Finans Sektöründe Yaratıcı Yıkım: Blockchain, Kripto Varlıklar ve Yeni Finansal Düzen

Date: May 21, 2026 – Thursday

Time: 14:00

Place: santralistanbul Campus, Control Room

Moderator: Dr. Çağla Gül Şenkardeş

Speaker: 

Av. Aysu Düz

Ali Akarçay

Ahmet Usta

The world of finance is undergoing a massive algorithm-based transformation. Blockchain technology, crypto assets, the token economy, and decentralized finance applications are not only redefining the concept of "money" and transforming investment tools; they are also reshaping trust, value creation, and the fundamental functioning of economic systems.

In our panel titled "Financial Disruption: Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, and the Future of Finance," held in collaboration with the Turkish Informatics Foundation and the Blockchain Turkey Platform, we aim to discuss the future of finance in a multi-dimensional way by bringing together academics, sector professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, and technology leaders.

Within the scope of our panel, the following topics will be addressed:

• The impact of blockchain technology on financial systems,
• The transforming role of crypto assets,
• Web3 entrepreneurship,
• Decentralized finance (DeFi),
• Regulation and trust mechanisms,
• Artificial intelligence and blockchain integration,
• New financial ecosystems in Turkey and the world.

In this panel, which will be held with expert speakers and industry representatives, participants will evaluate the technologies, risks, opportunities, and new economic models shaping the future of finance from an interdisciplinary perspective. We invite all participants who wish to understand the financial world of the future, explore transforming investment ecosystems, and discuss the new dynamics of the digital economy to this important meeting.

About the Panelists:

Ahmet Usta graduated from Istanbul Technical University with a degree in Aerospace Engineering in 2001 and earned an MBA from Yıldız Technical University in 2007. Over the course of a career spanning more than 25 years, he has held diverse roles, including information technology manager, technology writer, and editor-in-chief. Through Mercek Tech, which he founded in 2017, he continues to provide research, corporate journalism, training, and strategic consulting services in the field of innovative technologies.

Aysu Düz  A graduate of Bilkent University, Aysu Düz completed her Master’s degree (LL.M.) at the University of Kent in the UK, specializing in International Commercial Law and Intellectual Property. Combining her academic background in law with the world of technology, Düz has built her expertise around digital assets and next-generation financial technologies.

Having worked at Paribu, one of Turkey’s leading crypto asset trading platforms, for approximately 6 years, Düz plays an active role in the institution’s legal infrastructure and compliance processes. Paribu holds a leading position among technology-oriented crypto asset platforms in Turkey with a wide user base. Known for her keen interest in the legal dimensions of the crypto asset ecosystem and blockchain technology, Aysu Düz continues her efforts toward the institutionalization of the ecosystem by monitoring global regulations and legal frameworks in these fields.

Ali Akarcay graduated from Işık University, Industrial Engineering in 2007 and completed his master's degree in Economics at Boğaziçi University in 2009. Within his 17 years of experience, he held positions in the commercial credit team at Akbank and in the technology teams at ING and TEB BNP Paribas before joining Yapı Kredi Bank in 2017. At Yapı Kredi, he served as Head of Retail Customer Process Management and Business Development. He has pioneered Yapı Kredi's work on digital assets, taking part in the establishment of the digital custody infrastructure and the crypto trading subsidiary, and leading the bank side of TÜBİTAK and the Central Bank of Türkiye's Digital ID and Digital Turkish Lira projects. Akarcay currently serves as Head of Smart Automation at Yapı Kredi Bank, where he works on the internal adoption of artificial intelligence, robotic process automation, digital assets and emerging financial technologies. He also leads the On Chain working group of the Blockchain Türkiye Platform.