In this talk, we discuss some of the most recent developments in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Specifically, we review stable coins, their classification, potential applications, and related topics. We also address the emerging field of DeFi (Decentralized Finance), including Automated Market Makers (AMM), yield farmers, and other peculiar concepts. We explain mathematics, economics, and technology behind these developments and elaborate on their pros and cons.

Bio: Alexander Lipton is Co-Founder and Chief Information Officer at Sila, Partner at Numeraire Financial, Visiting Professor and Dean's Fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Connection Science Fellow at MIT. He is an Advisory Board Member at numerous Fintech companies worldwide.

In 2016 he left Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he served for ten years in various senior managerial roles including Quantitative Solutions Executive and Co-Head of the Global Quantitative Group. Before switching to finance, Alex was a Full Professor of Mathematics at the University of Illinois and a Consultant at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

His current professional interests include FinTech, particularly, applications of distributed ledger technology to payments and banking, digital currencies, including stablecoins and asset-backed cryptocurrencies, robust asset allocation, automated investing, balance sheet optimization and industrial-strength risk management systems for large systemically important financial institutions.

In 2000 Alex was awarded the first ever Quant of the Year Award by Risk Magazine. Alex published eight books and more than a hundred scientific papers. He is currently finishing his next book (with Adrien Treccani) "Blockchain and Distributed Ledgers: Mathematics, Technology, and Economics" which will be published in the beginning of 2021.