Tsinghua University’s PBC School of Finance (PBCSF) is set to host a $5m blockchain research centre in partnership with artificial intelligence (AI) technology developer Oben.
Blockchain Research Center will be situated at Tsinghua PBSCF and will function as a blockchain incubator and knowledge hub focused on financial applications, with the aim of confronting industry challenges such as security, transaction speed and capacity.
The $5m budget will be spread over five years and includes a $1m donation from Oben, which plans to use blockchain technology to secure its AI-powered avatars. Internet group Tencent and VC firm Gaorong Capital are also backing the centre.
Blockchain Research Center will facilitate academic study, technological innovations, use-case exploration, policy recommendations, talent building and industry partnerships. It will also host conferences and summits to nurture connections between researchers, industry and governments.
Li Liao, executive deputy dean of Tsinghua PBSCF, said: “As a foundational layer of infrastructure, blockchain has always been considered to have a wide range of applications in the financial industry.
“In the past one or two years, the application scenarios and feasibility of blockchain in the financial field have made great progress with continued exploration, especially as part of the real economy.”
Adam Zheng, co-founder and chief operating officer of Oben, added: “Oben is very pleased to join Tsinghua University PBCSF to form this new Blockchain Research Center and advance the adoption, research and application of blockchain technology,
“China is a very important market for Oben and its citizens have been incredibly keen on the adoption of this new technology.”
