DeFi, TradFi convergence could arrive sooner than expected: JPMorgan

JPMorgan’s blockchain lead says merging TradFi with DeFi is accelerating, as the bank’s pilot with Chainlink and Base shows traditional institutions moving onchain.

The divide between decentralized finance (DeFi) and traditional finance (TradFi) could disappear within the next few years, according to Nelli Zaltsman, head of blockchain payments innovation at JPMorgan’s Kinexys.

Speaking alongside Chainlink Labs co-founder Sergey Nazarov at the RWA Summit Cannes 2025, Zaltsman said JPMorgan is pushing to merge institutional-grade payments infrastructure with emerging onchain assets, signaling what could be a tipping point for mainstream blockchain adoption.

“Our goal has always been to find the best way to work with the public blockchain, regulatory environment permitting,” said Zaltsman. She described JPMorgan’s blockchain strategy as “asset agnostic,” aiming to give clients real-time access to multiple networks while minimizing friction.