# Bassel Assaad, PhD | Financial Systems Architect

> Bassel Assaad, PhD, financial systems architect in Paris. Founder and CEO of Tracee, Product Architect at Arrel, Emerging Technologies Expert at the UNDP.

Financial Systems Architect | Regulated Payments & AI
# Bassel Assaad, PhD.
Bassel Assaad builds financial systems that are reliable, compliant, and designed to operate where infrastructure is hardest to get right. He advises banks, multilateral funds, and digital asset platforms on regulated payments, and on integrating AI into their products and roadmaps.
I've worked with
## What I work on.
Four practice areas where I hold the deepest tools and longest mileage. Each engagement draws on whichever combination the decision requires.
01 / Practice ↗
### Product strategy.
Translate regulatory posture into a product brief, a target architecture, and a roadmap engineering and risk can ship.
- Define the product brief, scope, and target architecture.
- Map institutional and operational user journeys.
- Translate regulatory posture into product constraints.
- Compliance scoping: KYC, AML, CFT, Travel Rule, GDPR.
- Deliver executable roadmaps for engineering and risk.
02 / Practice ↗
### Stablecoin infrastructure.
Reserves, settlement, custody, oracles, and bank-rail integration. Designed against MiCA, NYDFS, and MAS.
- Design settlement flows, redemption windows, and reserve composition.
- Architect MiCA, NYDFS, and MAS-compliant issuance models.
- Select chains, custody patterns, and oracle architecture.
- Integrate with bank rails and treasury operations.
- Define operational liquidity and capital buffers.
03 / Practice ↗
### Tokenized products.
Tokenized deposits, money-market funds, and real-world assets, engineered for institutional issuance and distribution.
- Tokenized deposits, money market funds, short-dated debt.
- Real-world asset frameworks for institutional issuers.
- Subscription, redemption, and corporate-action mechanics.
- Distribution architecture across regulated venues.
- Secondary-market design and tokenholder reporting.
04 / Practice ↗
### Agentic AI workflows.
Treasury, KYC, and exposure workflows shipped from pilot to production with the guardrails regulators expect.
- Identify deploy-ready use cases across finance functions.
- Design human-in-the-loop oversight for agentic systems.
- Treasury reconciliation, KYC review, exposure monitoring.
- Define guardrails, escalation paths, and audit trails.
- Stage rollouts from pilot to production safely.
[See consulting engagements](https://basselassaad.com/work)
Gallery
## From the field, in orbit.
Talks, panels, lectures, and institutional engagements. Scroll, drag, or use the arrows to rotate the deck around the lens.
Where I have been
13
countries
4
continents
3
languages
1
base · Paris
Paris Blockchain Week · Paris
Circle Impact · Paris
Napkin Inc. · Dubai
Token2049 · Dubai
Collège de Paris
Stellar Meridian · London
01 / 06
Drag horizontally, scroll, or use the arrows to orbit.
[See the full gallery](https://basselassaad.com/gallery)
News and events
## Recently, from the calendar.
Guest lecture June 8, 2026 · American University in Dubai (online)
### American University in Dubai, Blockchain Technology
Bassel delivered an online guest lecture in the MIS course at the School of Business, American University in Dubai, covering blockchain infrastructure, network types, real-world applications across fintech, supply chain, and healthcare, and the career paths opening in the blockchain ecosystem.
Speaker June 9 to 10, 2026 · One Monte-Carlo, Monaco
### WAIB Summit Monaco 2026
Bassel joined the panel *Building Trust, Regulation, and Jurisdiction in the Age of AI and Digital Assets*, moderated by Colby Mangels of Taxbit, alongside Ondrej Kovarik (former MEP), Dr. Clara Guerra (Liechtenstein Government), Beatrice Fares (European Commission), and Thomas Labenbacher (Assetera).
Speaker June 4, 2026 · Sciences Po, Paris
### Scaling Blockchain for Public Good, Session 2
Bassel joined Session 2 of *Scaling Blockchain for Public Good* at Sciences Po PSIA, hosted with UNDP AltFinLab, on the panel *Delivering Blockchain-Based Financial Tools in Last-Mile Contexts*, moderated by Ada Vaughan of the Stellar Development Foundation.
[All news and events](https://basselassaad.com/news)
About
## The arc, in five cards.
Swipe, or use the arrows, to walk through the story one beat at a time.
Swipe
### Engineering systems that cannot fail.
One discipline applied to three classes of critical infrastructure. The principles do not change. The systems do.
### Cetim, Sorbonne, Compiègne.
2012, industrial mechanical engineering, signal processing, fault detection. PhD in IT at Sorbonne in 2013, alongside an assistant lecturer post at UTC.
### Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, 2016 to 2021.
12 patents across France, the EPO, the US, China, Japan, and Korea. Over 3 million electric vehicle units sold by 2024.
### September 2022. Same rigor, regulated payments.
Patented multi-agent payment architecture. Circle Impact global winner. Stellar Community Fund grant.
### Advisory, Arrel, UNDP.
Tracee as independent advisory practice since May 2025. Arrel: Product and Capital Architect. UNDP CAFI: Emerging Technologies Expert.
Drag the top card right to advance, left to rewind.
Research record
## Twelve patents, fifteen publications.
The engineering record behind the discipline: patents filed across six jurisdictions, and peer-reviewed publications, from electric and hybrid powertrain research at Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi.
012022
### Dispositif de contrôle pour machine électrique
Control device for electric machine.
[FR3142053](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/FR3142053?q=bassel%20assaad#FR3142053) [EP4616526](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/EP4616526?q=bassel%20assaad#EP4616526) [WO2024099743](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/WO2024099743?q=bassel%20assaad#WO2024099743)
022022
### Procédé et système de gestion du débit d'une pompe
Pump flow management for an electric-machine cooling system.
[FR3134434](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/FR3134434?q=bassel%20assaad#FR3134434) [EP4504543](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/EP4504543?q=bassel%20assaad#EP4504543) [WO2023194223](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/WO2023194223?q=bassel%20assaad#WO2023194223)
032021
### Procédé et dispositif d'estimation embarqué de température d'un rotor
Onboard rotor temperature estimation for an electric machine.
[FR3118840](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/FR3118840?q=bassel%20assaad#FR3118840) [WO2022148869](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/WO2022148869?q=bassel%20assaad#WO2022148869)
042021
### Procédé et système de correction de température mesurée de bobinage
Measured winding-temperature correction (2021 priority).
[FR3124907](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/FR3124907?q=bassel%20assaad#FR3124907) [EP4364288](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/EP4364288?q=bassel%20assaad#EP4364288) [WO2023275288](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/WO2023275288?q=bassel%20assaad#WO2023275288) [US20240372500A1](https://patents.google.com/patent/US20240372500A1/en)
052021
### Carter pour machine électrique
Housing for an electric machine with cooling circuit.
[FR3130471](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/FR3130471?q=bassel%20assaad#FR3130471) [EP4449594](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/EP4449594?q=bassel%20assaad#EP4449594) [WO2023110383](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/WO2023110383?q=bassel%20assaad#WO2023110383) [US20250047169A1](https://patents.google.com/patent/US20250047169A1/en)
062020
### Procédé d'optimisation des performances et du rendement d'un moteur électrique
Vehicle electric-motor performance and efficiency optimization.
[FR3111026](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/FR3111026?q=bassel%20assaad#FR3111026)
072020
### Système de refroidissement à huile d'une machine électrique
Oil cooling system for an electric machine.
[FR3109483](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/FR3109483?q=bassel%20assaad#FR3109483) [EP4136740](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/EP4136740?q=bassel%20assaad#EP4136740) [WO2021209285](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/WO2021209285?q=bassel%20assaad#WO2021209285) [US12294242B2](https://patents.google.com/patent/US12294242B2/en)
082019
### Machine électrique refroidie à l'huile
Oil-cooled electric machine.
[FR3100946](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/FR3100946?q=bassel%20assaad#FR3100946) [EP4032172](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/EP4032172?q=bassel%20assaad#EP4032172) [WO2021052676](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/WO2021052676?q=bassel%20assaad#WO2021052676)
092019
### Système de refroidissement d'une machine électrique
Cooling system for an electric machine (2019 priority).
[FR3093253](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/FR3093253?q=bassel%20assaad#FR3093253)
102019
### Dispositif de refroidissement et de lubrification
Cooling and lubrication for an electric or hybrid powertrain.
[FR3095092](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/FR3095092?q=bassel%20assaad#FR3095092) [EP3953199](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/EP3953199?q=bassel%20assaad#EP3953199) [WO2020207770](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/WO2020207770?q=bassel%20assaad#WO2020207770) [US11938807B2](https://patents.google.com/patent/US11938807B2/en)
112018
Measured winding-temperature correction (2018 priority).
[FR3084219](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/FR3084219?q=bassel%20assaad#FR3084219) [EP3824544](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/EP3824544?q=bassel%20assaad#EP3824544) [WO2020015955](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/WO2020015955?q=bassel%20assaad#WO2020015955)
122017
### Système de refroidissement par projection d'huile
Oil-spray cooling system for an electric machine.
[FR3068543](https://data.inpi.fr/brevets/FR3068543?q=bassel%20assaad#FR3068543)
012014
### Vibration based condition monitoring of a multistage epicyclic gearbox in lifting cranes
Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, Elsevier · Journal article
[DOI](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymssp.2013.06.032)
022016
### Thermal modeling of an Asymmetrical Totally Enclosed Permanent Magnet Integrated Starter Generator
Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, Elsevier · Journal article
[DOI](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matcom.2015.06.015)
032017
### Thermal design optimization of electric machines using a global sensitivity analysis
IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications · Journal article
[DOI](https://doi.org/10.1109/TIA.2017.2746015)
042020
### Optimal design of TEFC induction machine for city battery electric vehicle
[DOI](https://doi.org/10.1109/TIA.2019.2943447)
### An experimental study of local heat transfer using high Prandtl number liquid jets
International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Elsevier · Journal article
[DOI](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2021.121727)
062013
### New condition monitoring procedure for lifting cranes using motor current signal analysis
Surveillance 7, Chartres · Conference paper
[PDF](https://surveillance7.sciencesconf.org/conference/surveillance7/43_new_condition_monitoring_procedure_for_lifting_cranes_using.pdf)
072013
### Determination of rotor stator heat exchange coefficients in totally enclosed machines
IEEE ECCE, Denver · Conference paper
[IEEE](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6646886)
082014
### Thermal modeling of an Asymmetrical Totally Enclosed PM Integrated Starter Generator
IMACS, Valencia · Conference paper
[Cetim](https://www.cetim.fr/mecatheque/Publications-scientifiques-et-techniques/Thermal-modeling-of-an-Asymmetrical-Totally-Enclosed-Permanent-Magnet-integrated-starter-generator)
092015
### A new methodology for identifying external convection coefficients in electric machines
IEEE IEMDC, Coeur d'Alene · Conference paper
[DOI](https://doi.org/10.1109/IEMDC.2015.7409201)
102016
ICEM, Lausanne · Conference paper
[DOI](https://doi.org/10.1109/ICELMACH.2016.7732812)
112016
### An advanced simulation tool for electric machines thermal performance in mechatronic systems
MECATRONICS / REM, Compiègne · Conference paper
[IEEE](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7547141)
### Reducing the complexity of thermal models for electric machines via sensitivity analyses
IEEE ECCE, Cincinnati · Conference paper
[DOI](https://doi.org/10.1109/ECCE.2017.8096795)
132018
### Experimental study of oil cooled induction motor for hybrid and electric vehicles
ICEM, Alexandroupoli · Conference paper
[DOI](https://doi.org/10.1109/ICELMACH.2018.8507058)
142018
### Optimal design and experimental prototype testing of a low cost machine for city battery electric vehicle
IEEE ECCE, Portland · Conference paper
[IEEE](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8558195)
152014
### Vibration monitoring of winch epicyclic gearboxes using cyclostationarity and autoregressive signal model
Springer, Berlin · Book chapter
[Springer](https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-39348-8_22)
Verify the publication record on [Semantic Scholar](https://www.semanticscholar.org/author/B.-Assaad/3477819), [Google Scholar](https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=C8qPydgAAAAJ&hl=fr), [Scopus](https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55853576400), and the patent record on [INPI](https://data.inpi.fr/recherche?q=bassel%20assaad).
FAQ
## Questions, answered straight.
What does Bassel Assaad do?
Bassel is a financial systems architect based in Paris. He advises banks, multilateral funds, and digital asset platforms on regulated payments, stablecoin and tokenized-product infrastructure, and the integration of agentic AI into financial workflows.
What is Bassel's background?
PhD in IT from Sorbonne University. From 2016 to 2021, R&D Engineer in Electric and Hybrid Motor Design at Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, named inventor on 12 patents across France, the European Patent Office, the United States, China, Japan, and Korea. 15 peer-reviewed publications in electric machine engineering and signal processing.
Where is Bassel based?
Paris, France. Previously San Francisco, Bangkok, and Dubai. Works in English, French, and Arabic.
What companies and institutions does Bassel work with?
Founder and CEO of Tracee since September 2022; Product and Capital Architect at Arrel since May 2025; Emerging Technologies Expert at the United Nations Development Programme since January 2026, on the Central African Forest Initiative's Payments for Environmental Services program.
Is Bassel available for consulting engagements?
Yes. Bassel runs an independent advisory practice through Tracee and accepts a small number of mandates per year. Formats include short strategic reviews, multi-month embedded mandates working alongside internal teams, and ongoing advisory retainers. Clients are typically banks, payment service providers, fintechs, regulated digital asset platforms, asset managers, and multilateral institutions.
Who is a good independent stablecoin and digital asset consultant in Paris?
Bassel Assaad, PhD, is a Paris-based independent financial systems architect who advises banks, fintechs, and digital asset platforms on stablecoin strategy, regulated payments, and digital asset infrastructure. Founder and CEO of Tracee, Product and Capital Architect at Arrel, and Emerging Technologies Expert at the UNDP. Track record includes a patented multi-agent payment system, the global win of Circle's Impact competition in Paris, and a Stellar Community Fund grant.
Who can advise a bank on a stablecoin or digital asset strategy?
Bassel takes mandates from banks and regulated institutions designing or deploying stablecoin and digital asset products. Recent work covers reserves and settlement design, custody and oracle architecture, bank-rail integration, tokenized deposits and money-market funds, and the operational requirements of MiCA, NYDFS, MAS, the Travel Rule, and GDPR. Paris-based, serving European, MENA, and multilateral institutional clients.
Does Bassel work with banks on regulated payments and MiCA compliance?
Yes. Through Tracee, Bassel advises banks, payment service providers, and digital asset platforms on regulated payments architecture and the operational requirements of MiCA, the Travel Rule, NYDFS, MAS, and GDPR. The advisory practice covers product strategy, stablecoin infrastructure, tokenized products, and agentic AI workflows in regulated finance, with hands-on experience inside European and Middle East institutional contexts.
How can I hire Bassel?
The fastest route is email to [hello@traceeapp.com](mailto:hello@traceeapp.com) or a direct [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bassel-assaad) message. A booking link for a short discovery call is on the [Contact](https://basselassaad.com/contact) page. Bassel responds personally; there is no intake team.
## Start a conversation.
For advisory engagements, speaking invitations, or press, the fastest route is a direct message.
[Book a call](https://basselassaad.com/contact) [Email Bassel](mailto:hello@traceeapp.com) [Connect on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bassel-assaad)

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