The rise of BlockchainBlockchain-based digital assetsDigital asset and various forms of CBDCsCentral Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) present a fundamental shift in the nature of money and how we engage with it. In fact, their rise itself underscores fundamental issues with the current traditional financial systems. Cryptocurrencies, with their decentralized and secure nature, have emerged as a direct response to the inefficiencies, lack of transparencyTransparency, and security vulnerabilities of traditional bankingBanking systems. This shift serves as a powerful reminder that change is not only inevitable but necessary. Yet, as we look to the future, understanding it first requires us to examine the past.