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As soon as you start talking about blockchain in finance, most people inevitably think about cryptocurrency. But, as the headline of this article suggests, Tongtong Gong, COO and Co-Founder of Amberdata, believes that this completely underestimates the role of the technology.
It’s also a mistake to think of blockchain in isolation. “I think that the intersection of blockchain, AI and IoT is one of the most exciting shifts happening in tech right now,” she told us. “These technologies aren’t just evolving on their own – they’re working together to make data more secure, automate transactions and drive smarter decision-making.”
Consider security, an area where Tongtong says that blockchain’s ability to deliver real-time transparency is key. “Unlike closed-off financial systems, where data is siloed and difficult to verify, blockchain offers permissioned, real-time auditability. Institutions can instantly track transactions, ensure compliance and detect anomalies without relying on third-party reconciliation.”
It was this potential that inspired her to co-found Amberdata in 2017, having previously served as VP of Engineering at Unified. An important role, with $1 billion under its management.
“When I first started exploring blockchain technology, I was fascinated by its transparency, decentralization and immutability – a completely new way of structuring data and financial systems,” Tongtong told us. “Coming from a background in big data, distributed computing and analytics, I immediately saw the potential of blockchain as a continuous, real-time stream of valuable, verifiable data.”
Amberdata now provides financial institutions with an infrastructure that helps them navigate the digital asset economy – one completely different to traditional finance. “Institutions rely on us for market intelligence, risk monitoring and regulatory insights, ensuring they can act decisively,” she explained.
To find out more about Tongtong’s journey, and the potential impact blockchain could have on the way you work, keep reading.
My journey into the blockchain space was driven by my passion for data and infrastructure. I saw the blockchain technology as a new force of transformation that could produce an unprecedented level of data in real-time and with transparency, but there were no proper tools for financial institutions to access, normalize and analyze that data. Recognizing this gap, I co-founded Amberdata to solve this challenge and build the institutional-grade digital asset data infrastructure that traditional finance needed to navigate, analyze and capitalize on this new asset class.
When I first started exploring blockchain technology, I was fascinated by its transparency, decentralization and immutability – a completely new way of structuring data and financial systems. Coming from a background in big data, distributed computing and analytics, I immediately saw the potential of blockchain as a continuous, real-time stream of valuable, verifiable data.
However, there were glaring weaknesses at the same time: the data was fragmented, complex and difficult to access in a structured way, especially for institutional investors and enterprises. These challenges sparked my entrepreneurial spirit! They appeared as the door through which I could bridge the gap between blockchain and institutional finance: building the required infrastructure necessary for financial institutions to legitimately engage with digital assets.
And that gave life to Amberdata, where we have designed a platform to aggregate, normalize and deliver granular blockchain and market data in a way that institutions can easily integrate into their existing workflow.
I see blockchain shaking up finance in ways that go way beyond crypto. One of the biggest game-changers is tokenization, where real-world assets like bonds, securities, and real estate are moving on-chain. This shift creates 24/7 markets, instant settlements and fewer middlemen, reducing risk and making transactions more efficient.
Meanwhile, we see DeFi ushering in a liquidity revolution. Lending, borrowing and trading have been made programmatic and automated – and quite possibly more inclusive and transparent than ever before. Automated market makers (AMMs) and on-chain derivatives are redefining the way liquidity and price discovery are executed.
Risk management and compliance are getting a major upgrade. Now, instead of working with siloed financial data, institutions can track transactions, counterparty risk and portfolio exposure in real-time with no need for middlemen. This translates into a financial system that is expedient, secure and efficient.
Most people probably see the changes in payments most easily. Stablecoins and smart contract-based settlements are removing friction from cross-border transactions, making them faster, cheaper and more secure – no more waiting days for transfers to clear.
I see blockchain redefining data security because it offers transparency, immutability and decentralization.
Real-time transparency changes everything. Unlike closed-off financial systems, where data is siloed and difficult to verify, blockchain offers permissioned, real-time auditability. Institutions can instantly track transactions, ensure compliance and detect anomalies without relying on third-party reconciliation.
Immutability is key. In legacy financial systems, data can be altered, deleted or manipulated without leaving a trace. Blockchain locks in data permanently, making fraud and unauthorized changes virtually impossible without network-wide consensus. This ensures financial transactions, compliance records and risk monitoring remain tamper-proof and auditable.
Blockchain allows for decentralization and therefore eliminates single points of failure. Traditional financial databases are centralized, meaning a single breach or system failure can compromise an entire institution. Blockchain distributes data across multiple nodes, making it far more resilient to cyberattacks, insider threats and infrastructure failures.
This isn’t just an upgrade – it’s a paradigm shift in financial security. Blockchain eliminates data vulnerabilities, ensures real-time transparency and provides a more resilient foundation for institutional engagement with digital assets. This is why firms need trusted blockchain data infrastructure like Amberdata – to navigate this evolving financial landscape with confidence.
Security is still a challenge though. The recent Bybit hack, where North Korean-backed hackers stole $1.5 billion in crypto, is an important reminder that cybersecurity and risk management needs to evolve. Institutions require real-time monitoring, on-chain risk assessment, and transaction tracing tools to detect vulnerabilities before they become exploits.
I think that the intersection of blockchain, AI and IoT is one of the most exciting shifts happening in tech right now. These technologies aren’t just evolving on their own – they’re working together to make data more secure, automate transactions and drive smarter decision-making.
AI thrives on good data, but its biggest challenge is ensuring that the data is accurate, unbiased and verifiable. That’s where the blockchain comes in. By providing an immutable, auditable record, blockchain ensures AI models are working with trusted data – which is critical for trading algorithms, risk models and fraud detection in finance.
As we know, the world is filled with billions of connected devices, constantly collecting and sharing data. But without a secure way to store and verify that information, it’s vulnerable. Blockchain secures IoT transactions and data exchanges, preventing fraud and improving transparency.
When all three come together we get a fully automated, ultra-secure financial system. AI analyzes trends and optimizes investments, IoT tracks physical assets, and blockchain keeps every transaction transparent and tamper-proof. This combination reduces fraud, streamlines compliance and seamlessly connects digital and physical markets.
At Amberdata, we’re already seeing AI, blockchain and IoT transform financial markets, risk management and tokenized assets. Over the next decade, this convergence will define a smarter, more efficient and more secure financial system.
At Amberdata, we provide the infrastructure financial institutions need to navigate the digital asset economy with confidence. Traditional finance runs on structured, standardized data, but blockchain markets are fragmented and complex – we bridge that gap.
We aggregate and normalize real-time and historical data from blockchains, exchanges and DeFi protocols, making it easy to integrate into trading, risk management and compliance workflows. Institutions rely on us for market intelligence, risk monitoring and regulatory insights, ensuring they can act decisively in this fast-moving, interconnected market.
Simply put, we’re the backbone of institutional digital asset operations, helping firms unlock opportunities, manage risk and scale with confidence.
