Banque Delubac & Cie is proud to announce the appointment of Xavier Gomez, co-founder and Managing Director of Invyo, to its Supervisory Board.
Founded in 1924, Banque Delubac & Cie is an independent financial institution. Bold in its development strategies and constantly reinventing itself, it focuses on high value-added niche businesses. Today, it is present in several financial fields: wealth management, support for companies in difficulty, banking for real estate professionals, asset management, investment banking, corporate banking, retail banking and correspondent banking.
Proactively adapting to future challenges and the needs of its customers, Delubac & Cie has been the 1st French bank authorized to offer cryptoassets since April 2022.
Joël-Alexis Bialkiewicz
Managing Partner of Banque Delubac & Cie
« Xavier Gomez’s appointment is fully in line with the Bank’s strategy. A recognized figure in finance and the Web3, he bridges the gap between our family heritage as an independent niche bank and our positioning as an innovative player in decentralized finance. His assertive vision and sharp expertise in the broad spectrum of our business areas will be key to realizing our ambition. »
Xavier Gomez
Member of the Supervisory Board of Banque Delubac & Cie
« I am delighted and honored by this appointment at a time when Banque Delubac & Cie is celebrating its centenary. My background as a former international banker and current fintech entrepreneur reflects my ability to bridge the gap between past and future, to converge traditional finance and the emergence of cryptoassets. I see a fairly obvious parallel with Banque Delubac & Cie’s unique and special history, and look forward to putting my skills to work in support of its strategy. »
Adan (the Association for the Development of Digital Assets), KPMG France, and Ipsos have just unveiled a new study on the French appetite for crypto-assets and Web3. Delubac & Cie was pleased to partner once again in the execution of this analysis.
Conducted for the third consecutive year, this study reveals the democratization and ever-growing interest of the French and Europeans in digital assets. NFTs are also gaining significantly in popularity.
12% of French people own crypto-assets (up from 9.4% last year), and 15% have owned them at some point. The majority of crypto-asset holders already possess traditional financial products and see this new asset class as an opportunity for diversification.
The bank emerges as the preferred contact for French people who want to buy, sell, and store crypto. More than 20% choose a banking intermediary over self-custody. 23% of French people even say they are ready to switch banks to access crypto services.
For Web3 sector companies, finding banking partners remains complex for more than half of those surveyed (57%).
It’s no secret that our Corporate Banking division supports Web3 companies in their development projects through a comprehensive banking offer and expert commercial teams.
At the presentation of the results held at the Ministry of Economy and Finance on March 19, 2024, Joël-Alexis Bialkiewicz, managing partner at Delubac & Cie, spoke about the opportunities and challenges in the field.
Some see a contradiction between our status as a bank and our crypto activity. But since 1924, we have been the bank for those who cannot or do not want to have a bank. […] We take pride in being the bank of the crypto world. We will continue to do what is necessary to ensure that everything permitted by law can never be prohibited by a small number of private actors.
Find below the full speech by Joël-Alexis Bialkiewicz at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Each year, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas captures the world’s attention with the latest technological advancements. The 2024 edition, with its 135,000 attendees and 1,400 startups represented across 4,300 booths, covering an area of 2.5 million square feet (equivalent to over 36 football fields!), has once again proven its status as an essential hub for innovation.
At Delubac & Cie, our participation in this prestigious event reflects our commitment to the world of Web3 and crypto-assets, but above all, it demonstrates our desire to innovate in the banking sector to support businesses in the field!
This event provided an opportunity to showcase the bank and its vision for the sector in a world undergoing rapid technological evolution, but also to closely scrutinize the developments at CES 2024 to identify trends that will shape the future of our industry and our financial services.
Widening the Industrial Spectrum
A notable trend at CES 2024 was the entrance of new industries that have traditionally been absent or underrepresented at the show. At the same time, there was a striking absence of cybersecurity players, despite the event being at the heart of their concerns.
Iconic brands such as L’Oréal and Essilor made their first appearance at CES, highlighting the growing importance of technology in sectors as diverse as beauty and optics. Similarly, the presence of Delubac & Cie in the Web3 village illustrates the banking sector’s shift towards innovative digital solutions and a decentralized financial system. More broadly, and noteworthy at a show named the Consumer Electronics Show, is the massive arrival of B2B2C exhibitors, changing the game! People no longer come to Las Vegas just to find the latest gadget, but rather meaningful and mature innovation ready for market entry. So, when will it rebrand as the Consumer Innovation Show?
Towards an “Enhanced Human”
The 2024 edition of CES highlighted a major shift towards enhancing human capabilities through technological advances such as exoskeletons, augmented reality, and virtual reality. A company that caught our team’s attention on-site was Ultraleap, which offers total immersion experiences through advanced haptic devices, allowing users to feel and manipulate virtual objects with astonishing precision. A development for which we see a definite future in the sector, among others, of e-commerce and retail more generally!
Concerns About Generative AI
A major and unavoidable trend observed at CES 2024 was the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI). While many exhibitors highlighted the integration of these AIs in their products and services, these technologies raise increasing concerns about their misuse to create deceptive content. To counter this, we met companies like Click app, which offers a solution for certifying digital media to combat fake news and deepfakes. Their technology promises to play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of information in an ever-evolving digital world. Compliance being inherently in a bank’s DNA, it seems crucial for us to closely follow these new techniques for securing information and data.
Tech at the Heart of Health
A sector dear to Delubac & Cie, which regularly supports innovative health companies! CES 2024 revealed significant advancements in the health field, showcasing diverse and promising solutions. Startups such as Skezi and Linxens presented data collection and patient monitoring technologies, with remote monitoring skin patches and connected armbands. Ivès introduced a sign language communication platform, while Bodit Inc developed animal health monitoring devices. Companies like FRENZ Brainband and NuraLogix highlighted brain function enhancement devices and health monitoring devices, respectively. Other innovations included LED massage technologies, real-time physiological monitoring devices, smart rings for health management, and connected glasses for the visually impaired. These advancements reflect a continued commitment to improving human or animal health.
Sustainability and Green Innovation
In a world where sustainability is increasingly central, Tech For Good shone with its green innovations and commitments to sustainable development. CES was the stage for the introduction of cutting-edge technologies aimed at reducing our carbon footprint and promoting a more environmentally friendly future. From energy-efficient devices to renewable energy solutions, exhibitors unveiled innovative ideas across an increasing number of sectors. Among the most notable, we observed smart home systems designed to optimize energy consumption, electric vehicles with long-lasting batteries, and revolutionary advancements in recycling.
For example, Jackery captured our attention with the introduction of a robot capable of capturing solar energy to power a home. Many other companies also presented innovative solutions for generating electricity from alternative sources such as noise or waste. We were also impressed by Qarnot Computing, a startup presenting a computer network infrastructure based on the reuse of waste heat, thus offering a sustainable solution to reduce the carbon footprint of data centers.
These advancements demonstrate a collective commitment to a cleaner and more sustainable future. As a representative of Delubac & Cie, we are excited by these developments that offer unique investment opportunities in environmentally friendly technologies.
The Emerging Metaverse
Finally, the concept of the Metaverse was widely discussed and explored at CES 2024. As a sponsor of the space dedicated to Web3, Crypto, and Metaverse technologies, Delubac & Cie could not overlook this trend! Although its adoption is still in its early stages, we were able to observe the progress made in the convergence of the technological infrastructures necessary for its realization. Companies such as Meta (formerly Facebook) presented their visions of the metaverse during conferences and its implications for the future of human interaction and collaboration. At Delubac & Cie, we are on the lookout for the potential of the metaverse, which could transform our interactions with our clients and partners, but even more so on how we could support Web3 companies with banking offers tailored to their sector and specific needs in decentralized finance.
In conclusion, CES 2024 once again demonstrated that innovation is at the heart of our industry. At Delubac & Cie, we remain committed to staying at the forefront of these developments to offer our clients innovative financial solutions tailored to a constantly evolving world. We look forward to CES 2025 to discover the next trends that will shape our future, but before that, see you at Vivatech from May 22 to 25, 2024!
Watch a video of Joël-Alexis Bialkiewicz, managing partner at Banque Delubac & Cie, speaking at an event organized by ADAN (Association for the Development of Digital Assets) and KPMG at Bercy. The association presents its study “Web 3 and Crypto in France and Europe: Public Adoption and Applications in Industries”.
Addressing the Banking Needs of Web 3 and Crypto Businesses
Our managing partner, Joël-Alexis Bialkiewicz, who has been mining Bitcoin since 2011 and is also the founding president of the mobile payment fintech DeluPay, discusses the state of the French crypto ecosystem and its perception. Regulation, taxation, diplomacy…: he reviews the actions needed for France to become the global financial hub for decentralized finance. These issues, thus addressed, will contribute to changing the current perception towards a relationship of trust necessary for the full adoption of crypto assets in France.
The need for reassurance through crypto regulation
45 %1 of French people believe that France imposes too many regulatory constraints on the cryptocurrency industry (crypto-assets or digital assets) or that France is still not incentivizing enough to develop the cryptocurrency industry.
“However, the risk of overly stringent regulation is that it could deprive French companies of a new mode of financing, stifle innovation, and drive quality projects away from French territory,” says Joël-Alexis Bialkiewicz.
Enhanced DASP registration
The status of Digital Asset Service Provider (DASP) is a regulatory status introduced by the French PACTE law (Action Plan for Business Growth and Transformation) for providers of services related to digital assets. It aims to regulate the market by authorizing and supervising the activities of service providers in the field of crypto-assets:
buying
selling
safekeeping of digital assets on behalf of their clients.
As of July 1, 2023, the DDADUE law (Provisions for Adaptation to the Law of the European Union) strengthens the obligations of future PSANs who have not filed a complete registration request with the AMF. New companies must comply with new rules and requirements regarding the safekeeping and cybersecurity.
European MiCA regulation and CASP approval
The European regulation on Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) establishes a harmonized regulatory framework at the European level for crypto-assets, including digital asset service providers since its adoption in April 2023. It can be seen as an extension or evolution of PSAN, as it aims to strengthen regulation and supervision of actors operating in the crypto-asset domain. Registered PSANs will indeed have to become CASP (Crypto Assets Service Providers) by 2026 to address the European market.
Regulation has primarily focused on combating money laundering and terrorist financing. Yet, illicit activities represent only 0.15 to 0.24% of cryptocurrency transactions, a proportion significantly lower than that of FIAT currencies.
Protecting users is another aspect of necessary regulation if we want to facilitate access to these digital assets. Indeed, an appropriate regulatory framework must accompany these technological evolutions for mass adoption.
Did you know? Banque Delubac & Cie is the first French bank to obtain its PSAN registration (Digital Asset Service Provider).
The Need for a Convergence Between Crypto and Traditional Finance
Various scandals and crypto scams have undoubtedly tarnished the image of the Blockchain revolution and provoked distrust:
bankruptcy of marketplaces (MtGox, FTX),
hacks on decentralized bridges (Harmony, Nomad, Wormhole, Ronin),
ICOs that are difficult to audit and for which the AMF’s approval remains optional,
market manipulation facilitated by the low liquidity of most tokens.
Nonetheless, the evolution of the markets has not affected the adoption of cryptocurrencies (crypto-assets or digital assets) by the French, which showed a growth of 20% in 2023.1 In parallel, the convergence between traditional finance and the digital asset industry is progressing with trading volumes in digital assets predominantly institutional.
70% of crypto companies report having had difficulties in accessing banking services, such as simply opening a bank account.2
Did you know?Delubac Corporate Banking supports players in the crypto-assets and web 3 ecosystem in the corporate part of their activities.
Work is needed with public authorities to facilitate the declaration of crypto assets in tax returns. Currently, it is up to each individual to perform this complex calculation and declare it, unlike traditional financial assets which are declared by intermediaries.
The diplomatic aspect of crypto
Welcoming foreign players makes France a global platform in the field of crypto. To fully seize the opportunities of this constantly evolving sector, French players also need support to spread beyond our borders.
“France is ahead and capable of becoming the global financial hub for decentralized finance and making its mark worldwide. There are still some steps to overcome. It’s up to all of us to make this possible!” Joël-Alexis Bialkiewicz
Source : 1 & 2. ADAN & KPMG Study, 2023, Web3 and crypto in France and Europe: adoption by the general public and applications in industries.
