Africa, FinTech is shaped by youthful demographics and mobile-first populations in search of solutions to bring down costs and accelerate growth. According to the World Bank, Sub-Saharan Africa received $54 billion in...Read Article -
Global Digital Asset Adoption: Latin America
There are bold headlines about crypto in Latin America. Countries like El Salvador have made a splash on the crypto scene, with leaders who are moving fast and breaking things.Read Article -
Milken Institute EVP of Finance Michael Piwowar Testifies on Digital Asset Market Structure Legislation
Washington, DC (June 4)—Today, Michael Piwowar, Executive Vice President of Finance at the Milken Institute, provided testimony before the US House Committee on Agriculture hearing on American Innovation and the Future of Digital Assets...Read Article -
American Innovation and the Future of Digital Assets: From Blueprint to a Functional Framework
WASHINGTON, DC (June 4, 2025) — Today, Michael Piwowar, Executive Vice President of Finance at the Milken Institute, provided testimony before the US House Committee on Agriculture hearing on American Innovation and the Future of Digital...View TestimonyImage
Michael Piwowar, PhD
Senior Advisor, FinanceMichael S. Piwowar, PhD, is a senior advisor at the Milken Institute. He was previously the executive vice president of Milken Institute Finance and served as a commissioner at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from August 15, 2013, to July 6, 2018. -
2025 Digital Asset Market Structure Discussion Draft – US House Financial Services and Agriculture Committees
The Milken Institute (“Institute”) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Digital Asset Market Structure Discussion Draft (“Discussion Draft”) released by the US House Committee on Financial Services and the US House Committee on...Read Letter
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Our Team
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