This article was published in TSE science magazine, TSE Mag. It is part of the Autumn 2025 issue, dedicated to finance and money. Discover the full PDF here and email us for a printed copy or your feedback on the mag, there.
Doomscrolling, stockmarket drama, and charismatic fraudsters like Bernie Madoff can distort the big picture. Let’s also remember that finance is one of humanity’s most useful inventions. Away from the roller-coaster financial headlines, there are quieter, more uplifting stories to tell.
Financial markets and institutions allow us to select and support the most promising projects, and to channel risk to those most able to bear it. When used wisely, finance can help people save for the future, implement their dream projects, and recover from hard times. Microcredit can help lift people out of poverty. Green bonds can fund climate action. And responsible investors can wield their portfolios to encourage firms to contribute to society.
Even financial shocks – like those triggered by geopolitical uncertainty – can open up new opportunities. As global capital repositions itself, Europe has a chance to play a stronger leadership role. Perhaps we can now envision a more resilient, unified EU that funds greater solidarity and long-term projects, and strengthens the euro as an alternative reserve currency.
In the coming pages, we explore the upsides of finance: green investors and TSE students and alumni who use finance to build a better world. You will also learn about personal budgeting tools, and inclusive tech like mobile banking. The future of finance is not set in stone: it will be shaped by the opportunities offered by our choices, our values, and our imagination.
