Indeed, many of these headlines point out that the Bitcoin network’s carbon footprint is comparable to the energy consumption of some countries. Most recently, BTC’s carbon footprint has been compared with that of New Zealand, Switzerland and the Netherlands, among others.
This is an excerpt that has been edited for clarity and length. To hear Finance Magnates’ full interview with Monica Long, visit us on Soundcloud or Youtube.
How does RippleX fit into Ripple’s multi-pronged business model? “What we do at RippleX is enabling and supporting the developer community around XRP and the XRP ledger, which includes everything from building tools and SDKs to support their use cases, as well as developing programs and other support infrastructure for them.”
We asked Monica about Ripple’s recent decision to become carbon-neutral by 2030. “What brought us to that commitment was really about opening our eyes and understanding the extent of the carbon impact of the crypto space.”
Monica Long, General Manager of RippleX.
A “Paris Agreement” for Crypto?
“When you look at crypto more broadly, the predominant method of transaction confirmation is mining,” Monica said. This is part of the Proof-of-Work algorithms that are used to run the Bitcoin network as well as a number of other popular cryptocurrency networks.
“Mining is really energy-intensive,” Monica explained. “What brought us to making a commitment and leading in this space is the understanding that as cryptocurrency really does become the future of money, this issue of carbon emissions from systems like mining is just going to increase more and more.”
“And so, we wanted to take the lead on the commitment to being carbon neutral,” Monica said, “but also to bring the industry along; we want to partner with others on this, and so we also worked with the Rocky Mountain Institute and the energy web foundation to develop an open-source tool where other blockchains can also commit to decarbonize and take action,” a bit like a “Paris Agreement” for the blockchain space.
The Carbon Footprint of a Single Bitcoin Transaction May Be Higher Than Burning an Entire Tank of Gasoline
Monica said that creating a pathway for other companies in the industry to start speaking about sustainability in blockchain is the most important step forward: “I think that the first step is having a conversation about it,” she said. “It’s good that we’re starting to see a light shine on what the issue is through media attention.”
“2020 was a huge year for crypto generally,” Monica said. “Bitcoin alone grew four times over in its market cap, and with that, mining doubled last year. To put the climate impact of mining in perspective, mining currently consumes about 0.05% of global energy consumption.”
“To bring that down to a ‘per Bitcoin transaction’ level, right now it’s equivalent to burning about 75 gallons of gas [to send one Bitcoin transaction],” Monica explained.
Of course, the exact environmental impact of sending one BTC transaction (or indeed, the Bitcoin network as a whole) is debated: some estimates have shown that the environmental impact of one Bitcoin transaction is closer to 35 gallons of gas. Still, the fact remains that as Bitcoin is an energy-intensive entity, and as it grows, it will become even more power-hungry.
“What’s awesome is that Bitcoin really reached a ‘watershed’ moment last year with institutional adoption picking up,” Monica said. “We saw companies like Paypal and Square, as well as large corporates like MicroStrategy, and some really large funds getting into Bitcoin, Tesla being the biggest headline, of course, just this year.”
”The First Step Is to Have a Conversation about It: Let’s Recognize That [Sustainability] Is a Problem” for Crypto
“This kind of ‘tipping of the scales’” brought about by institutional adoption has been great for the industry in many ways. However, “that means that there’s a greater stress on the hash rate and the amount of energy needed to mine Bitcoin,” Monica said.
“So, the first step is to have a conversation about it: let’s recognize that it’s a problem, that we’re all better off if we address it now,” Monica said. “Crypto is a very innovative tech space, so we can solve this problem together. Let’s get ahead of it so that we don’t have to solve it later,” as has been the case in a number of other industries, including the automotive industry.
This is going to be increasingly important as regulators across the globe are focusing on climate change prevention. In the United States, the Biden administration has placed climate change at the forefront of many of its policy initiatives; elsewhere in the world, governments are also upping the ante against the climate crisis.
Monica explained that as the various branches of Ripple and XRP continue to expand, sustainability could play an increasingly important role with regulators: “there’s a new administration in the US, and in other geographies around the world. Climate is rising on the list of what they would like to address through policy.”
“The finance industry and the crypto industry will have to follow policy as well, which I think is definitely going to come into the picture in the next year.”
”We in the Financial Industry Need to Play Our Part to Serve This Broader Global Initiative around the Paris [Climate] Agreement.”
What has Ripple been doing to make its own operations as a company and XRP carbon neutral?
Monica explained that the XRP network is already considerably less energy-intensive than the Bitcoin network: “when you’re looking at different blockchain systems and energy consumption, what it comes down to is what the confirmation method is,” she said.
“XRP Ledger uses its own ‘flavor’ of consensus mechanism, and that process is really energy-light. So, it’s about 120,000 times more energy-efficient than Proof-of-Work (PoW), and even if you look at other types of money (like physical cash), XRP is a ‘greener’ form of currency.”
Additionally, “Ripple as a company has also pledged to be carbon neutral: we’re looking at our company’s carbon footprint from our offices and people and all of our infrastructure, and purchasing carbon offsets and renewables,” Monica said.
Of course, there is action being taken within the traditional financial world to make traditional finance ‘greener’: for example, “Visa recently hired a chief sustainability officer, and Rocky Mountain Institute has also brought together major banks to agree to divest in carbon-intense industries, and instead capitalize in green and future-forward industries.”
“So, I think that people are waking up to it. They’re recognizing that we in the financial industry need to play our part to serve this broader global initiative around the Paris [Climate] Agreement.”
“There’s Still a Long Way to Go.”
While sustainability will likely become increasingly important to the blockchain industry because of regulatory efforts like the Paris Agreement in the coming years, Monica said that sustainability does not seem to have been top-of-mind for most crypto industry firms in the past.
“It felt like we were kind of out there in front of it; we hadn’t really seen others coming out on the issue last year,” Monica said, naming Sello as an exception. Sello Sol describes itself as a blockchain-based platform “for certification and traceability of decentralized and public solar energy.”
However, “the tides are turning,” Monica said. “Elon Musk and Tesla making such a big, bold statement in the future of crypto as part of their business, and obviously, a core piece of Tesla’s mission is sustainability, and as part of that, either Tesla or Musk individually has pledged $100 million to a fund to innovate in this space on greener alternatives. “
Indeed, Space.com recently reported that “the billionaire SpaceX and Tesla Chief and his Musk Foundation are funding a new Carbon Removal X Prize to the tune of $100 million — the richest incentive prize in history.”
Therefore, Musk could potentially use his platform to develop initiatives that might make Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies more energy-efficient.
However, in the meantime, “there’s still a long way to go,” Monica said. “[...] There’s still a lot of folks in the space who aren’t really ‘on-board’ with coming up with solutions for the future. But, I think where we get early traction with other companies, hopefully, we can get pointed in the right direction.”
Of course, sustainability is not the only goal that Ripple is working on in the near and intermediate future. Additionally, Monica mentioned that RippleNet is continuing to grow: “we’re continuing to build that network and that offering, launching on-demand liquidity into new corridors, and increasing the size of the network,” she said.
“On the RippleX side, we’re really just getting started, our team was formed late last year, and our mission is to enable and support a developer community around XRP and XRP Ledger,” Monica said. “I think the sustainability piece will attract conscientious developers who care about building for the future and being mindful about the carbon output of the blockchain industry.”
This is an excerpt that has been edited for clarity and length. To hear Finance Magnates’ full interview with Monica Long, visit us on Soundcloud or Youtube.
Indeed, many of these headlines point out that the Bitcoin network’s carbon footprint is comparable to the energy consumption of some countries. Most recently, BTC’s carbon footprint has been compared with that of New Zealand, Switzerland and the Netherlands, among others.
This is an excerpt that has been edited for clarity and length. To hear Finance Magnates’ full interview with Monica Long, visit us on Soundcloud or Youtube.
How does RippleX fit into Ripple’s multi-pronged business model? “What we do at RippleX is enabling and supporting the developer community around XRP and the XRP ledger, which includes everything from building tools and SDKs to support their use cases, as well as developing programs and other support infrastructure for them.”
We asked Monica about Ripple’s recent decision to become carbon-neutral by 2030. “What brought us to that commitment was really about opening our eyes and understanding the extent of the carbon impact of the crypto space.”
Monica Long, General Manager of RippleX.
A “Paris Agreement” for Crypto?
“When you look at crypto more broadly, the predominant method of transaction confirmation is mining,” Monica said. This is part of the Proof-of-Work algorithms that are used to run the Bitcoin network as well as a number of other popular cryptocurrency networks.
“Mining is really energy-intensive,” Monica explained. “What brought us to making a commitment and leading in this space is the understanding that as cryptocurrency really does become the future of money, this issue of carbon emissions from systems like mining is just going to increase more and more.”
“And so, we wanted to take the lead on the commitment to being carbon neutral,” Monica said, “but also to bring the industry along; we want to partner with others on this, and so we also worked with the Rocky Mountain Institute and the energy web foundation to develop an open-source tool where other blockchains can also commit to decarbonize and take action,” a bit like a “Paris Agreement” for the blockchain space.
The Carbon Footprint of a Single Bitcoin Transaction May Be Higher Than Burning an Entire Tank of Gasoline
Monica said that creating a pathway for other companies in the industry to start speaking about sustainability in blockchain is the most important step forward: “I think that the first step is having a conversation about it,” she said. “It’s good that we’re starting to see a light shine on what the issue is through media attention.”
“2020 was a huge year for crypto generally,” Monica said. “Bitcoin alone grew four times over in its market cap, and with that, mining doubled last year. To put the climate impact of mining in perspective, mining currently consumes about 0.05% of global energy consumption.”
“To bring that down to a ‘per Bitcoin transaction’ level, right now it’s equivalent to burning about 75 gallons of gas [to send one Bitcoin transaction],” Monica explained.
Of course, the exact environmental impact of sending one BTC transaction (or indeed, the Bitcoin network as a whole) is debated: some estimates have shown that the environmental impact of one Bitcoin transaction is closer to 35 gallons of gas. Still, the fact remains that as Bitcoin is an energy-intensive entity, and as it grows, it will become even more power-hungry.
“What’s awesome is that Bitcoin really reached a ‘watershed’ moment last year with institutional adoption picking up,” Monica said. “We saw companies like Paypal and Square, as well as large corporates like MicroStrategy, and some really large funds getting into Bitcoin, Tesla being the biggest headline, of course, just this year.”
”The First Step Is to Have a Conversation about It: Let’s Recognize That [Sustainability] Is a Problem” for Crypto
“This kind of ‘tipping of the scales’” brought about by institutional adoption has been great for the industry in many ways. However, “that means that there’s a greater stress on the hash rate and the amount of energy needed to mine Bitcoin,” Monica said.
“So, the first step is to have a conversation about it: let’s recognize that it’s a problem, that we’re all better off if we address it now,” Monica said. “Crypto is a very innovative tech space, so we can solve this problem together. Let’s get ahead of it so that we don’t have to solve it later,” as has been the case in a number of other industries, including the automotive industry.
This is going to be increasingly important as regulators across the globe are focusing on climate change prevention. In the United States, the Biden administration has placed climate change at the forefront of many of its policy initiatives; elsewhere in the world, governments are also upping the ante against the climate crisis.
Monica explained that as the various branches of Ripple and XRP continue to expand, sustainability could play an increasingly important role with regulators: “there’s a new administration in the US, and in other geographies around the world. Climate is rising on the list of what they would like to address through policy.”
“The finance industry and the crypto industry will have to follow policy as well, which I think is definitely going to come into the picture in the next year.”
”We in the Financial Industry Need to Play Our Part to Serve This Broader Global Initiative around the Paris [Climate] Agreement.”
What has Ripple been doing to make its own operations as a company and XRP carbon neutral?
Monica explained that the XRP network is already considerably less energy-intensive than the Bitcoin network: “when you’re looking at different blockchain systems and energy consumption, what it comes down to is what the confirmation method is,” she said.
“XRP Ledger uses its own ‘flavor’ of consensus mechanism, and that process is really energy-light. So, it’s about 120,000 times more energy-efficient than Proof-of-Work (PoW), and even if you look at other types of money (like physical cash), XRP is a ‘greener’ form of currency.”
Additionally, “Ripple as a company has also pledged to be carbon neutral: we’re looking at our company’s carbon footprint from our offices and people and all of our infrastructure, and purchasing carbon offsets and renewables,” Monica said.
Of course, there is action being taken within the traditional financial world to make traditional finance ‘greener’: for example, “Visa recently hired a chief sustainability officer, and Rocky Mountain Institute has also brought together major banks to agree to divest in carbon-intense industries, and instead capitalize in green and future-forward industries.”
“So, I think that people are waking up to it. They’re recognizing that we in the financial industry need to play our part to serve this broader global initiative around the Paris [Climate] Agreement.”
“There’s Still a Long Way to Go.”
While sustainability will likely become increasingly important to the blockchain industry because of regulatory efforts like the Paris Agreement in the coming years, Monica said that sustainability does not seem to have been top-of-mind for most crypto industry firms in the past.
“It felt like we were kind of out there in front of it; we hadn’t really seen others coming out on the issue last year,” Monica said, naming Sello as an exception. Sello Sol describes itself as a blockchain-based platform “for certification and traceability of decentralized and public solar energy.”
However, “the tides are turning,” Monica said. “Elon Musk and Tesla making such a big, bold statement in the future of crypto as part of their business, and obviously, a core piece of Tesla’s mission is sustainability, and as part of that, either Tesla or Musk individually has pledged $100 million to a fund to innovate in this space on greener alternatives. “
Indeed, Space.com recently reported that “the billionaire SpaceX and Tesla Chief and his Musk Foundation are funding a new Carbon Removal X Prize to the tune of $100 million — the richest incentive prize in history.”
Therefore, Musk could potentially use his platform to develop initiatives that might make Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies more energy-efficient.
However, in the meantime, “there’s still a long way to go,” Monica said. “[...] There’s still a lot of folks in the space who aren’t really ‘on-board’ with coming up with solutions for the future. But, I think where we get early traction with other companies, hopefully, we can get pointed in the right direction.”
Of course, sustainability is not the only goal that Ripple is working on in the near and intermediate future. Additionally, Monica mentioned that RippleNet is continuing to grow: “we’re continuing to build that network and that offering, launching on-demand liquidity into new corridors, and increasing the size of the network,” she said.
“On the RippleX side, we’re really just getting started, our team was formed late last year, and our mission is to enable and support a developer community around XRP and XRP Ledger,” Monica said. “I think the sustainability piece will attract conscientious developers who care about building for the future and being mindful about the carbon output of the blockchain industry.”
This is an excerpt that has been edited for clarity and length. To hear Finance Magnates’ full interview with Monica Long, visit us on Soundcloud or Youtube.
Rachel is a self-taught crypto geek and a passionate writer. She believes in the power that the written word has to educate, connect and empower individuals to make positive and powerful financial choices. She is the Podcast Host and a Cryptocurrency Editor at Finance Magnates.
Schwab Aims Crypto Custody at Its $5 Trillion Advisor Channel by 2027
Featured Videos
Buy, Build or Both? Trading Tech for Brokers, Banks & Beyond
Buy, Build or Both? Trading Tech for Brokers, Banks & Beyond
Buy, Build or Both? Trading Tech for Brokers, Banks & Beyond
Buy, Build or Both? Trading Tech for Brokers, Banks & Beyond
For every feature and product, someone has to decide: build it in-house or buy from a vendor. In Singapore and across APAC, local banks and global players face the same question with very different constraints.
This session gathers heads of technology and e-trading to compare how client demand and cost structures shape their choices, and how long it actually takes to ship in each.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand view of how client feedback informs decision-making across different market participants.
Understanding pain points and benefits of working with 3rd party integrations at scale.
Insight into products and innovation banks’ retail and trading heads will look for in 2026.
For every feature and product, someone has to decide: build it in-house or buy from a vendor. In Singapore and across APAC, local banks and global players face the same question with very different constraints.
This session gathers heads of technology and e-trading to compare how client demand and cost structures shape their choices, and how long it actually takes to ship in each.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand view of how client feedback informs decision-making across different market participants.
Understanding pain points and benefits of working with 3rd party integrations at scale.
Insight into products and innovation banks’ retail and trading heads will look for in 2026.
For every feature and product, someone has to decide: build it in-house or buy from a vendor. In Singapore and across APAC, local banks and global players face the same question with very different constraints.
This session gathers heads of technology and e-trading to compare how client demand and cost structures shape their choices, and how long it actually takes to ship in each.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand view of how client feedback informs decision-making across different market participants.
Understanding pain points and benefits of working with 3rd party integrations at scale.
Insight into products and innovation banks’ retail and trading heads will look for in 2026.
For every feature and product, someone has to decide: build it in-house or buy from a vendor. In Singapore and across APAC, local banks and global players face the same question with very different constraints.
This session gathers heads of technology and e-trading to compare how client demand and cost structures shape their choices, and how long it actually takes to ship in each.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand view of how client feedback informs decision-making across different market participants.
Understanding pain points and benefits of working with 3rd party integrations at scale.
Insight into products and innovation banks’ retail and trading heads will look for in 2026.
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
