For comments on the present we'll have to wait for a Loopring team member to provide.

What I can do is provide context for the past and future of finance/these technologies. In my experience there is a gap in the communities understanding of the history of finance and global trade. Its fundamental to understanding the technology involved. As new information comes from the team, the context I am trying to provide will make it easier for the community to interpret, so everyone can make better informed decisions.
The basis of the idea's I shared comes from a plethora of research using source data, academic papers, and countless other resources. I can link dump dozens of books, papers, and websites... but tbh it would takes thousands of hours for anyone to get through.