How Fintech & blockchain benefit the world

 When Conversations Open Unexpected Doors | From Málaga, Spain.

This morning in the hostel kitchen I ended up in one of those beautiful, unplanned conversations that somehow turn meaningful very quickly.
I was talking with a young woman from the UK who works in marketing for a fintech company. Naturally, I became curious about what she actually does day-to-day. As she explained it, she absent-mindedly pinched her face — almost like a small stress reflex. I asked her why.
She paused and admitted something honest:
she wasn’t sure this was where she truly wanted to be. She wished she could contribute something more meaningful to the world.
That was enough to spark a deeper conversation.

A Memory From Curaçao | Between 2016 and 2019 I spent time in Curaçao, in the Dutch Antilles. It was a fascinating period because early blockchain initiatives were beginning to take shape there.
What I witnessed wasn’t the speculative crypto hype we often hear about.
It felt far more grounded — practical attempts to strengthen a regional economy that had become fragile after the decline of the Venezuelan oil flow that once sustained it. Bringing the local university, private and poitics together around a plan to improve chances for the locals.
There was genuine hope that technology could empower smaller entrepreneurs:
local sellers, beach vendors, independent service providers — people who previously had limited access to financial infrastructure or global markets.
One of the most interesting effects was social rather than purely financial. Blockchain-related opportunities started giving younger generations a reason to return to the island instead of remaining in Europe or the US.

Work became available locally again, skills were valued, and slowly the economy began strengthening from within rather than relying solely on external investment.
This pattern isn’t unique to Curaçao. Variations of it are emerging across many developing economies: when financial access, digital identity, and global transaction capability improve, local initiative often follows.
The vision was actually quite simple: give ordinary people tools to participate in the global economy.
And that idea has stayed with me ever since.
Fintech Isn’t Only What Headlines Show. 

My hostel friend told me most conversations she’d had about fintech were negative. For whatever reason. That had started shaping how she felt about her own role.
But when she heard the Curaçao perspective, her eyes lit up.
She said she had never heard that side before.
Technology, like anything, reflects human intention.
Used consciously, fintech and blockchain can reduce barriers, expand access, and support underserved communities.
And now, with AI accelerating capabilities across sectors, the potential impact is even bigger. We’re seeing tools emerge that allow individuals and small businesses to do things that previously required entire institutions.
That shift is still unfolding.

to be cont.