In the rapidly evolving world of digital assets, the journey from niche adoption to mainstream integration is reaching an inflection point. As I reflect on the recent discussions sparked by emerging technologies and significant regulatory frameworks, I am seeing what I often refer to as the "mapping of the bridge", linking traditional financial systems with the dynamic, transformative world of blockchain and tokenized assets. The notion of building such a bridge has become a driving force for making digital assets accessible, scalable, and secure for a global audience.
As a serial entrepreneur and founder of a deeptech startup, I understand the nuances of building solutions that transform industries while scaling sustainably. Thus, the conversation surrounding scale, standards, and interoperability in the digital asset space resonates intimately with me.
Why the World Is Ready for Digital Assets but Facing Barriers
The digital asset market is already expanding exponentially. A report by Citi predicts that tokenization could reach $100 trillion in annual transactions by 2030, signaling the vast potential locked within this burgeoning sector. Yet, in its current state, the digital asset ecosystem is fragmented, lacking the scalability and interoperability required for genuine mass adoption.
For startups, freelancers, and even seasoned founders like myself, this creates both an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity lies in tapping into untapped potential; however, the challenge remains in overcoming the following hurdles:
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The Absence of Standardized Frameworks:
As highlighted in FintecheMagazine’s GENIUS Act review, the U.S. government is already taking legislative steps to cement a framework wherein crypto and fiat currencies coexist seamlessly. Similarly, the introduction of ISO/TC 307 standards has brought uniformity to privacy and interoperability in digital asset platforms. Yet, global consensus still varies. -
Interoperability Gaps Between Blockchain Networks:
Innovative collaborations, such as BIS’s Project Nexus, underscore the critical role of linking domestic payment systems to reach across borders with embedded compliance. Swift’s newly introduced blockchain-based ledger is also a step towards enabling interconnected ecosystems. -
Regulatory Ambiguity:
Startups especially depend on clarity in regulations; uncertainty can often hinder ventures' ability to scale and collaborate with larger institutions. The integration of compliance-oriented solutions, like the Financial Action Task Force’s Travel Rule Compliance Certification, aims to address these barriers by offering clear operational guidelines.
How Startups and SMEs Can Thrive Amid the Digital Asset Revolution
As a serial entrepreneur building AI and blockchain solutions, I’ve learned that integrating cutting-edge technology into established systems requires a mix of strategic foresight and willingness to collaborate across industry lines. Allow me to share some steps to successfully tap into this industry and make your mark:
1. Leverage Tokenization:
Tokenization creates fractional ownership of tangible and intangible assets, unlocking investment opportunities and liquidity. For example, institutions like banks are embracing bank tokens for trade settlement and tokenized deposits.
How to leverage this:
- Analyze assets within your startup, IP, products, or customer data, that can be tokenized.
- Use platforms like Oracle’s Digital Assets Data Nexus to streamline integration into regulated financial systems.
2. Create or Adopt Open Standards for Interoperability:
The majority of ventures fall short when they operate in silos. Aligned governance and adoption of international standards ensure your technology isn’t just functional but also widely adopted. Projects like Alluvial’s Collaborative Staking underscore the importance of building interoperable systems to access liquidity.
An actionable step:
Integrate blockchain frameworks like Hyperledger Besu, specifically designed for Ethereum interoperability, to align with future-proof standards.
3. Focus on Sustainable Scaling:
One of the key lessons I’ve learned is that scalability is not just about performance but also about extendability in a real-world economic context. Tools such as Swift’s blockchain infrastructure specifically tackle this issue.
My insight:
Don’t scale prematurely! Robust pilot programs within sandbox environments, as suggested by the Bank of International Settlements, should validate scalability before allocating significant resources.
4. Engage with Regulatory Bodies Early
To avoid sudden disruptions, it’s critical for entrepreneurs to collaborate with regulators from the very start. The OECD Blockchain Policy Forum is one such initiative that allows innovators to interact directly with policymakers.
What to do:
Familiarize yourself with upcoming regulations and certifications, such as compliance standards highlighted in the Top Digital Certification Standards of 2025.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
As someone who has simultaneously juggled developing intellectual property blockchain solutions and building inclusive platforms for STEM entrepreneurs, I’ve seen three key pitfalls:
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Ignoring Collaboration Over Competition:
Trying to build in isolation often backfires. Whether it’s leveraging established financial networks, operating on interoperable standards like ISO/TC 307, or joining sandbox trials, collaboration beats competition. -
Overlooking Compliance Needs:
Failing to embed compliance measures from day one can derail your product and scare away potential collaborators or investors. -
Building Without Scalability in Mind:
Several systems fail because they address short-term pain points but aren’t designed to scale globally. Think of the future while building the foundation.
Conclusion: Ready to Bring Digital Assets into the Mainstream?
Digital assets and their underlying blockchain infrastructures are no longer experimental, they’re shaping how global financial markets will function. For entrepreneurs, this represents an incredible moment to innovate but also necessitates a shift in mindset. Instead of fighting against existing systems, work to align with a vision that incorporates shared standards, scalable solutions, and regulatory readiness.
The road ahead isn’t simple, but as with any startup journey, the potential rewards are immense. Learn from the likes of Swift and BIS to understand where the puck is headed. Then, strategize ways your venture can be the guiding light along this transformative bridge to mainstream adoption.
If I’ve learned one thing through years of navigating entrepreneurship, it's this: times of uncertainty are the greatest opportunities to create solutions that reshape the world. Will your startup be one of them?
FAQ
1. What are digital assets, and how are they entering the mainstream?
Digital assets include tokenized assets, cryptocurrencies, and more, and they are becoming integrated into financial systems through frameworks like the GENIUS Act and innovations such as tokenization. Discover the GENIUS Act
2. What are the barriers to scalability in digital assets?
Fragmentation, lack of standardized frameworks, regulatory ambiguity, and interoperability gaps are major barriers. Initiatives like ISO/TC 307 and BIS’s Project Nexus aim to address these challenges. Explore BIS's Project Nexus
3. How does tokenization unlock potential in the financial sector?
Tokenization allows fractional ownership of assets, making investments more accessible and liquid. Banks are using tokenized deposits to revolutionize trade settlements. Learn about bank tokens
4. Why is interoperability important for digital assets to succeed?
Interoperability ensures different blockchain systems can work together reliably, unlocking liquidity and fostering scalability. Understand the importance of interoperability
5. What role does Swift play in mainstreaming digital assets?
Swift is building a blockchain-based ledger with a focus on shared standards and scalable interoperability to bridge traditional and digital financial systems. Discover Swift's blockchain-based ledger
6. What are ISO standards like ISO/TC 307, and how do they help?
ISO/TC 307 provides guidelines on blockchain privacy, security, and interoperability to build global consensus and investor confidence. Explore ISO/TC 307
7. Why is regulatory compliance essential for startups in this space?
Compliance builds trust and ensures longevity, with standards like FATF's Travel Rule offering clear guidelines for international operations. Learn about FATF's Travel Rule Compliance Certification
8. What mistakes should entrepreneurs avoid when working with digital assets?
Avoiding collaboration, ignoring compliance, and failing to design systems for scalability are common pitfalls in the digital asset industry.
9. How can startups leverage sandbox environments for scaling?
Sandbox environments allow startups to test their scalability and compliance, ensuring readiness for large-scale adoption. Discover the importance of sandbox trials
10. What is the future potential for the tokenized asset market?
The tokenized asset market has the potential to grow to $100 trillion in annual transactions by 2030 as more financial institutions adopt these digital tools. Learn about the tokenization trend
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
