Dear Colleagues, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with profound pleasure that I extend a personal invitation to the III BABEL International Conference (BIC25), organised in collaboration with the European Banking Institute and supported by the PRIN 2022 research grant from the Italian Ministry of University and Research.

In the magnificent city where the Medici revolutionised banking while nurturing artistic innovation, we gather to explore another transformative moment in financial history. As digital currencies and tokenisation technologies advance at unprecedented speed, we find ourselves in a fascinating “chiaroscuro” illuminated by decentralisation’s promise yet partially shadowed by regulatory uncertainties. Or vice versa?

Our three-day conference, set against the inspiring backdrop of the University of Florence, brings together preeminent voices from academia, central banking, legal scholarship, and technological innovation.

What distinguishes BIC25 is our commitment to transdisciplinary dialogue. Like the Florentine humanists, who integrated classical wisdom with bold innovation, we seek to harmonise technological advancement with prudential oversight and market efficiency with systemic stability.

Florence, where the past dialogues constantly with the future, offers the perfect setting for our deliberations. Just as Renaissance innovators placed humanity at the centre of their vision, our explorations of digital currencies must remain anchored in human values and social benefit.

I encourage you to approach our sessions with critical rigour and intellectual openness. The most valuable insights often emerge at the crossroads of diverse perspectives—where a central banker's concerns meet a technologist's aspirations and where legal frameworks engage with economic theories.