Kayden Chiew, Vice President of DisToken (NASDAQ: DIST)
AI, Finance & Web3: The Future of Cross-Border Trade
Ten years ago, when I first stepped into the financial industry, I experienced firsthand the helplessness caused by a lack of transparency. Back then, many investors and small business owners faced the same pain points: in cross-border transactions, they could not see where their money was going, accounts often didn’t reconcile, and settlement delays strained cash flow.
In the transportation industry, I witnessed countless customers lose trust and orders simply because shipments were untrackable — no one knew where the goods were or when they would arrive.
I deeply realized:
- In finance, the absence of real-time risk control and transparent cash flow is the biggest obstacle to growth.
- In transportation, opaque supply chains create distrust, drive up costs, and spark frequent disputes.
- And most importantly, finance and transportation were always treated as separate issues — with no unified solution connecting them.
AI + Web3: Real Solutions to Real Pain Points
Today, the convergence of AI and Web3 offers an unprecedented opportunity to solve these long-standing problems.
AI leverages big data and machine learning to monitor financial transactions, detect risks in advance, and predict delivery times in transportation. Meanwhile, Web3’s blockchain technology can record both financial flows and logistics information on a decentralized ledger — making every transaction and shipment verifiable and tamper-proof.
This means:
✅ In finance, AI risk control combined with blockchain settlement drastically reduces fraud and delays.
✅ In transportation, AI-powered predictions and Web3 smart contracts enable “automatic payment upon delivery,” eliminating tedious reconciliation and third-party trust issues.
✅ Ultimately, small and medium-sized businesses gain access to secure, real-time cross-border trade capabilities previously reserved only for large multinational corporations.
From Personal Experience to Industry Trends
I once struggled with these pain points:
- Ten years ago, international payments I handled often took 3-5 business days to settle;
- In logistics, I saw supply chain disruptions delay customer orders by over a month.
These issues wasted time and eroded client confidence. But today, with AI monitoring and Web3’s instant clearing, these processes can happen almost in real time, transforming efficiency and trust in global commerce.
Sharing the Future of Integration at Hong Kong Polytechnic University
I am honored to have been invited to speak at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University on 8 July 2025, where I will share insights with academics, entrepreneurs, and students about how AI, finance, transportation, and Web3 are converging.
I will discuss the industry pain points I’ve witnessed over the past decade — and how AI and Web3 can now break down barriers and redefine cross-border finance and logistics.
This isn’t just technological innovation; it marks the beginning of an era where all businesses have equal opportunity to participate in efficient, fair, and secure global trade.
Looking Ahead
In the next decade, those who implement AI+Web3 systems first will seize control over the entire supply chain, secure a competitive advantage, and reshape industry dynamics. DisToken, in collaboration with QIAI, is bringing cutting-edge financial and logistics solutions to SMEs worldwide, helping them digitally transform and compete on a global stage.
I believe this cross-industry integration is not just a trend — it’s the irreversible future of business.
