Singapore at the center of the global blockchain industry

Singapore is the beating heart of the global blockchain economy.

The Asian city-state is known for its free market economy and business-friendly policies, both of which have allowed its blockchain industry to flourish. After China banned bitcoin transactions in 2021, Singapore was the nation that most benefited. But its interest in blockchain goes beyond cryptocurrencies; it has also integrated blockchain technology within a number of its main industries, including education, healthcare, and real estate.

Singapore’s embrace of blockchain technology is one of the reasons why the digital assets security firm Chintai decided to establish a headquarters there. The blockchain specialist also agreed to a new collaboration with Singapore’s NUS Business School, to run a series of expert panels on a range of topics related to digital assets such as blockchain, compliance, and fintech entrepreneurship. In addition, Chintai will offer internship opportunities to NUS MBA students. We caught up with David Packham, the founder and CEO of Chintai.

“We’re working with NUS Business School to provide educational opportunities for MBA students,” explains David Packham. “We want to really ensure they understand how to get a career out of fintech. For us, partnering with NUS is about making sure we give back.” (00:38)

While Chintai hopes the partnership will help to establish Singapore as the global blockchain capital, they also believe this investment in NUS MBA students could help them discover the next generation of industry leaders.

“If you look at NUS Business School and the students, we’re in a continuous fight to find the absolute best people with the right maturity and motivation who can contribute to our journey, “ David says. “Eventually, they could potentially form their own companies as well. For us, that opportunity to get involved with NUS early helps us to find future talent too.” (02:02)

How will NUS MBA students benefit from the partnership with Chintai?

For now, the focus is on Chintai’s series of expert-led panels at the school. Through these talks, the company is aiming to educate NUS MBA students on the topics that will not only shape the future of digital assets but the global financial system as a whole.

“We’ve set up a series of conversations with the school in which we present a variety of different topics,” explains David. “The one I took part in myself was around digital asset tokenization, which is a really hot topic for students. It’s really about how we’re going to shape the financial system over the next 20-30 years to make it more equitable for the entire world.” (00:50)

From the perspective of NUS MBA students, these talks are a great opportunity to learn more about one of the hottest and fastest-growing industries in the world. Because of the rapid pace of change in the industry, new niches are appearing all of the time. Students may even be able to identify a new career path for themselves within digital assets.

“We also had a variety of other sessions that covered topics like compliance as well as other disruptive aspects within this. I think all of this is about enabling them to get the most out of the sessions, and when they graduate they’re going to be well-placed to understand what their niche is and what they want to get into,” says David. (01:40)

Why NUS is the world’s top blockchain school

NUS’s partnership with Chintai is further proof of the school’s expertise in blockchain and digital assets. As part of their MBA program, students have the option to study electives on topics such as Digital Assets and Blockchain in Finance and Inclusive FinTech, while the Blockchain@NUS community aims to delve deeper into blockchain via student-led research and projects.

It’s part of the reason why, in 2021, CoinDesk ranked NUS as the top blockchain school in the world. The list also rates schools based on research output, employment outcomes, and academic reputation. David says the school’s reputation for blockchain expertise made the partnership, in his words, “a no-brainer.”

“NUS Business School has one of the world’s top MBA programs, and what it also has going for it is a focus on blockchain and digital assets. With that said, it was a no-brainer to not only partner with them, but continue to partner with them in the future,” he elaborates. (02:30)

With links to top companies in the industry, specialized electives, and its location in one of the leading countries for blockchain, NUS is perfectly placed to help you break into this rapidly-growing industry. Are you ready to become the blockchain leader of tomorrow?

 

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