The Federal Reserve is set to hold the "Payment Innovation Conference" on October 21, focusing on how innovative technologies are reshaping the payment system and the form of currency in the digital era. Confirmed speakers include Cathie Wood, founder of Ark Invest; Rob Goldstein, COO of BlackRock; Heath Tarbert, Chief Legal Officer of stablecoin issuer Circle (CRCL.US); Alesia Haas, CFO of Coinbase (COIN.US); Tim Spence, CEO of Fifth Third Bank; and Fed Governor Christopher Waller. The conference will center on the accelerated convergence of traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi), with particular emphasis on the application of stablecoins in the payment sector, new business models, and the tokenization of financial assets. The Federal Reserve intends to explore the potential advantages of digital assets in cross-border payments, financial inclusion, and real-time settlement. Waller is expected to highlight that payment innovations should continue to be led by the private sector, reiterating that competition rather than regulation is the key driver of making payment systems safer and more efficient. As the event approaches, the Fed is advancing the FedNow instant payment system launched in 2023. Although FedNow is initially focused on interbank payments, this summit is likely to provide insights into whether its applications will extend to programmable currencies and tokenized environments. Meanwhile, U.S. regulators are under pressure to establish regulatory frameworks for stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and digital dollar experiments, and market participants are keenly watching for any policy direction signals from the meeting. Industry innovators will also share how to balance technological breakthroughs with system stability. Wood is expected to continue emphasizing the long-term role of crypto assets in enhancing global financial efficiency; Goldstein, as a senior executive at the world’s largest asset management firm, may focus on the impact of institutional-level asset tokenization on portfolio management. The participation of former CFTC Chairman and current Circle legal head Tarbert highlights the rising influence of the company in the global payments landscape. Coinbase representatives are anticipated to discuss the balance between compliance and innovation, while traditional bank representative Spence will address strategies to respond to the demands of digitization and real-time payments. The entire conference will be livestreamed on the Federal Reserve's official website and YouTube to enhance transparency and engagement. With top figures from Wall Street and the crypto realm engaging in dialogue, the Federal Reserve evidently views payment innovation as not only a matter of changing how Americans pay but also as a strategic starting point for reshaping the functioning of the financial system in the digital age.