DFL24's EXECUTIVE DINNER
From Primitive Neural Networks to the Decentralized AI Economy: A Dialogue Between Two Eras of Finance
Location
Marina Cruise, Da Nang
Date
Saturday 4th July 2026
Time
18:30 – 21:00 ICT
About the event
What happens when a man who traded currencies with AI in the 1990s sits down with the generation building AI Agents, Blockchain, and the decentralized economy?
Back in the 1990s, when AI was still an alien concept to most people — when "artificial intelligence" was still an academic dream — a young researcher in France did the impossible: developed neural networks into a self-executing trading system, successfully executed nearly 300 trades, and generated $1 million in revenue on the foreign exchange market.
That breakthrough laid the first bricks for the era of Quantitative Finance and Algorithmic Trading that Wall Street today considers the norm. Before then, the Forex market was typically analyzed through human experience or simple linear technical indicators. Using neural networks to "model complex fluctuations" opened an entirely new way of thinking.
We'll discuss several topics along this dialogue, including:
- The journey of AI in finance: from 1990s neural networks to 2026 AI Agents
- Blockchain, Tokenomics, and the decentralized financial infrastructure
- On-chain data, autonomous crypto wallets, and algorithmic trading at scale
- Opportunities and risks for Vietnam's financial ecosystem
- Building the next generation of fintech products and infrastructure
This is not just a dinner. This is a rare intersection between two generations of financial architects: from the primitive neural networks of the 1990s to AI Crypto Agents that autonomously manage wallets, analyze on-chain data, and execute thousands of trades per second on decentralized markets in 2026.
Co-organized by Danang Fintech Lab (DFL24) — official member of Vietnam International Financial Center in Da Nang (VIFC), the leading fintech innovation ecosystem and startup incubator in Vietnam.
Who should attend
This Executive Dinner is a highly-interactive conversation designed to share perspectives, connect leaders, and bridge two eras of financial technology. It focuses on peer group discussion for those building or navigating the intersection of AI, Blockchain, and decentralized finance.
Featured Guest
Special Guest (TBA)
Former Director of Research & Forex Trader, Natexis Banque · Advisor, Banque de France
In the most exclusive private setting along the Han River, you will have the opportunity to meet our special guest — and learn what his story reveals about the future.
He has:
- Laid the foundations for quantitative trading (Quants) and algorithmic investment using supercomputers today
- Applied AI to finance before AI became a global trend
- Turned neural networks from laboratory theory into living proof: AI can solve real market problems, generating millions of USD in the pre-information-explosion era
- Director of Research & Forex Trader at Natexis Banque (predecessor of Natixis) — today manages over €1,200bn in global assets; part of BPCE Group, France's second-largest bank with €1,600bn in total assets
- Advisor to the Banque de France
- Key voice on the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision — the global standard-setter for bank risk governance
Full Agenda
18:30 – 19:00
Welcome Guest
Board the Marina Cruise and join us for a warm welcome reception. Connect with fellow leaders, investors, and innovators over cocktails and appetizers as the Han River lights come alive for the evening.
19:00 – 19:30
Cocktail Hour
A dedicated window for meaningful conversation before dinner. Exchange ideas with peers who are shaping the future of AI, Blockchain, and decentralized finance across Vietnam and beyond.
19:30 – 21:00
Dinner & Discussion
The centrepiece of the evening — an intimate dinner with our special guest. Hear firsthand the story of AI in finance three decades before it became mainstream, and engage in open dialogue about what comes next: from neural networks to AI Agents managing billions on decentralized markets.