Nasdaq’s Adena Friedman on how to stop financial crimes that undercut economic growth
Watch the full event
“If we were to root out all fraud across the banking system in the United States, our calculation is that the GDP of the United States would be fifty basis points higher than it is today,” President and CEO of Nasdaq Adena Friedman said on Thursday, September 26.
Friedman’s interview, in which she explained how money laundering and fraud represent “a 3 percent drain on the US economy,” was part of a series of panels and fireside chats hosted by the Atlantic Council and Atlantik-Brücke at the Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics in New York.
Friedman also discussed the critical role of the banking system when managing risks and combating financial crime globally. “Banks cannot tackle these challenges alone” because criminal networks leverage advanced technology and exploit multiple banking systems, making it a global issue.
To enhance anti-financial crime efforts, Friedman advocated for improved data sharing capabilities among banks, as well as a feedback loop to evaluate the effectiveness of submitted reports. This approach would leverage artificial intelligence to identify potential criminal activities, “making banks and regulators more efficient and effective in solving these problems.”
Friedman noted that Nasdaq currently employs advanced models to identify potential criminal transactions and that the institution “provides this technology to 2,500 banks… pooling data across those banks.” Below are more highlights from her conversation with Bloomberg anchor David Westin, which touched on the technological race against financial crime, the need for regulatory cooperation and smarter regulations, the risks of companies staying private, and the importance of ensuring everyday citizens have access to investment opportunities in public markets.
Technology’s impact on financial markets
- Friedman acknowledged that financial markets have become increasingly complex over the past thirty years due to technological advancements, but that technology also “opens up accessibility.” She stated that “billions of people [now have] access to real-time information about markets,” which promotes economic growth and empowers individual investors.
- Friedman highlighted that technology is an “unstoppable force” in financial markets. She stressed the importance of leveraging technological advancements to enhance market efficiency, transparency, and integrity, stating, “if we can use technological innovation…to drive the markets into a state of high liquidity, high integrity, and high transparency, then we will be able to combat those actors that are trying to take advantage of technology.”
- Addressing the cost of technology, Friedman noted a disparity between larger institutions and smaller banks. She explained that while larger banks can afford to invest substantially in technology, it’s crucial to create efficiencies that allow smaller banks to compete, stating, “our job is to try to balance that scale by creating efficiency in the market to make it…more accessible.”
- Friedman discussed the impact of economies of scale in the financial system, suggesting that those who adopt technology quickly will succeed, while those who resist may lose ground. She mentioned that by partnering with hyperscalers, firms can lower data costs and enhance competitiveness, noting, “the cost of data… has come down 80 percent in the last ten years.”
Comparing global financial markets
- Friedman highlighted Nasdaq’s operations in various regions, stating, “we own and operate… the markets here, of course, in the United States and also in Canada,” as well as in the Nordic and Baltic regions emphasizing Nasdaq’s need to adapt to different economic ecosystems.
- She described the Nordic countries as a “beautiful shining star of the capital markets.” She attributed this success to government engagement with retail investors through “tax advantage accounts,” resulting in 47 percent of citizens owning equities, compared to 18 percent in Europe.
- Friedman also noted that Nordic countries balance strong social safety nets with capitalism. Their approach allows small to medium companies to access public markets while fostering a robust investment culture, “creating something really special” in that region.
- Nasdaq aims to share its expertise globally by advising markets about how to engage retail investors and improve policies pertaining to innovation, bankruptcy, or tax, stating, “we do advise the exchanges and the governments on how to engage more retail… to make the markets more technologically advanced, but also safer.”
Challenges of private market growth
- Friedman stated that “vibrant capital markets are the underpinning of economic growth,” suggesting that a trend toward keeping companies private could undermine economic stability and growth.
- She noted that while “there’s risk, of course, in bringing companies to the public markets,” there is also significant potential for “enormous amounts of wealth creation across the country” when more people have access to these investments.
- Friedman went on to emphasize that “if you choke off access to these great growth companies to the everyday citizen, then you are creating an economic distortion,” which limits wealth creation opportunities for individuals who could benefit from investing in these companies.
- She called for a reassessment of the regulatory framework underpinning capital market, advocating for “smart regulation” to achieve “the right balance between private and public,” as the current landscape is “definitely skewed towards private.”
Watch the full event
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