Let’s start with a hard truth — there’s a common narrative, especially among those of us in the Web3 world, about the idea of democratizing investing and empowering millions to create new avenues of financial freedom. The reality, however, is that although this is an exciting proposition and certainly a worthwhile pursuit, there remain many questions on how to adjust the current systems to allow us to reach this goal. The new technological landscape of blockchain and DeFi have brought us closer than ever to this dream but many of the highest-quality, real-world assets remain out of reach for the average investor, subject to the limitations of their current technologies.

Having worked in investment banking and private equity before transitioning into Crypto and Web3, I experienced firsthand the impact that disruptive technologies like blockchain could have on valuable asset classes like mortgages and real estate. I have also seen how important factors like investor protections, market education and, most importantly, infrastructure in the traditional financial system can hinder the adoption of Web3.

I, and my fellow Brightviners, believe that in order to democratize financial access, we must start by updating the technological infrastructure of traditional markets, opening new avenues of liquidity for institutions and issuers. Currently, talented investors and advisors across the world find themselves spending more time scrubbing data and moving information between parties than actually sourcing and managing investments. As a result, investment managers must focus their efforts on the largest and most lucrative clients, closing off the market to a broader base of investors. We believe that a new infrastructure will free issuers of these inefficiencies, thus allowing true democratization of the markets to begin in earnest.

Brightvine’s blockchain-powered platform is rebuilding the financial ecosystem, starting with three key areas in the fixed-income and real estate markets:

1. Easy and seamless tokenization of real-world assets
2. Issuance of blockchain-based funds and investment products
3. New channels to traditional and DeFi investors

These improvements will provide immediate efficiency gains, better access to accurate, real-time data across the industry, and better margins for these products. More importantly, this new financial ecosystem enables people to build wealth by democratizing access to better investment opportunities that can also make positive impacts on their communities. We are building a world where everyday people can fund mortgages, ESG loans, and housing to increase homeownership and positive environmental impact.

The journey to democratization requires buy-in from many different forward-looking industry leaders and companies across the financial supply chains. Brightvine is working tirelessly toward this reality and is excited to announce some exciting developments with you over the next several months. Brightvine is bringing power back to investors; the power to build wealth and improve our communities. The future truly is bright.

-Joe Vellanikaran