Fintech & Crypto

The financial technology (fintech) sector, along with banking and payments, faces significant challenges as it navigates through rapid technological advancements and changing consumer expectations.

 

One pressing issue is regulatory compliance and oversight. As fintech innovations like cryptocurrency, decentralized finance (DeFi), and peer-to-peer lending gain traction, regulatory frameworks struggle to keep pace. Governments and financial authorities worldwide grapple with balancing innovation with the need to ensure consumer protection, financial stability, and data security. The lack of uniform global regulations adds complexity, particularly for fintech companies operating across borders. To many customers across the world today, the standard banking sector appears no longer concerned with allocating risk capital, but with ensuring account compliance.

 

Another critical challenge is cybersecurity and fraud prevention. With the proliferation of digital payments and online financial services, the sector is increasingly targeted by cybercriminals employing sophisticated tactics such as ransomware, phishing, and identity theft. The rise of open banking, which enables third-party providers to access customer financial data, adds further vulnerability. (Open banking is also a key European Union priority under the Open Finance Initiative). Financial institutions and fintech companies must invest heavily in advanced security technologies like AI-driven fraud detection and multi-factor authentication to safeguard user trust.

 

Lastly, the industry is facing a resurgence in cryptocurrencies, both in terms of new coin launches as well as increased trading of existing currencies. This comes at a time when crypto is increasingly being used for sanctions and tax evasion, causing a dilemma for many investors, including institutional ones. It also comes at a time when central banks are increasingly considering launching national digital currencies.

 

Keynote Speech

10:00 – 10:30             

 

Session 1: Latest Developments in Fintech

10:30 – 12:00             

This session will examine the latest technological developments in the fintech sector, with contributions from banking, payments, AI/Big Data and the crypto/Defi space. The objective of the session is to demonstrate the rapidity of the pace of change in the sector and what this means for fintech investors, enterprise users, vendors and the wider public.

4 Speakers

 

First Break

12:00 – 12:30             

 

Session 2: Regulatory Compliance 

12:30 – 14:00             

This session focusses on the intense changes in regulatory compliance needed to ensure multiple objectives: consumer protection, efficient market functioning, anti-monopolistic behaviour, anti-money laundering, and tax compliance. The session will include representatives of the European Commission, national regulators, central banks and others working at the heart of financial regulation.

4 Speakers

 

Second Break

14:00 – 14:30             

 

Session 3: The Future of Cryptocurrencies

14:30 – 16:00

The re-election of Donald Trump and the promise of lighter regulation of cryptocurrencies has led to a recent explosion in some cryptocurrency values in late 2024. This session will review the investment case for and against crypto, as well as the technological developments, use cases and other case studies on best practise in the sector.

4 Speakers

 

Third Break

16:00 – 16:30             

 

Session 4: Investing in Fintech

17:15 – 18:30            

This session will share the experience of four investors in the banking, payments, crypto and wider fintech sector. They will outline their investment priorities, portfolio performance in 2024-2025, and other emerging issues on their radar screens.

4 Speakers