Explores how the financial industry will be affected by developments in blockchain and cryptocurrencies at the dawn of a new digital age in finance   Our financial system is in the midst of a digital revolution. Blockchain, viewed by many experts as “the most important invention since the Internet,” has changed the way we exchange value and information. Although most people are aware of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, few understand how security tokens―digitized forms of traditional ownership certificates―can drive blockchain to reach its fullest potential by offering investors features and innovations that are simply not possible with paper certificates.  Digital Finance: Security Tokens and Unlocking the Real Potential of Blockchain  explains how the integration of blockchain and security token technology will transform the current financial infrastructure and radically improve efficiency, transparency, and security. Using clear language and an easy-to-follow framework, author Baxter Hines draws upon his decades’ experience in the financial industry to address how the digitization of assets will drive cost reductions, enhance flexibility, and pave the way for new business models and revenue streams for years to come. Filled with real-world case studies and expert insights on the latest opportunities and trends, such as the COVID-19 pandemic’s role in accelerating the adoption of blockchain, this must-have resource:  Shows how blockchain and distributed ledger technology are disrupting the financial industry  - Explains what security tokens are and why they are the next major breakthrough for investing   - Highlights how blockchain technology has created new and more efficient ways of fund raising and investing  - Identifies the ways companies like IBM, Fidelity Investments, and AXA are deploying blockchain and tokenized solutions  - Describes how assets only available to institutional investors could become marketed to the mainstream  - Discusses the impact that security tokens will have on real assets such as stocks, real estate, bonds, and derivatives  - Provides insight into how central banks around the world are embracing blockchain and beginning to issue digital currencies  Digital Finance: Security Tokens and Unlocking the Real Potential of Blockchain  is essential reading for financial professionals, general investors, finance and technology students, regulators, legal professionals, and users of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.  Digital Finance: Security Tokens and Unlocking the Real Potential of Blockchain gives readers a fascinating and comprehensive look at how security tokens will be the next major milestone in the digital revolution. You'll learn about how these digitized forms of traditional ownership certificates will have momentous ramifications for mainstream assets like stocks, real estate, bonds, intellectual property, and derivatives. Discover how security tokens offer capabilities, features, and innovations that are simply impossible with hard-copy certificates. Author Baxter Hines shows you how these riveting new digital tools combine world-class investor protections with supreme flexibility, exciting financial and technological professionals around the world. The ideas presented in this book demonstrate how the digitization of assets will challenge and change the methods by which companies raise capital, opening up the process to a wider range of people and geographies. New investment ideas, many of which would have seemed impossible before, will arise. Written in a straightforward and jargon-free way but lacking none of the rigor and data you'd expect to find in an industry-leading resource, Digital Finance explains exciting new digital developments in a way that anyone can understand. You'll learn a clear and concise framework for understanding security tokens and digital investments. This book specifically discusses how the financial industry will be affected by the rapid growth of blockchain technologies and digital assets. With decades of experience in the financial industry, the author is uniquely placed to provide incisive commentary on the likely effects of the digital financial revolution. Perfect for anyone interested in how digital assets like security tokens can and will impact the financial industry, Digital Finance belongs on the bookshelves of technology and finance enthusiasts and professionals around the world. Praise for Digital Finance " Digital Finance was helpful in articulating questions the reader potentially didn't know they needed to ask. Hines explains complex terms in a way that is digestible for anyone with a basic business background. The conceptual explanations were also concise and intentional, covering just what I wanted to know to have a solid understanding of a tokenized ecosystem and why there may be advantages found in decentralized finance vs. traditional lending." ―Kathryn Carlisle, Senior Managing Director, Blockchain