Jeremy Allaire, Co-founder and CEO of Circle, addressed the evolving landscape of blockchain and crypto banking during the Consensus 2021 keynote, highlighting the need for the United States to align its financial policies with advancing technologies to remain competitive globally. Allaire emphasized that while nationalism is on the rise, the U.S. should focus on innovation, particularly in fintech, by leveraging its historical strengths in open technology and private sector collaboration. He pointed out that digital banking charters are more advanced in regions like the UK and Asia, and the U.S. risks falling behind if it doesn't support fintech and blockchain advancements as core components of the financial system. Allaire noted the rapid innovation occurring in the stablecoin and decentralized finance spaces, urging the U.S. government to harness this momentum by treating these developments as strategically important, much like it does with electric cars and artificial intelligence. He acknowledged a growing awareness among policymakers about the importance of blockchain technology, suggesting that with effective public-private collaboration, the U.S. could reclaim its leadership in financial technology, capitalizing on the potential of maturing blockchain platforms to revolutionize global finance.