In Profile: Deborah Barta at Fireblocks

As digital assets gain traction, financial institutions and tech companies are increasingly exploring blockchain and cryptocurrency applications to enhance efficiency, transparency, and security.

Deborah Barta is global head of retail and fintech at Fireblocks, an enterprise digital asset infrastructure provider that works with some of the most recognised banks and financial institutions in the world including Revolut, BNY Mellon and BNP Paribas

In this week’s In Profile, Barta shares insights into the company’s mission, recent achievements and the future of digital asset management and blockchain technology.

Deborah Barta, Fireblocks

Tell us more about your company and its purpose

Fireblocks is an enterprise-grade platform that provides a secure infrastructure for moving, storing, and issuing digital assets, having secured the transfer of over $6trillion in digital assets.

Our customers are the world’s largest banks, consumer brands, gaming companies, fintechs, startups, and enterprises that leverage the Fireblocks platform and network to create innovative products on the blockchain and manage their digital asset operations.

What are some of your recent achievements you’d like to highlight?

I’ve had the privilege of leading several initiatives in the fintech and blockchain space. At Mastercard, I led the successful deployment of the company’s first commercial blockchain-based network, which increased transparency and efficiency in B2B payments across the supply chain.

I also led Mastercard’s engagement with the global startup community through Start Path, the company’s award-winning accelerator for the world’s leading fintechs, with program startups having raised over $4billion in post-program capital.

Now, as global head of retail and fintech at Fireblocks, we are equipping crypto exchanges, retail brokerages, neobanks and other retail fintechs with the ability to quickly deploy and scale an all-in-one retail trading offering to their customer base, enabling secure access to cryptocurrencies and other digital assets.

How did you get into the fintech industry?

Following consulting positions at IBM, PwC and Deloitte, I joined Mastercard and held a variety of global roles that focused on commercialising new technologies, framing new business models and building ecosystems with increasing levels of responsibility to become senior vice president of provenance and strategy.

Throughout my 15-year tenure at Mastercard, my roles spanned strategy, operations, product development, technology and R&D/innovation, leading teams from ideation through commercial launch. I’ve always been attracted to driving the forefront of innovation and cutting-edge technology, which is what led me to join Fireblocks last year.

What’s the best thing about working in the fintech industry?

The most rewarding aspect of working in the fintech industry is being at the intersection of innovation and impact. Fintech is rapidly reshaping traditional finance and being a part of this evolution allows me to drive meaningful change with urgency. The constant pursuit of breakthrough solutions that solve for meaningful pain points, coupled with the ability to leverage technology for positive disruption, motivates me. Seeing tangible changes in the way we approach finance and the impact on individuals and businesses makes every day in fintech both challenging and fulfilling.

What frustrates you most about the fintech industry?

While it’s evolved in many ways, true inclusion in the fintech industry remains a challenge. Early in my career, there was little focus on diversity and inclusion in workplaces. There has been progress, but there’s still a long way to go. We know from numerous reputable studies that diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones in terms of innovation and problem-solving.

Statistics have repeatedly shown us that diversity in leadership – up through board levels – contribute to greater profitability. Employers need to not only recognise the power of inclusion, but also create environments that promote equality to inspire women and underrepresented segments to enter traditionally homogeneous fields, such as blockchain and crypto. If we can work to challenge antiquated societal roles and norms, we can ignite passions in new spaces, bringing diverse experiences to shape the future of finance.

How have your previous roles influenced your career?

A common thread throughout my career journey has been about ‘raising my hand’, taking risks and learning new things, which has fuelled my interest in seeking greater challenges and increased my tolerance for career risk. My entry into blockchain was rooted in curiosity about what the tech was and what it could practically do.

Prior to that, ‘raising my hand’ gave me opportunities to commercialise an AI portfolio, run a global startup accelerator and launch the first startup inside of Mastercard. In my consulting days, moving from client to client every few months helped me to develop a robust interest in tackling new challenges, meeting new people, and learning about different cultures. Each of those experiences helped me to learn more about what drives me and bolstered my confidence to explore new spaces beyond my comfort zone.

What’s the best mistake you’ve ever made?

I’ve always had a passion for learning about both cutting-edge technology as well as the intricacies of running a thriving business. In my university days, I opted to study Finance (and music performance!) and earn my MBA instead of taking an engineering route, which unexpectedly gave me a unique edge throughout my career inside tech companies.

I enjoy applying a commercial lens to the practical application of technical capabilities – quickly contemplating what the tech can solve for and how to bring it to market with a sustainable business model, feeding my entrepreneurial spirit. I’ve been fortunate to be able to combine my loves of learning about new technology, solving for real world problems, and leading global teams to efficiently deliver solutions with a commercial lens.

What has the future got in store for your company?

The beauty of the blockchain and digital assets space is that we’re collectively rewriting the norms and frameworks of legacy finance. Blockchain technology is revamping the interactions between players, removing layers of intermediaries and bringing transparency and efficiencies to interactions.

As new use cases continue to emerge, companies will continue to need a proven infrastructure partner to secure the assets and efficiently provide scalable capabilities to propel their successes. Fireblocks has been that trusted partner for six years, helping all sizes and types of fintechs to launch and scale. The future is bright for Fireblocks!

What are the next key talking points or challenges for your industry as a whole?

We’re witnessing a shift as more fintech companies venture and expand further into digital assets. The mass adoption of practical digital assets use cases will require our ecosystem to offer simple user experiences backed by safe and secure solutions, all contemplated within varied regulatory environments. While the industry continues to show its commitment to innovation and provide greater accessibility to digital assets as demand grows, there are still key issues to be addressed.

When it comes to digital assets, regulatory clarity will be essential for maintaining consumer protection and market integrity. Additionally, the protection of sensitive financial data will continue to be paramount. Enhancing security measures as well as adopting robust infrastructure and risk management practices will be crucial to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.

Moving forward, fostering an ecosystem that encourages partnership and collaboration between businesses, regulators and other stakeholders will be key to driving innovation and addressing industry-wide challenges in order to unlock fintech’s full scale potential of practical use cases. I am energised by being a functioning part of something so new, revolutionary, transformative – it’s empowering and exciting to contribute to the future!

The post In Profile: Deborah Barta at Fireblocks appeared first on The Fintech Times.

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