Our History
The Global Digital Economy Forum is established as an independent international organisation dedicated to advancing cooperative governance for the global digital economy.
Why GDEF Was Founded
The accelerating pace of digital transformation — from the rise of digital financial services and cross-border data flows to the proliferation of artificial intelligence and platform economies — has exposed significant governance gaps at the international level.
Existing institutions, while addressing aspects of these challenges, lacked a dedicated forum where policymakers, scholars, and practitioners could collaboratively develop governance frameworks specific to the digital economy. GDEF was founded to fill this gap: an independent platform committed to rigorous evidence, inclusive dialogue, and practical policy relevance.
Three Pillars of Research
From the outset, GDEF's work has been organised around three thematic Working Groups — each addressing a critical dimension of the global digital economy.
Regulation & Policy
Developing adaptive governance frameworks for digital assets, data sovereignty, and cross-border regulatory harmonisation — balancing innovation imperatives with consumer protection and institutional accountability.
02Finance & Economy
Analysing the structural transformation of global financial systems through central bank digital currencies, decentralised finance, and inclusive economic models — with emphasis on monetary policy implications and financial stability.
03Technology & Transformation
Investigating the systemic implications of emerging technologies — including artificial intelligence, distributed ledger systems, and quantum computing — for industrial competitiveness, workforce transformation, and responsible innovation governance.
The Forum Today
Since its founding, GDEF has grown into a substantive research and convening body with global reach.
Looking Ahead
As the digital economy continues to evolve, GDEF remains committed to its founding mission: providing an impartial platform for multistakeholder cooperation on the governance challenges that define our era. The Forum's research agenda continues to expand in response to emerging technologies and governance needs, while our convening activities bring together an increasingly global and diverse community of experts.