Aaron Klein

Aaron Klein is the Miriam K. Carliner Chair and senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, where he also serves as policy director of the Center on Regulation and Markets. His research focuses on financial technology, financial regulation, payment systems, macroeconomics, and infrastructure finance and policy. Klein holds degrees from Dartmouth College and the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.

Klein's public service includes more than a decade on Capitol Hill and in the executive branch. He served as chief economist of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee under chairmen Paul Sarbanes and Chris Dodd, where he contributed to legislation addressing the financial crisis and efforts to stabilize the financial system. He later served as deputy assistant secretary for economic policy at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, working on financial regulatory reform and helping secure passage of the "Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act." Klein also worked on housing finance reform, transportation and infrastructure policy, and Native American economic policy. Prior to joining Brookings, he directed the Bipartisan Policy Center's Financial Regulatory Reform Initiative.

At Brookings, Klein has contributed to national discussions on the modernization of payment systems and the impact of payments infrastructure on economic inequality. His research includes works such as "Real-time payments can help combat inequality," "Is China's new payment system the future?," and "Credit denial in the age of AI." Klein has analyzed the adoption of real-time payment systems like FedNow and the implications for lower-income households. He is co-author of "Understanding FinTech and Banking Law: A Practical Guide."

Klein is an expert witness, public speaker, and commentator, appearing at conferences including the Milken Global Conference, the American Economic Association, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's fintech conference. He has appeared on podcasts such as the Mercatus Center's "Macro Musings" and has contributed op-eds to major publications on topics including infrastructure investment and financial inclusion. Klein previously taught at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and serves on the American Academy of Political and Social Science, emphasizing the connection between economic research and policy development.