Open Conversations: From the Ground Up: Localizing Blockchain for Real-World Impact (Anke Liu of SDF)

Anke Liu, the Ecosystem Growth Lead at the Stellar Development Foundation, highlights the crucial role of financial inclusion in addressing the needs of unbanked populations, which number 1.7 billion worldwide. Stellar is presented as an open-source, decentralized, layer 1 blockchain designed to facilitate everyday financial services. Liu discusses efforts in providing access to financial services for displaced people, particularly Burmese communities across Southeast Asia. The Stellar Development Foundation collaborates with local refugees and humanitarian partners through initiatives like residencies, Design Jams, and Hackathons to ideate and implement solutions. This localized approach is in alignment with Funding the Commons to induce real-world change. By empowering communities at the ground level, Stellar aims to address financial inequity comprehensively.