Blockchain Technology to Revolutionize Global Economy, Says OKX CEO
During Abu Dhabi Finance Week, OKX CEO Star Xu made a bold prediction, stating that approximately 50% of global economic activity will occur on blockchain in the coming decades. This shift is driven by the growing demand for digital services, mobility, and artificial intelligence, particularly among the younger generation. Xu described blockchains as programmable financial rails that enable the free, instant, and global transfer of value 24/7.
Xu positioned this trend as infrastructure rather than a trading call, citing the growth in stablecoin settlement, multi-trillion values of on-chain assets, and a growing number of wallets. He also noted the ongoing regulatory work in key markets that is building channels for compliant activity. This development is expected to have a significant impact on the global economy, with blockchains providing a secure, transparent, and efficient way to conduct financial transactions.
Why OKX’s Xu Sees Demand for On-Chain Finance
Xu linked this moment to past cycles in the internet, mobile, and cloud, arguing that the next step is a “financial internet” in which storage, transfer, and settlement are software-controlled and auditable. He stated that the current infrastructure can meet institutional needs, citing account integrations, smooth user flows without gas fees, and throughput targets measured in millions of transactions per second. Security objectives reflect bank accounts, while on-chain identity, analytics, and auditing features are intended to increase transparency.
Xu noted that regulators in countries such as the United States and Singapore are creating frameworks that shift activities from pilot projects to production. This shift towards on-chain finance is expected to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and provide greater transparency and security. As Xu said, “In the end, more open, transparent, and efficient systems will prevail,” and the Internet generation is already working towards this outcome.
Bitcoin, Stablecoins, and Tokenization in Practice
Xu called Bitcoin “digital gold” for younger holders, noting that institutions are increasing their exposure to balance sheets. He portrayed stablecoins as a parallel payment channel that enables near real-time cross-border settlement, including units pegged to the US dollar and regional fiat currencies. Tokenization is also expected to play a key role in market structure change, with funds and government bonds continually entering the trading chain that provides transparent pricing and compliance controls.
Looking to the future, Xu outlined a model where users own self-custodial wallets, identity is portable, and issuance and settlement occur on a single base layer. This vision for the future of finance is one where blockchain technology provides a secure, efficient, and transparent way to conduct financial transactions. As Xu’s prediction suggests, the global economy is on the cusp of a significant shift towards on-chain finance, and it will be exciting to see how this develops in the coming years.
For more information on OKX CEO Star Xu’s prediction, visit https://cryptonews.com/news/okx-ceo-star-xu-says-50-of-global-economy-will-run-on-blockchain/
