Western economies are at a crossroads when it comes to innovation strategy. The easy route? Throw your hands up and accept the shifting global power dynamics as inevitable. The smarter play? Actually learn from what's working elsewhere.

There's real value in studying how rapid technological adoption happens at scale. Instead of viewing this as a zero-sum game, developed markets could benefit from examining successful models of coordinated innovation ecosystems. The question isn't whether change is coming—it's whether traditional financial hubs will adapt their approach before they're left behind.

The crypto and Web3 space has already shown us that innovation doesn't respect borders. Maybe it's time the old guard took notes.