In the evolving digital asset landscape, 3iQ is positioning itself not just as a participant but as a builder of what comes next. In a recent interview, CEO Pascal St-Jean offered a clear and strategic view of where 3iQ is heading and how it plans to shape the future of finance through real-world innovation, global collaboration, and the scalable power of tokenization.
Building Institutional-Grade Use Cases Through Partnerships
Pascal outlines how 3iQ is working with ecosystem players to build real-world use cases for on-chain financial tools. These aren't abstract experiments. They're designed to demonstrate tangible value to investors and institutions.
By collaborating with others in the space, 3iQ is contributing to early-stage projects that could gain meaningful traction. The goal isn’t just to build infrastructure but to show that on-chain products can be accessible, in demand, and ultimately scalable.
As Pascal puts it, the focus is on use cases that lead to a “springboard effect,” where market interest helps drive both adoption and, over time, regulatory progress.
Stablecoins and the Foundation for Global Financial Access
Pascal pointed to the growing use of stablecoins in parts of Africa as a hedge against local currency debasement. In these regions, individuals are already using stablecoins to preserve purchasing power, an essential first step toward broader financial empowerment.
"Now these individuals are on chain. They have self-custody access to their wallet. They want to deploy it," Pascal said. But deploying capital is not just about making payments. It is about unlocking access to the kind of investment and lending services that are second nature in developed markets.
3iQ’s strategy recognizes that once people are on chain, the infrastructure must be there to help them stay there. "Whether it’s investing in a product or lending out assets to earn a yield, you should be able to do all that on chain," he said.
This vision, bridging digital currencies with real financial products, requires more than technology. It demands regulatory progress and smart partnerships. And 3iQ is actively engaging on both fronts.
Unlocking Global Markets Through Tokenization
The path to global financial access, Pascal argued, runs through tokenization. Once users are on chain, the next step is to give them access to products traditionally locked behind borders or accreditation walls. That is where tokenized assets come in.
Pascal emphasized the mismatch between what the technology can enable today and what regulations currently allow. "Yes, I can tokenize something," he said, "but I’m going to block who can have access to it because they’re not accredited investors."
For tokenization to meet its full potential, jurisdictions must evolve their investor frameworks. "We get approached often by other asset managers saying, ‘Can you help us tokenize this illiquid product?’ thinking that there’s going to be an instant secondary market on DeFi," Pascal explained. "That’s not the case right now. But this is where the reality meets the technology."
3iQ is investing in early-stage research, building projects that demonstrate real demand and utility, and partnering with players across the ecosystem to develop accessible, liquid, tokenized offerings.
Building the On-Chain Economy
What sets 3iQ’s approach apart is its insistence on creating meaningful infrastructure. Pascal is clear-eyed about what needs to happen for this future to materialize: widespread adoption, growing volume, and thoughtful regulatory reform.
"Technology can do it today," he said. "It’s another decade, maybe less, but at least another decade until the full potential of tokenization is realized."
That is the timeline 3iQ is planning against. The firm’s work today, such as partnering with banks, experimenting with stablecoin rails, and developing tokenized investment products is not about hype cycles. It is about establishing foundational use cases that can scale globally, responsibly, and sustainably.
Conclusion: A Long-Term Strategy with Global Reach
3iQ is laying the groundwork for a more open, inclusive, and integrated financial future. By building real infrastructure, championing stablecoin use, and advancing tokenization with traditional partners, the firm is helping to evolve global finance. It is not simply following the arc of innovation; it is actively shaping it.