Ship or Die at Accelerate 2025: Fireside Chat: David Rutter of R3 (Lily Liu -Solana Foundation)

In a groundbreaking announcement at Accelerate 2025, R3's CEO David Rutter revealed a strategic partnership with Solana, set to revolutionize the global financial landscape by bridging the gap between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi).

Summary

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David Rutter, CEO of R3, engaged in a fireside chat with Lily Liu of the Solana Foundation, discussing the convergence of private and public blockchains. R3, known for its private blockchain solution Corda, is now partnering with Solana to bring traditional financial assets and infrastructure onto the public blockchain.

This move marks a significant shift in the industry, as it aims to combine the strengths of both private and public blockchain technologies. The partnership will enable R3's extensive network of traditional financial institutions to access the benefits of DeFi, while also bringing real-world assets to the Solana ecosystem.

Rutter emphasized that the timing for this convergence is ideal, citing regulatory changes, the maturation of the DeFi space, and Solana's proven capabilities in throughput and scalability. This collaboration is set to open up new possibilities for tokenization, asset accessibility, and innovative financial products.

Key Points:

Convergence of Private and Public Blockchains

R3, traditionally focused on private blockchain solutions for major financial institutions, is now embracing public blockchain technology through its partnership with Solana. This move represents a significant shift in the blockchain industry, bridging the gap between TradFi and DeFi.

The convergence is driven by the recognition that while private blockchains have served traditional financial institutions well, the future of finance lies in the accessibility and innovation offered by public blockchains. This partnership aims to combine the best of both worlds, leveraging R3's enterprise-grade solutions and Solana's high-performance public blockchain.

Timing and Market Readiness

Rutter explained that the decision to pursue this partnership now is based on several factors. The DeFi space has matured significantly, with Solana proving its capabilities in terms of throughput, finality, and scale. Additionally, regulatory attitudes towards blockchain and cryptocurrencies have evolved, particularly in the United States, creating a more favorable environment for traditional financial institutions to engage with public blockchain technology.

The changing regulatory landscape has reduced some of the hesitation that banks and other financial institutions previously had about engaging with public blockchains. This shift has opened up new possibilities for innovation and collaboration between TradFi and DeFi sectors.

Technical Implementation

R3's Chief Technology Officer has been working closely with Solana's team to develop a solution that will allow R3's existing networks to integrate with Solana's blockchain. This integration will enable the native implementation of Corda's notary and consensus mechanism on Solana.

For R3's existing customers, this means they can continue to use the privacy features and workflow capabilities of Corda while gaining access to the Solana ecosystem. As these institutions become more comfortable with public markets, they can gradually make more of their products and services available on the public blockchain.

Impact on Financial Markets

The partnership between R3 and Solana is expected to have a significant impact on global financial markets. By bringing real-world assets onto a public blockchain, it will increase liquidity and accessibility for a wider range of investors.

Rutter highlighted examples such as the potential for the World Bank to issue digital securities on the public blockchain, allowing retail investors to participate in purpose-backed bonds for green projects or other initiatives. This democratization of access to institutional-grade financial products could revolutionize how people interact with and invest in global markets.

Facts + Figures

• R3 has been in the blockchain industry for over a decade
• R3's Corda platform is used by major banks, financial market infrastructures, and exchanges worldwide
• The entire Italian banking system runs on Corda
• SDX, built on R3's platform, is the only truly digital exchange that issues digital securities and tokenized bonds
• R3 has five tokenized gold platforms already built on Corda
• The total market value of traditional finance is estimated at around $3.4 trillion
• R3 has over 25 live networks using Corda notary
• The partnership will offer enterprise support for direct Solana deployment

Top quotes

1. "The energy in this place has been amazing. So it's great to be part of the Solana family."
2. "The direction of travel is certainly tokenization. No one's gonna argue about that."
3. "We care deeply about our customers and everything we do is in consultation with them."
4. "The future is going to be, I'm going to control my digital assets on my wallet."
5. "Liquidity is king. And that is the one thing that a public chain that is accessible to all assets is kind of just started point, not the ending point."
6. "Our three is going to make it easy for our Tradify folks to bring you guys investable products with yield, with diversity in the asset classes that are available to all of you."

Questions Answered

What is the significance of R3 partnering with Solana?

The partnership between R3 and Solana represents a major convergence of private and public blockchain technologies. It will enable traditional financial institutions using R3's Corda platform to access the benefits of DeFi on Solana's public blockchain. This collaboration has the potential to revolutionize global financial markets by increasing liquidity, accessibility, and innovation in financial products.

How will existing R3 customers be affected by this partnership?

Existing R3 customers will have the option to continue using Corda's privacy features and workflow capabilities while gaining access to the Solana ecosystem. The integration will allow for the native implementation of Corda's notary and consensus mechanism on Solana. Customers can gradually make more of their products and services available on the public blockchain as they become more comfortable with the technology.

Why is now the right time for this convergence of private and public blockchains?

According to David Rutter, several factors make this the ideal time for convergence. The DeFi space has matured significantly, with Solana proving its capabilities in throughput and scalability. Regulatory attitudes towards blockchain and cryptocurrencies have evolved, creating a more favorable environment for traditional financial institutions to engage with public blockchain technology. Additionally, there's growing recognition in the TradFi world of the benefits offered by DeFi innovations.

What new possibilities does this partnership open up for financial markets?

This partnership opens up numerous possibilities for financial markets. It could enable the tokenization of a wide range of real-world assets, making them more accessible to a broader investor base. For example, institutions like the World Bank could issue digital securities on the public blockchain, allowing retail investors to participate in purpose-backed bonds. It also has the potential to improve liquidity, enable 24/7 global trading, and facilitate instant movement of collateral across borders.

How does this partnership address the limitations of both private and public blockchains?

The partnership addresses limitations by combining the strengths of both private and public blockchains. Private blockchains like Corda offer the privacy and compliance features required by traditional financial institutions. Public blockchains like Solana provide the accessibility, liquidity, and innovation of DeFi. By bringing these together, the partnership aims to create a more comprehensive and flexible financial infrastructure that can serve both institutional and retail markets.