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Cross-Border Regulation

The digital economy operates globally, but regulation remains stubbornly national. This mismatch creates governance gaps, regulatory arbitrage, and coordination failures that undermine both innovation and consumer protection. GDEF applies game theory and mechanism design to analyse how jurisdictions can move from competitive fragmentation to cooperative frameworks — examining mutual recognition agreements, regulatory sandboxes, and international standard-setting as tools for harmonisation.

15-25% Digital trade suppression from fragmentation
$2.4T Potential gains from cooperation
80+ Active regulatory sandboxes globally
Research & Analysis

Insights on Cross-Border Regulation

10 publications exploring this topic.

The Nash Equilibrium of Cross-Border Data Governance
Working Paper Regulation & Policy February 2026

The Nash Equilibrium of Cross-Border Data Governance

A game-theoretic analysis of how nations' individually rational data sovereignty policies create a collective action problem that suppresses global digital trade by an estimated 15–25%.

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The AI Governance Trilemma: Innovation, Safety, and Global Competitiveness
Working Paper Regulation & Policy February 2026

The AI Governance Trilemma: Innovation, Safety, and Global Competitiveness

A game-theoretic analysis of the impossible triangle facing regulators as the US, EU, and China compete to shape the global AI governance landscape through divergent regulatory strategies.

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Generative AI and Intellectual Property Governance
Working Paper Regulation & Policy February 2026

Generative AI and Intellectual Property Governance

The tension between AI training on copyrighted data, fair use doctrines across jurisdictions, and the economic implications for creative industries valued at $2.6 trillion globally.

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Space Economy and Satellite Internet Governance
Research Report Technology & Transformation February 2026

Space Economy and Satellite Internet Governance

LEO mega-constellations have quadrupled active satellites since 2020. This report analyses orbital congestion, spectrum allocation, and connectivity equity through commons economics and game theory.

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Central Bank Digital Currencies and the Coordination Game of Monetary Systems
Policy Brief Finance & Economy January 2026

Central Bank Digital Currencies and the Coordination Game of Monetary Systems

With 134 countries exploring CBDCs, the architecture choices made today will shape monetary systems for decades. This analysis applies coordination game theory to map the strategic landscape.

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Digital Health Data Governance Frameworks
Policy Brief Regulation & Policy January 2026

Digital Health Data Governance Frameworks

Cross-border health data flows, genomic data sovereignty, and WHO frameworks — analysing the tension between pandemic preparedness and privacy through public goods theory.

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Global Digital Tax Architecture: A Mechanism Design Analysis
Working Paper Finance & Economy December 2025

Global Digital Tax Architecture: A Mechanism Design Analysis

The OECD's Two-Pillar Solution to digital taxation reveals fundamental mechanism design challenges. This analysis examines incentive compatibility and proposes institutional improvements.

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Platform Governance and Digital Markets Regulation
Policy Brief Regulation & Policy November 2025

Platform Governance and Digital Markets Regulation

Digital platform concentration is striking and persistent. This analysis examines the DMA, US antitrust, and Japan's TFDPA through the lens of two-sided market theory and regulatory competition.

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Mechanism Design for Global Carbon Credit Markets
Policy Brief Regulation & Policy November 2025

Mechanism Design for Global Carbon Credit Markets

Voluntary carbon markets face a credibility crisis. We apply Vickrey-Clarke-Groves mechanism design to propose market structures that align individual incentives with climate outcomes.

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Cross-Border Payment Interoperability and Network Economics
Policy Brief Finance & Economy November 2025

Cross-Border Payment Interoperability and Network Economics

mBridge, Project Nexus, and SWIFT Transaction Manager represent competing architectures for cross-border payment interoperability — a coordination game with geopolitical stakes.

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Related Working Group

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.

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Regulation & Policy