Fintech handbook

In this episode, author Dimitrios Salampasis joins host Paolo Sironi to introduce the Research Handbook on FinTech, a global scholarly effort to understand finance’s radical transformation. Two decades ago, finance meant traditional banks and centralised institutions. Today, digital payments, AI, blockchain, and central bank digital currencies are rewriting the rules. Dimitrios explains why this handbook arrives at the perfect moment: FinTech has matured from startup hype into core infrastructure, involving regulators, central banks, technology companies, and incumbents alike. It now shapes payments, digital assets, identity, trust, and inclusion worldwide. He reveals his motivation: to bridge the gap between rapid innovation and lagging academic theory by uniting leading scholars across finance, law, economics, and technology into one intellectual map. Editing the book felt like conducting an orchestra—bringing global experts together while keeping pace with fast-moving developments. Dimitrios highlights the surprising global reach of FinTech, the convergence of AI and blockchain, and the growing role of governments. Essential reading for researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and students seeking to understand—and shape—the future of digital finance. LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/dimitriossalampasis