2026 Wharton Future of Finance Forum

A panel of speakers at a conference smiles in conversation, in front of an audience.

On January 15, 2026, the Harris Family Alternative Investments Program and the Wharton Initiative on Financial Policy and Regulation (WIFPR) hosted the third annual Wharton Future of Finance Forum at Penn Washington. Against the backdrop of the U.S. Capitol, the event convened academics, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss the forces reshaping global finance.

The Forum underscored Wharton’s commitment to connecting academic research and thought leadership with real-world impact, as industry leaders and policymakers navigate profound transformations in the financial landscape.

Featured Fireside Chat

The program culminated in a fireside chat between Erika James, Dean of the Wharton School, and Jackie Reses (W’92), CEO of Lead Bank, on how financial leaders navigate change and complexity. They were introduced by David Musto, Ronald O. Perelman Professor in Finance at the Wharton School.

Two people post in front of a blue pop up banner for a group photo

A speaker at a conference smiles to the audience

Two people in a fireside chat at a conference

Panel Discussions

Panel sessions focused on digital assets, central banking, the U.S. federal debt, artificial intelligence, geopolitics, and private markets.

Stablecoins After the Genius Act

Michael Barr, Member, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Timothy Massad, Senior Fellow, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and Former Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Corey Then, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Global Policy, Circle
Moderator: Max Harris, Senior Fellow, Wharton Initiative on Financial Policy and Regulation, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

A person speaks at a podium to a full audience in a conference setting

Four panelists at a conference in conversation

A conference audience watches a panel conversation

The Path Ahead for the Federal Reserve

Patrick Harker (CE’81, GCE’81, GR’83), Rowan Distinguished Professor, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Former President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
Donald Kohn, Robert V. Roosa Chair in International Economics, Brookings Institution and Former Vice Chair, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Randall Kroszner, Norman R. Bobins Professor of Economics, University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Former Member, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Loretta Mester, Adjunct Full Professor of Finance, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; Senior Scholar, Griswold Center for Economic Policy Studies, Princeton University; and Former President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
Moderator: David Wessel, Director, The Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy and Senior Fellow, Economic Studies, Brookings

Five panelists at a conference in conversation

A conference speaker seated before an audience

A speaker motions while addressing an audience with other speakers watching

Panelists smiling while speaking in a sunlit room

U.S. Federal Debt and the Long-Term Fiscal Outlook

Doug Holtz-Eakin, President, American Action Forum and Former Director, Congressional Budget Office
Maya MacGuineas, President, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Patrick Murphy, Executive Director – Geopolitical Advisors, Hilco Global and Former Acting Secretary of the Army and U.S. Representative
Phillip Swagel, Director, Congressional Budget Office
Moderator: Joao Gomes, Senior Vice Dean of Research, Centers, and Academic Initiatives, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Five panelists seated before an audience at a conference

Three conference speakers smiling while in conversation

A panel speaker motions while speaking. Other speakers watch on

A group photo of five people smiling toward the viewer

Artificial Intelligence in Finance: Opportunities and Risks

Kristin Johnson, Lyle T. Alverson Professor of Law, George Washington University and Former Commissioner of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Nicholas Lin (C’13, W’13), Head of Product for Financial Services, Anthropic
Apoorv Saxena (WG’08), Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, ObinAI
Jonathan Sokobin, Chief Economist, FINRA
Danny Tobey, Partner and Chair of AI & Data Analytics, DLA Piper
Moderator: Itay Goldstein, Joel S. Ehrenkranz Family Professor and Chairperson, Finance Department, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

A conference speaker mid-sentence as other speakers sit by

Six conference speakers before an audience

A speaker in discussion, seated in front of a blue banner that says Harris Family Alternative Investments Program

Six panelists in conversation, seated in front of an audience

Geopolitics and the Economic Impact of Conflict

Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Maurice R. Greenberg Senior Fellow for China Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Nazak Nikakhtar, Chair, National Security Practice, and Partner, Wiley Rein LLP
Vikram Viswanathan (GED’08, WG’13), Managing Principal, The Asia Group
Moderator: Celeste Wallander, Executive Director, Penn Washington and Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs

Four conference speakers in conversation

Panelists smiling and laughing while seated onstage at a conference

A speaker motions while speaking on a panel

A conference audience member asks a question into a microphone

The Rise of Private Markets

Vikas Keswani (W’03), Partner, HPS Investment Partners
Lucas Moskowitz, General Counsel, Robinhood
Anna Nekoranec (WG’91), Chief Executive Officer, Align Private Capital
Moderator: Nikolai Roussanov, Moise Y. Safra Professor, Professor of Finance, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Four panelists in conversation, seated before an audience

A panel moderator asks a question to the panel

A panelist makes a point while motioning with his hands

The 2026 Future of Finance Forum offered attendees a deeper appreciation for the forces reshaping the global financial landscape and highlighted the power of bringing together perspectives from academia, industry, and policy. We’re grateful to all who participated.

We look forward to continuing these conversations in the months ahead and welcoming you back for next year’s Forum.