Cardano CEO Frederik Gregaard: “We’re Building Infrastructure That Will Serve Generations to Come”

Amid renewed debates around digital identity, AI ethics, and regulatory uncertainty, I turned to Frederik Gregaard for my Beincrypto interviews series. While many industry leaders fixate on market trends or protocol specs, Frederik talks about geopolitics, long-term civic infrastructure, and rebuilding global trust. So what does it actually look like to build blockchain as public infrastructure? From AI integration to regulatory dynamics, here’s how the CEO of the Cardano Foundation sees the road ahead. What he shared challenged me to reconsider how far crypto can—and should—go.Not Just Governance—Cardano’s Blueprint for Public Digital InfrastructureWhen I asked Frederik about one of Cardano’s core missions—restoring trust in financial systems—he didn’t hesitate:  “Blockchain governance is fundamental to restoring trust in financial systems by embedding transparency and accountability directly into the infrastructure.”  He contrasted this sharply with traditional models, which, in his words, “operate as black boxes with centralized decision-making, often prioritizing institutional interests over users.” But governance is only part of the story. As Frederik explained, the real breakthrough lies in how blockchain reshapes the verification of financial information itself. “Today’s financial systems force us to wait 12–16 months for qualified audit statements that only reflect past situations, not current realities,” he said. “Blockchain enables near-instant verification of balance sheets and P&L statements through trusted intermediaries and third parties.” He emphasized how, by combining this real-time verification with technologies like Verified Credentials, we move away from systems rooted in mistrust and bureaucracy toward “mechanisms of trust based on verified facts stored on immutable data infrastructure.”One example of this shift is Reeve, a Cardano-based application that enables organizations to publish their audited financial statements directly on-chain. Frederik described it as “a new standard for transparency, accountability, and trust in financial reporting.” And that same ethos—of transparency, decentralization, and representation—runs through Cardano’s governance model itself. “Cardano’s model is designed to be representative. Every ADA holder can contribute to the ecosystem’s governance,” he explained. “Checks and balances are also built into this new era of governance.” At the heart of this model is a tricameral system made up of delegate representatives (DReps), stake pool operators (SPOs), and a constitutional committee—each playing a unique role in balancing power, enforcing the Cardano Constitution, and safeguarding the mainnet’s integrity. “The model creates a system that adapts to new challenges while remaining true to our principles of transparency, accountability, and openness,” Frederik said.  To Frederik, this isn’t abstract. “Cardano is a true public digital utility,” he told me—a foundational infrastructure designed not just to serve markets, but society. The Crypto Race Won’t Be Won by Code—It’ll Be Won by PolicyAs I spoke with Frederik about the evolving global regulatory environment, it became clear that the conversation around stablecoins is no longer just about compliance—it’s becoming a strategic lever in the race for digital economic dominance. “We’re already seeing regulatory policy becoming a form of digital economic competition,” Frederik told me. And the stakes are high. He pointed to a clear divergence: while the United States is moving toward a more crypto-friendly framework—particularly around 1:1 collateralized stablecoins—Europe, despite its leadership in early policy formation, risks falling behind. “Europe stands at a critical turning point in the global crypto race,” he said. “Rather than getting lost in regulatory complexity, the continent needs clear, forward-thinking policy that attracts global crypto talent and investment.” What struck me here was the shift in tone from compliance to competition. Frederik framed regulation not as a constraint—but as a geopolitical strategy. Just like tax havens or fintech hubs, jurisdictions that offer clarity and enable innovation will attract capital, liquidity, and top-tier blockchain infrastructure.So where does that leave platforms like Cardano in this high-stakes landscape? According to Frederik, preparation means taking a proactive, multi-layered approach. “We must engage constructively with policymakers across jurisdictions, sharing insights on how blockchain can enhance rather than undermine regulatory objectives,” he said. And this isn’t only hypothetical. In countries like Brazil, collaborations with state-linked entities such as SERPRO and Petrobras serve as early case studies in how decentralized infrastructure can be integrated into existing compliance frameworks—supporting transparency and traceability, and demonstrating that blockchain can align with regulatory objectives rather than conflict with them. At the core of Frederik’s message was a reminder of a broader macro shift: no country can operate in a vacuum—not when supply chains, capital flows, and technologies are accelerating exponentially.  “Every nation-state has the right to define its rules for operating in the global economy,” he said. “But nation-states can no longer stand alone while being dependent on global supply chains, combined with the race of exponential technologies. Blockchain will play an even bigger role in the future.” Where AI and Blockchain Are Actually Delivering TodayAt Paris Blockchain Week, Frederik Gregaard shared a vision that resonated with a lot of people. It wasn’t about AI or blockchain in isolation, but about how the two technologies—when combined responsibly—could form the backbone of a more intelligent, decentralized economy. He emphasized the risks of adopting AI without proper safeguards— when it relies on unverifiable data or creates new forms of centralized control under the guise of convenience.When I spoke to him for this interview, I asked where that vision is already being realized, and where it still outpaces what current infrastructure or governance can support. He didn’t reach for grand speculation. Instead, he grounded the conversation in immediate, real-world concerns: “With 1.7 billion records compromised in the US last year alone, blockchain’s decentralized approach offers a much-needed alternative for securely managing private keys, identifiers, and credentials.” That’s not just a matter of efficiency—it’s a response to systemic vulnerability. According to Frederik, AI applications in this space must prioritize trust, transparency, and integrity of data—principles blockchain can reinforce.One example he pointed to was the Cardano Foundation’s collaboration with Masumi on a decentralized AI agent network—designed to explore how AI systems can remain interoperable and accountable within a blockchain framework.Where things get especially practical, he noted, is in identity and credentials. Cardano’s open-source platform, Veridian, along with its companion wallet, are early attempts to show how blockchain and AI might actually work together to meet real-world needs in areas like compliance, public services, and finance. “The industry should pay attention to genuine solutions that enhance transparency and accountability rather than obscure them. There is still a lot of work to be done,” he acknowledged, “but we at the Cardano Foundation have been one of the early adopters exploring how AI can help increase blockchain participation.” This clarity of focus felt refreshing—in a space so often distracted by hype cycles, Frederik was advocating not for the next flashy feature, but for structural safeguards and data provenance as the real foundation for adoption. It echoed a line of thinking I’ve returned to often—that crypto’s next chapter won’t be written by hype, but by products that make a real difference.Real Success Means Systems That Just WorkWhen I asked Frederik what success for the Cardano Foundation would look like five years from now, he didn’t focus on token price, protocol upgrades, or user numbers. He talked about infrastructure. Real, working infrastructure—quietly powering systems that matter. “Five years from now, Cardano Foundation will be the enterprise-grade blockchain infrastructure for critical public and private systems worldwide—not just as a technical solution, but as a foundational approach to building digital infrastructure,” he said. This vision goes beyond crypto as an industry—it’s about blockchain as public infrastructure. Frederik described a future where major multinational companies and governments use blockchain to deliver transparent public services.  “Success would mean major MNCs and governments utilizing Cardano for transparent public services, with citizens directly verifying how tax dollars are spent and participating in governance through secure, accessible interfaces,” he added.  He also highlighted education as a major factor. In his view, blockchain literacy should be as fundamental as digital literacy, and Cardano Academy programs embedded in universities—like those already active at PUC-Rio and the University of Zurich—are just the beginning.What struck me most was how Frederik spoke from a place of long-range focus—one that sees real success in technologies that we stop noticing because they’re just there, quietly making things work better for everyone. “As a mission-driven not-for-profit, we’re uniquely positioned to prioritize this long-term vision without quarterly profit pressures,” Frederik explained. “Our goal isn’t just technological adoption but transforming how organizations, communities, and individuals interact in the digital world—creating more secure, transparent, and inclusive systems for generations to come.”