Sean Foley

Sean Foley is a Professor of Applied Finance at Macquarie University, specializing in Fintech, Cryptocurrencies, Trading, and Market Design. He leads the Decentralized Assets division at the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre (DFCRC), bridging academia, industry, and government. His research focuses on blockchain applications like automated market makers, DeFi protocols, and stablecoins.

Education:

• PhD in Finance from the University of Sydney (2014), focusing on 'The Impact of Regulation on Market Quality'.

Research Interests:

• Decentralized finance (DeFi) systems
• Cryptocurrency market dynamics and regulation
• Market microstructure and liquidity provision
• Energy market crises and policy
• Regulatory frameworks for financial markets

Key Projects:

• Leading the DFCRC's Industrial PhD Scholarships (2021–2031), mentoring students like Arvind Rangarajan and Juuso Artturi Itkonen.
• Research on Australia's National Electricity Market (NEM) suspension and energy policy.

Awards:

• Best Paper Award at the Cryptocurrency Conference (2019)
• Philip Brown Prize for Best Australian Paper (2021)
• Exceptional Research Prize (2019)

Advising & Grants:

• Supervised over 10 PhD students through DFCRC scholarships.
• Secured $181 million for the Digital Finance CRC.
• Lead applicant in the Gunns Ltd shareholder class action.

Labs/Teams:

• Head of Decentralized Assets at DFCRC, collaborating on policy and technology.
• Co-researcher on 'Electricity Markets in Crisis' and cryptocurrency illicit use studies.