In this special live episode from the Blockchain Ireland Summit 2025, recorded at the vibrant Trinity Business School, we sit down with Jón Egilsson, co-founder of Monerium and former Chairperson of the Central Bank of Iceland. Jón brings a rare mix of central banking experience and blockchain innovation to the table, and trust us—he doesn’t disappoint.

From the moment the conversation kicks off, Jón dives into why Ireland, why now, and what makes the Irish ecosystem such an exciting part of the EU’s blockchain evolution—especially with MiCA regulations coming into play. He walks us through Monerium’s journey, from being the first company licensed to issue euro-backed stablecoins, to integrating with the European payment system, making digital euros more accessible than ever.

But this isn’t just a story about financial infrastructure. Jón brings warmth, clarity, and even a bit of humor to the conversation as he explains how he uses his own crypto wallet in everyday life. From getting paid in euros to sending dollars to his son in the US, Jón’s life without a traditional bank sounds surprisingly smooth and incredibly efficient.

We also explore the explosive rise in stablecoin usage—over $33.5 trillion in the past year alone, surpassing Visa and MasterCard combined. With big players like Stripe, Meta, and BlackRock entering the arena, Jón shares why 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for real-world blockchain adoption.

If you're curious about how digital money is actually being used today, how Europe is positioning itself on the global crypto stage, or what the future holds for traditional banks, you’ll love this episode. It’s smart, it’s accessible, and it’s filled with insights that will leave you thinking long after the outro.

So grab your headphones, find a comfy spot, and join us for a warm and forward-thinking chat on the future of finance—with a healthy dose of real-world perspective.

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Available on the Blockchain Ireland website: https://www.blockchainireland.ie/podcasts/

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Host: Sebastian Grube - Co-Chair of Events and Communication Working Group

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastiangrube/

Jón Egilsson - Co-founder at Monerium / Former Chairman of Central Bank of Iceland

https://www.linkedin.com/in/egilsson/

https://monerium.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/monerium/

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About Blockchain Ireland

Blockchain Ireland is an initiative aimed at promoting and enhancing Ireland's position as a global hub for blockchain technology. It was launched by the Irish Blockchain Expert Group (IBEG), led by IDA Ireland, and includes a collaboration of Irish-based organisations.

The main goals of Blockchain Ireland are to serve as a central source of information on the growing blockchain, crypto and Web3 ecosystem, to support the development of blockchain technology in Ireland, and to create awareness of industry developments both nationally and internationally.

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