Paul Wong

Advancing blockchain innovation for real-world impact

Washington, District of Columbia, United States

About

Paul leads the Strategic Impact program at the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF), developing and deploying end-to-end financial services solutions for governments, multilateral institutions, civic organizations, financial institutions, and corporate entities. His work integrates Stellar's ecosystem of assets, service providers, and payment infrastructure into production-ready systems that expand financial access and drive institutional adoption of blockchain technology. Paul has worked on several landmark deployments on the Stellar network, including the first public blockchain-based instant payment system in Ukraine; a tokenized sovereign debt offering in the Marshall Islands; a tokenized Islamic money market fund in Malaysia; and a blockchain-based humanitarian cash delivery program for UNHCR and UNDP operating across fragile and conflict-affected states. Current focus includes innovative blockchain-based financing. Before joining SDF, Paul founded and managed the Federal Reserve Board's Technology Lab, where he set the research agenda on central bank digital currencies, tokenization, and emerging payment technologies. He served on the Secretariat of the Bank for International Settlements' Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures, leading global standard-setting initiatives in fintech, fast payments, and cryptoassets. He was instrumental in developing international and domestic risk management standards for financial market infrastructures.

Experience

  • Director, Strategic Impact at Stellar Development Foundation
    Feb 2022 - Present · 4 yrs 5 mos

  • Visiting Scholar at International Monetary Fund
    Apr 2024 - Dec 2024 · 9 mos

  • Manager, Technology Lab at Federal Reserve Board
    Jul 2019 - Feb 2022 · 2 yrs 8 mos

  • Member of Secretariat, Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures at Bank for International Settlements – BIS
    Feb 2016 - Apr 2019 · 3 yrs 3 mos

  • Manager, Financial Markets Infrastructure Risk and Policy at Federal Reserve Board
    Feb 2005 - Feb 2016 · 11 yrs 1 mo