On 25 March, Deloitte Luxembourg held its third Digital Assets Conference and Awards Ceremony, celebrating pioneers and innovators in the fast-evolving digital assets space. The event honored the Initiative of the Year, the Entity of the Year, and the Personality of the Year.
The Future of Digital Assets
“At Deloitte, we believe that digital assets are not just another financial instrument powered by high-tech innovations,” explained Thibault Chollet, Partner at Deloitte Luxembourg. “They redefine how we issue, finance, invest, conduct transactions, make payments, and settle. Digital assets enhance experience, efficiency, transparency, and truth-sharing.”
Furthermore, the digitization of financial assets and money “is about flattening rather than layering. It fosters democratization, acceleration, scalability, and outreach,” he added. “Through democratization, we can fractionalize investments, making asset classes that were traditionally reserved for the wealthiest investors accessible to a broader audience.”
On the other end of the spectrum, digital assets enable small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access investor financing as an alternative to traditional bank loans. They also provide cost-effective, alternative funding solutions while expanding reach for private-sector development.
“Moreover, this is not just about transactions and transfers. It is about expanding the use of tokenized financial instruments, for example, by leveraging them as collateral for securities financing. This is what we call real asset tokenization,” Chollet continued.
He concluded: “I believe that in just a few years, digital assets will seamlessly integrate into our daily lives as investors and consumers—both in the real world and in the metaverse. Stakeholders in traditional investment management, banking, regulatory bodies, and digital asset technology providers will be the ones building the bridges needed for this transformation.”
“[…] the conference has become a key meeting point for industry leaders.”
The Importance of Blockchain Law IV and MiCA
Following Chollet’s introduction, Nadia Manzari (Founder of Manzari Legal) and Kevin Demeyer (Director at Deloitte Luxembourg) discussed the unique opportunities offered by Luxembourg’s legal framework under Blockchain Laws IV, which came into force in December 2024. They explored how this legislation is unlocking new business perspectives—particularly in the fund industry—while reinforcing Luxembourg’s position as a leading player in the digital assets market.
Another panel discussion provided insights into the implementation of the new European Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation and the emerging business landscape. The panel featured: Tom Duff Gordon (Vice President of International Policy at Coinbase), Kristjan Čoklc (Vice President of Network Management at Clearstream), Nicolas Baeyens (Head of the Authorization Division at CSSF), and Coralie Billmann (Managing Director at Circle France).
The discussion was moderated by Giulia Pescatore (Senior Manager at Deloitte Luxembourg).
“Now in its third year, the conference has become a key meeting point for industry leaders, showcasing Luxembourg’s unique strength in boosting digital funds and debt development in Europe. At the same time, the Deloitte Digital Assets Awards honor individuals and organizations that have made exceptional contributions to the digital assets ecosystem,” concluded Laurent Collet (Partner at Deloitte Luxembourg).
Digital Assets Awards
One of the highlights of the event was the Digital Assets Awards Ceremony, organized by Deloitte to celebrate pioneers and innovators in the digital assets space. Three awards were presented:
Initiative of the Year – Winner: Clearstream
“Clearstream’s ICSD, Clearstream Banking Luxembourg (CBL), will offer institutional-grade custody services for crypto-assets, providing a comprehensive, regulatory-compliant solution for Luxembourg and the European financial ecosystem. By leveraging existing technology, connectivity, and processes, Clearstream’s platform will simplify blockchain and crypto-asset interactions. Managing over €20 trillion in securities and settling 1.5 million transactions daily, this platform addresses high operational costs and complexities associated with private key management and blockchain operations,” Deloitte stated in a press release.
“This award recognizes the most innovative and impactful project in digital assets. The winner has demonstrated exceptional creativity and forward-thinking, significantly contributing to the sector’s advancement.”
“The Digital Assets Awards were created to recognize the tenacity, creativity, and ingenuity of those shaping Luxembourg’s digital financial ecosystem.”
Entity of the Year – Winner: 6 Monks (6M)
“6M is an Alternative Investment Fund Manager (AIFM) that empowers its clients to launch and scale investment funds in Private Equity, Crypto, and Web3 within a fully regulated environment. With an entrepreneurial and pioneering mindset, 6M provides secure, end-to-end processes and delivers a comprehensive, scalable solution—all based in Luxembourg,” Deloitte explained.
“This award recognizes an entity that has played a key role in driving the growth of the digital assets industry in Luxembourg and beyond, offering exceptional support and tools for success.”
Personality of the Year – Winner: Emilie Allaert
“Emilie Allaert has been a driving force in transforming Luxembourg’s digital asset ecosystem. A passionate advocate for Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), she has co-authored five influential whitepapers on market trends and founded Luxembourg Blockchain Week, bridging industry innovation with regulatory frameworks.”
“As an educator, Ms. Allaert managed the DLT curriculum at the Digital Learning Hub, training professionals and raising global awareness. She also founded Digital Minds to guide DLT adoption and holds advisory roles integrating blockchain into Luxembourg’s financial landscape.”
“Through her contributions to the Luxembourg House of Web3 and the renowned ALFI association, Ms. Allaert is cementing Luxembourg’s reputation as a global leader in digital assets,” Deloitte highlighted.
“This award honors an individual who has made a significant impact in the digital assets space, demonstrating leadership, innovation, and influence while fostering growth in the sector.”
Closing Remarks
Thibault Chollet closed the event by stating: “The Digital Assets Awards were created to recognize the tenacity, creativity, and ingenuity of those shaping Luxembourg’s digital financial ecosystem. We are honored to use our platform to showcase these trailblazers. Their inspiring journeys drive the entire industry forward, encouraging us all to push boundaries and strive for excellence.”
