Ripple has secured a US$200 million debt facility from Neuberger Specialty Finance to expand the lending capacity of its institutional prime brokerage platform, Ripple Prime, as demand for margin financing across traditional and digital asset markets continues to grow. The facility will support Ripple Prime’s ability to extend credit to institutional clients trading equities, fixed income, foreign exchange, and digital assets, with the firm able to draw up to the full US$200 million based on client demand. Since Ripple acquired the platform in 2025, Ripple Prime has recorded a threefold increase in revenue year over year, driven by rising institutional participation in digital markets and increased demand for scalable, multi-asset financing infrastructure. Noel Kimmel “Dependable access to financing and balance sheet strength are critical to institutional participants in today’s dynamic markets,” said Noel Kimmel, President of Ripple Prime. “This facility enables us to grow alongside our clients by delivering increased margin capacity, greater responsiveness, and improved capital efficiency.” He added that Neuberger Specialty Finance’s expertise in asset-based finance reflects strong alignment with Ripple Prime’s brokerage model and growth trajectory. The company structures the financing as an asset-based facility designed to scale alongside client activity across both traditional and digital markets. Proceeds will fund financing to institutional counterparties, further strengthening Ripple Prime’s role as a liquidity and credit provider in multi-asset trading environments. Peter Sterling “Ripple Prime has built an innovative brokerage platform combining fintech-grade technology and agility with bank-level compliance and operational rigor,” said Peter Sterling, Head of Neuberger Specialty Finance. “This facility reflects our focus on partnering with market-leading platforms operating at the intersection of traditional and emerging financial markets.”     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Raisul via Magnific The post Ripple Secures $200M Facility to Expand Institutional Prime Brokerage Lending Capacity appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Corpay is partnering with digital asset platform BVNK to provide its global customer base with a stablecoin wallet and settlement capabilities. The integration allows Corpay’s clients to view digital asset balances alongside traditional fiat accounts. Customers can use an embedded stablecoin wallet to send, receive, store, and convert stablecoins directly within the platform. This setup gives corporate users access to payment networks that operate outside standard banking hours. Corpay will also use stablecoin rails for its own treasury operations to reduce reliance on pre-funded accounts and improve capital efficiency across its global network. Corpay processes more than US$12 billion in corporate payments and $26 billion in foreign exchange monthly across over 145 currencies for 800,000 clients. Adding a stablecoin wallet expands its payment network to offer more options for domestic and cross-border transactions. Mark Frey “At our scale, the ability to move liquidity quickly and reliably is critical,” said Mark Frey, Group President of Corpay Cross-Border Solutions. He noted that stablecoins introduce a continuous settlement capability that strengthens the company’s existing infrastructure. Jesse Hemson Struthers “We believe stablecoins are reshaping the foundation of global payments,” said Jesse Hemson-Struthers, CEO of BVNK. “Corpay’s scale and reach make them an ideal partner to bring these capabilities into the mainstream.”     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by patcharaporn1984 via Magnific The post Corpay and BVNK Expand Corporate Payments with Stablecoin Wallet Integration appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Paymentology has raised US$175 million in a new funding round co-led by Apis Partners and pan-European private equity firm Aspirity Partners. The company will use the capital to support global expansion and product development. Paymentology plans to move beyond core issuer processing into adjacent areas, including credit, stablecoins, tokenisation, and AI services. Much of the global payments issuing layer remains constrained by legacy infrastructure, which can limit the speed and flexibility of launching new products. Paymentology addresses this through a configurable platform that allows issuers to manage card and digital payment experiences across multiple markets. Jeff Parker “By combining global capability with the flexibility to adapt locally, we enable our clients to compete more effectively with speed, control and efficiency, in an increasingly dynamic landscape,” said Jeff Parker, CEO of Paymentology. The funding follows a period of rapid expansion for the company. The firm reported a 117% year-on-year increase in new sales for the 2025 financial year, alongside a 65% rise in transaction volumes. The platform currently provides cloud-native processing for clients across 68 countries. Its customer base spans digital asset platforms, embedded finance providers, and established banks modernising their legacy systems, featuring companies such as M-Pesa, GoTyme, and Wio Bank.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by digitizesc via Magnific The post Paymentology Raises US$175M to Expand Platform and Explore AI, Tokenisation appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Money20/20 is coming back to Europe for its regional edition from June 02 to 04, 2026 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre, promising three days of high-impact content, industry-shaping debates, and interactive sessions aimed at advancing financial services. This year’s event is expected to bring together more than 7,400 attendees with one in three holding C-suite roles, representing over 2,300 companies, from more than 100 countries represented. The 2026 Money20/20 Europe edition will feature over 450 speakers, six stages, and four powerful themes that capture the forces redefining global finance. These themes are: AI and the Agentic Age, where autonomous systems are rewriting how decisions are made; The Great Rebundling, mapping the rise of seamless, end‑to‑end financial experiences; Money Stack Rewired, spotlighting the stablecoin‑driven infrastructure reinventing how value moves; and Regulation in the Fast Lane, where rapid policy change is creating new competitive frontiers. Key sessions at Money20/20 Europe 2026 image credit: Money 20/20 Europe The conference will feature deep-dive discussions led by industry leaders. In “How Fintechs Are Rewriting the Business Banking Playbook”, Lucy Demery, SVP Head of Visa Commercial Solutions EU, and James Gibson, Head of Revolut Business, will explore how fintech startups and incumbents are reshaping commercial payments through consolidation, embedded finance, partnerships, and rapid innovation. The session will examine how expectations across corporates, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the wider ecosystem are being rewritten in real time as the lines between traditional and fintech‑led business banking continue to blur. “AI Takes the Wheel: The New Power Dynamic in Financial Decisions” with Maik Taro Wehmeyer, Co‑Founder and CEO, Taktile, and moderated by Rana Yared, General Partner, Balderton, will discuss how AI is shifting from simple features to systems that make real financial decisions. The session will dive into what it takes to scale agentic AI responsibly, from design and oversight to lessons from real deployments, while asking how leaders can move beyond pilots to deploy AI that truly improves decision making. In “The Geopolitics of Money: Building the Rails of the Future Digital Economy”, Sovan Shatpathy from Oracle, Ailish Campbell from Mastercard, Januš Kizenevič from the Ministry of Finance of Lithuania, and moderator Louise Beaumont from the Smart Data Council will examine how identity and payments are becoming core levers of modern power. The session will explore how governments and industry can work together to build resilient, interoperable digital rails that strengthen competitiveness and SME growth, while embedding trust, fraud prevention, and resilience by design. “Europe’s Institutional Crypto Advantage” with Simone Maini, CEO, Elliptic, and Michael Shaulov, CEO, Fireblocks, and moderated by Jay Wilson, Partner, AlbionVC, will discuss how Europe has entered a new phase in digital assets. The session will examine how regulation is accelerating institutional adoption, why institutions are shifting focus from hype to utility, and how advances in blockchain intelligence are reshaping compliance standards across the region. Finally, in “Trailblazers: The Real Stories Behind Reaching the C‑Suite”, Clare Pearson, Founder, Pearson Booth Consulting, Kate Marsden, CMO, Yaspa, and moderator Michelle Beyo, CEO, Finavator, will explore how the traditional career playbook has evolved. The session will go beyond titles to reveal the pivotal moments, bold bets, and mindset shifts required to lead at the frontier of finance, showing how today’s fintech leaders chart their own course in real time. New for 2026: the Intersection Stage New for 2026, the Intersection Stage will serve as the epicenter of one of the most important shifts in global finance: the convergence of traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi). As traditional institutions and decentralized networks increasingly collide, this stage will bring together the leaders, builders, and policymakers defining a new financial paradigm where established banking meets blockchain innovation. Designed as the home of stablecoins, digital assets, tokenization, and next‑generation money movement, the Intersection Stage will feature standout voices from across the financial spectrum, including: Cassie Craddock, VP and Managing Director, UK and Europe, Ripple; Mark Jennings, CEO Europe, Gemini; Olugbenga Agboola, Founder and CEO, Flutterwave; Sarah Wynn‑Williams, Tech and Policy Expert and Author; Marguerite Bérard, CEO, ABN AMRO Bank NV; Kelly Devine, President, Europe, Mastercard; Simonas Krėpšta, Executive Board Member, EU Anti‑Money Laundering Authority; Arjun Sethi, Co‑CEO, Kraken; and Onur Genç, CEO, BBVA. These speakers will explore how innovation, regulation, and emerging infrastructure are reshaping digital assets, cybersecurity, and cross‑border payments. Other highlights Beyond the main conference, Money20/20 Europe 2026 will introduce the Orbital Stage for startup showcases, and MoneyLab workshops. The Orbital Stage will offer an immersive main stage experience designed to showcase the industry’s biggest ideas, boldest voices, and most impactful moments, while MoneyLab workshops will provide offer small-group workshops built for hands-on collaboration. Participants will get to exchange practical insights, tackle real challenges, and walk away with actionable tools they’ll get to put to work immediately. Another new addition this year will be Sm∆rtMeet, a curated meetings program designed to deliver high-value, pre-qualified introductions between solution providers and strategic buyers across Europe’s most dynamic fintech sectors. Additionally, the private Investor Lounge will offer a dedicated experience for the capital community, providing tailored access, curated opportunities, and a private space to meet founders, executives, and fellow investors. A redesigned show floor layout will also be implemented to optimize navigation, discovery, and maximize connection. The Startup Hub will return this year but larger than before, featuring an expanded stage, exhibition area, and more founders showcasing breakthrough ideas. Tailored to meet the needs of early-stage disruptors and growth-stage innovators, the Startup Hub is a platform for fintech startups to gain visibility, forge critical connections, and access the resources they need to scale. The platform offers key benefits including the VC Connect program for curated meetings with investors actively seeking opportunities in their space, access to exclusive workshops and content, and dedicated pod space. The Startup Pitch Competition is also coming back, with last year’s winner, Sinpex, returning with a stronger presence. The competition will offer participants the opportunity to showcase their solutions on a Money20/20 stage. Finally, the invite‑only Policy20 Summit on Day One will offer exclusive access to critical regulatory discussions. The summit will convene policymakers, central banks, regulators, and industry leaders to shape the frameworks that will define the future of fintech. A premier gathering for financial innovation Launched in 2012, Money20/20 is one of the world’s biggest and most prominent fintech event series. Running across the world in locations like Las Vegas, Amsterdam, Riyadh, and Bangkok, these annual events are attended by the industry’s leaders and largest banks, payments companies, VC firms, regulators, and media platforms who convene to cut industry‑shaping deals, build world‑changing partnerships, and unlock future‑defining opportunities. Last year’s Money20/20 Europe edition brought together thousands of attendees from over 2,200 companies, and showcased a lineup of 450 industry leading speakers from 40 countries. Financial regulators gathered at the exclusive Money20/20 Policy Exchange for closed-door discussions on cryptocurrency regulation, open finance data access frameworks, and cross-border policy, while several major announcements were launched live by the likes of Revolut, Klarna and Visa, Mastercard and Deutsche Bank, Enfuce and Shuttle, Kraken and Ivy, LSEG, NYSE and NomuPay.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Money20/20 The post Money20/20 Europe 2026: All You Need to Know appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Three Swiss startups tackling regulatory compliance, agricultural lending and settlement infrastructure have been named as business and finance finalists for the >>venture>> 2026 competition. The companies were selected from a record 451 applications in this year’s edition of the Swiss startup programme. The business and finance category highlights a shift toward deep business-to-business infrastructure and novel financing models. The 3 Business and Finance Finalists   RegCheck A platform spun out of ETH Zurich, uses AI to simulate regulatory audits. The system connects to corporate document management systems to identify compliance gaps before official submission, aiming to reduce the risk of failed audits.     UAC LABS Building a coordination infrastructure to enable atomic settlement across traditional and decentralised finance. The Zurich-based startup replaces traditional smart contract execution with cryptographic proofs, allowing institutions to orchestrate complex multiparty workflows without exposing capital to custody risks.     reilo. Turns natural assets into bankable collateral to help smallholder farmers access credit. The company is currently running pilot programmes in Tanzania and Brazil, securing agricultural loans against nature-based carbon values to bridge the financing gap for unbanked communities.   The finalists will present their pitches to the competition’s advisory board on June 15. The winner of the business and finance vertical will receive 50,000 Swiss francs and a consulting package from McKinsey and Company. The remaining two vertical finalists will each receive 10,000 Swiss francs. All category winners will then compete for the overall grand prize, which carries a total award of 150,000 Swiss francs. The event will also feature a live audience vote and the inaugural Spotlight Award, which will grant 50,000 Swiss francs to a startup using Switzerland’s new open-source language model Apertus.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Nadifa99 via Magnific The post >>venture>> Reveals 2026 Finance and Business Finalists appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

CB Insights has released its annual selection of the world’s most promising artificial intelligence (AI) startups, spotlighting the top emerging private AI companies based on market traction, investor quality, and talent. This year’s 100 ventures emphasize the AI industry’s emphasis on early growth and market validation. An analysis of the landscape reveals that Series A ventures are the most prominent group on the list, totaling 60 companies. These companies have moved beyond the prototype phase, and have proven that their products solve real problems. They are now focused on scaling customer acquisition, turning early traction into repeatable business models, and building sales and marketing teams. These companies include 7AI, DeepJudge, and StackOne. 7AI is a US-based company that deploys autonomous AI agent swarms, automating security alert processing, incident management, and threat hunting. Founded by former Cybereason CEO Lior Div and backed by Greylock Partners and Index Ventures, 7AI secured a US$130 million Series A in December 2025 just ten months after the company launched from stealth. It plans to use the proceeds to expand its AI security engineering and go-to-market teams. In 2025, its platform reportedly processed more than 2.5 million alerts and 650,000 investigations, cutting investigation times from hours to minutes and eliminating up to 95–99% of false positives in production. DeepJudge, from Switzerland, provides AI-powered knowledge search and document retrieval platforms connecting law firms’ document management systems to retrieval-augmented AI agents. Founded by former Google researchers with PhDs in AI from ETH Zurich, the company serves elite firms including Freshfields and Holland & Knight, achieving 80-90% active usage rates. DeepJudge secured a US$41.2 million Series A in November 2025 to deepen product innovation, expand its partner ecosystem, and scale internationally. StackOne, based in the UK, builds unified APIs and tool-calling interfaces connecting AI agents and software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications to more than 200 enterprise systems across HR, CRM, and collaboration tools. Founded by ex-Google and Oracle executives, StackOne raised a US$20 million Series A in May 2025 to continue building its state-of-the-art tool-calling large language model (LLM), invest in research and development (R&A), and further expand the number of integrations and depth of actions available in the StackOne platform. Early-stage innovators and scaling leaders After the Series A-stage leaders, 21 seed-stage ventures are featured. These young companies are still refining their initial products and searching for product market-fit. They include Boltz, an American startup developing AI models for molecular structure design and optimization, and Paid, a UK-based billing infrastructure provider for AI agents. This year, Boltz secured a multi-year collaboration with Pfizer and backing from Andreessen Horowitz, alongside Zetta Venture Partners and Amplify Partners. Paid, which is backed by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Sequoia Capital, has secured prominent enterprise customers including IFS and Artisan, and has grown its headcount 140% year-over-year (YoY), according to CB Insights. At the other end of the spectrum, 16 companies are in the Series B or later stages. These organizations have established business models and are seeing strong revenue growth. They are now expanding internationally, scaling their teams, and acquiring customers aggressively. They include Serval, which provides an AI-powered IT service management platform to automate help desk requests; Actively AI, which deploys persistent agents to automate sales accounts; and Positron, which develops purpose-built AI inference hardware optimized for transformer models. Serval serves clients like Perplexity, allowing them to achieve over 50% ticket automation. Backed by Sequoia and Redpoint Ventures, the company has grown headcount 347% YoY, according to CB Insights. Actively AI, founded by Stanford AI researchers, is driving measurable ROI, allowing clients like Samsara achieve 2x conversion rates. Actively AI has grown its headcount 107% YoY with top-4% hiring momentum. Finally, Positron, which manufactures chips in Arizona, claims 3.5x better performance-per-dollar than Nvidia’s H100 with 93% memory bandwidth utilization versus 10-30% in GPU systems. The company has grown headcount 120% YoY. Nine startups focused on financial services make the list This year’s CB Insights’ AI 100 list spans three broad categories: Enterprise application providers, which deliver AI products that deploy agents and workflows to automate or augment business functions across an organization; Industry application providers, which offer verticalized AI products built for the specific data, compliance, requirements, and workflows of an industry; and Infrastructure and compute, which provide the foundational layer of models, tooling, and hardware, and observability upon which AI applications are built on. Within the industry application category, financial services emerges as the largest subsector, featuring nine companies. This count makes it neck-and-neck with healthcare. The nine financial services-focused AI companies are: Agent Smyth, a New York-based autonomous agent platform for trading and investment; Avantos, an AI native operating system for client management, empowering financial institutions to onboard, service, and grow client relationships; Bretton AI, an AI agent platform for financial crime compliance; Casap, an award-winning dispute automation platform that streamlines compliance, reduces operational costs, and enhances consumer satisfaction for banks, credit unions, and fintech startups; FurtherAI, a domain-specific AI for the insurance industry, automating workflows like submission intake, policy comparisons, and underwriting processes; Light, a AI native finance platform automating payments, expense management, bookkeeping, and financial reporting across jurisdictions; Questflow, a collaborative AI automation tool for teams to create, orchestrate and automate tasks across platforms; Salient, an AI workflow automation tool for lenders, automating collections, customer service, disputes, chargebacks, and total-loss mitigation with compliance-first AI; and Tidalwave, an agentic AI company that aims to eliminate bottlenecks in the mortgage process. Physical AI becomes a standalone category A defining trend in this year’s AI 100 list is the debut of physical AI as a standalone category. Physical AI refers to AI systems that perceive, decide, and act in the physical world through autonomous machines and robotics. The sector has witnessed significant momentum over the past years, with companies in the space raising a record US$78 billion 2025. 11 companies comprise this new category, spanning robotics software, autonomous hardware, and enabling chips. These companies’ inclusion reflects a critical inflection point for physical AI, as the entire stack required to deploy autonomous systems in the real world is maturing simultaneously. Beyond these capabilities, the sector is also seeing a surge in solutions that coordinate multiple autonomous units toward shared objectives. Key players exemplifying this shift include: InOrbit, which builds AI-powered software to monitor, coordinate, and optimize fleets of autonomous robots in warehouses, factories, and other industrial environments; FieldAI, which develops AI systems that let different kinds of robots operate autonomously in complex real-world environments like construction, energy, and logistics sites; and Gravis Robotics, which retrofits excavators and other heavy construction equipment with AI and autonomy technology to improve productivity, safety, and precision on job sites. InOrbit grew its customer base 200% in the past year, according to CB Insights; FieldAI raised a US$314 million Series A at a US$2 billion valuation in August 2025; and Gravis Robotics, founded in 2022, is already deployed across seven countries, early signals that the market is forming fast. Observability and evaluation tools emerge amid rising agentic AI Another defining trend this year is the evolution of AI agents into a distinct class of actors. As these agents move from experimental prototypes to active participants in enterprise workflows, they require their own layers of identity, credentialing, and accountability. The observability and evaluation category in this year’s AI 100 list is addressing this. The nine companies in this category are building the necessary infrastructure to govern these non-human actors, establishing the operational rulebook for letting autonomous systems participate in enterprise workflows. These companies include: Keycard, which builds identity and access-management infrastructure that lets companies securely authenticate, authorize, and manage AI agents; Geordie AI, which provides governance and security monitoring for enterprise AI agents, giving teams visibility into how agents behave and what risks they pose; Virtue AI, which develops AI security software that red-teams, monitors, and applies guardrails to AI models and autonomous agents; and Straiker, which secures AI agents at runtime by detecting vulnerabilities, testing agents against attacks, and preventing malicious AI behavior in enterprise systems. Collectively, the nine companies in the observability and evaluation category have raised US$278 million in the last three years. This capital influx underscores the nascent stage of the category and highlights the growing recognition that robust governance and oversight are critical for autonomous systems to safely integrate into enterprise workflows. CB Insights’ 2026 AI 100: AI 100 2026, Source: CB Insights, May 2026   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by arslantanoli via Magnific The post The 100 Most Promising AI Startups of 2026 appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Home to world-class fintech hubs in London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Berlin, Europe offers a unique convergence of specialization and proximity. This dense network makes it an ideal meeting ground for global stakeholders. Among the events scheduled for the remainder of 2026, the following 20 are standing as the most significant gatherings. These event are expected to bring together top decision-makers and innovators to shape the future of the sector and accelerate digital transformation globally. Banking 4.0 and Banking Innovation Conference 2026 May 12-13, 2026 Hotel Berlin Potsdamer Platz by Leonardo Hotels, Berlin, Germany The Banking 4.0 and Banking Innovation Conference 2026 will take place on May 12 and 13, at the Hotel Berlin Potsdamer Platz by Leonardo Hotels in Berlin, Germany. This two-day event positions itself at the intersection of finance and technology, aiming to showcase the future of banking being built in one of Europe’s fastest-growing fintech hubs. The event will gather banking executives, fintech innovators, and technology leaders to discuss the practical realities of transforming financial services through artificial intelligence, automation, and data-driven strategies. The Banking 4.0 and Banking Innovation Conference 2026 will focus on actionable insights rather than theoretical concepts, prioritizing real-world implementation and scalable automation strategies that reduce costs while increasing operational efficiency. Key topics will include: The integration of AI for fraud detection, predictive analytics and smarter decision-making; Streamlining operations across back-office and customer-facing systems; How financial institutions adapt to evolving regulatory frameworks; and Designing seamless, customer-first financial services. Speakers will include representatives from major financial entities such as the European Central Bank, Deutsche Bank, Erste Group, Tide, Zurcher Kantonalbank, and the Lietuvos Bankas (the Bank of Lithuania). Baltic Fintech Days (BFD 2026) May 12-13, 2026 Riga, Latvia Baltic Fintech Days (BFD 2026) will take place on May 12 and 13, in Riga, Latvia, promising the largest and most vibrant fintech experience in Europe. This event will highlight the Baltic region’s status as a global leader in fintech, connect regional innovation with global investors, partners, and talent, and serve as a platform to showcase the exceptional growth and dynamic nature of the Baltic ecosystem. It’s expected to bring together over 100 world-class speakers, 65 sessions, and numerous side events. On May 12, local fintech startups and members of the ecosystem will host a long list of exciting side events in various parts of the city. On May 13, the main conference will take place in at Hanzas Perons, located in the heart of Riga. The program will focus on five topics at the core of fintech in 2026: Cognitive & Intelligent Finance: Harnessing AI and data analytics to drive smarter risk management, personalized banking, and faster decision-making; Regulatory Technology & Cybersecurity: Addressing the growing need for compliance, security, and trust in fintech through RegTech solutions and cybersecurity measures; Future of Payments & Infrastructure: Focusing on the evolution of payment systems, digital payments, real-time transactions, and the impact of emerging technologies on global payments; Decentralized & Borderless Finance: Examining the role of blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and decentralized finance (DeFi) in reshaping global financial systems; and Democratizing Finance: Exploring how technology is opening up investing, lending, saving, and credit, making finance more, accessible, and built for everyone, not just the few. Fintech Roadmap 2026 May 14, 2026 Czech National Bank Congress Centre, Prague, Czech Republic The fifth edition of Fintech Roadmap, the largest Czech-Slovak professional conference focused on fintech, will take place on May 14, 2026, bringing together over 350 founders, executives, investors, regulators, and technology partners. This event aims to serve as a meeting place for leaders of the Czech and Slovak business community while remaining open to international visitors. Fintech Roadmap 2026 will feature more than 350 attendees, with 32% comprising C-level executives and founders. The program will include over 40 speakers and operates across two stages, and three tracks. The Ecosystem track will open a dialogue between regulators, banks, associations, and fintech startups regarding legislation, infrastructure access, and security standards. It will focus on setting conditions that support innovation rather than hindering it, covering new EU regulatory trends, open banking development, licensing approaches, and the industry bodies overseeing this agenda. The Innovations track will present specific products, case studies, and emerging standards as technology changes finance faster than ever before. The program will highlights artificial intelligence (AI) applications, disruption in payments, collaboration between fintechs and banks, and asset tokenization, offering inspiration from real-world experiences of companies already deploying these innovations. The Funding & Business Growth track will explore how ideas grow into companies that survive their first years and succeed in foreign markets. The program will cover raising capital, pitching to investors, deciding when to scale versus when to slow down, and utilizing tools that support operating across borders during international expansion. Balkan Payment Forum 2026 May 14, 2026 Rogner Hotel, Tirana, Albania The Balkan Payment Forum 2026 will take place on May 14, at the Rogner Hotel in Tirana, Albania. The forum aims to serve as a high-level platform uniting the payments, fintech, and financial services ecosystem of the Balkans and Southern Europe with the global payments community. The Balkan Payment Forum 2026 will bring together central banks, regulators and authorities, financial institutions, payment service providers, innovators, investors, and technology providers from over 20 countries to address the region’s most important challenges and opportunities in digital payments. The event will feature more than 200 delegates, 25 speakers, over 15 regulators, and participants from more than 20 countries. Notable speakers will include: Holta Zacaj, First Deputy Governor Bank of Albania Gijs Boudewijn, Chairman of the Board European Payment Council (EPC) (Netherlands) Delina Ibrahimaj, Minister, Ministry of Economy and Innovation of Albania Michael Jennings, Head of Division, Eurosystem Market Infrastructures Development and Administration Banca d’Italia (Italy) Ledia Bregu, MBA, CID Director of Payment Systems, Accounting and Finance Department at Bank of Albania Mr. Dardan Fusha, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo Jose M. Moreno de Barreda, Digital Finance & Fintech Sr. Advisor IFC, International Finance Corporation (Spain) Linda Shomo, Co-Founder of Balkan Fintech Association, Founder & CEO EasyPay (Albania) The agenda will feature keynotes on regional payment infrastructure, and panels dissecting regulatory shifts like PSD3 and SEPA implementation. Afternoon sessions will shift to practical transformation through fireside chats and case studies on digital payments, concluding with strategic discussions on investment opportunities and the region’s potential as a fintech growth hub before evening networking. Key topics will include regulatory priorities for payments, innovation and financial integrity, bank-fintech collaboration models, mobile and instant payments, embedded finance, anti-money laundering (AML) and fraud prevention, and the cashless 2030 goal for the region. Stablecon EMEA 2026 May 19-20, 2026 Amsterdam, Netherlands Stablecon EMEA 2026 will take place on May 19 and 20, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, serving as a premier gathering for professionals at the intersection of DeFi, economic policy, financial infrastructure, and institutional integration. With a focus on the convergence of traditional finance and decentralized systems, the event will convene the brightest minds in fintech and crypto to foster strategic collaboration and provide world-class thought leadership on reinventing global commerce. The 2026 agenda will center on three pivotal themes: The Convergence track will explore how stablecoins have evolved from experiments to critical infrastructure, examining the integration of agentic AI, the rebuilding of cross-border payments, and the shift toward programmable money; The Infrastructure theme will address the need for flexible, interoperable systems capable of handling global scale, focusing on blockchain evolution, bridge protocols, and multi-chain strategies; and The Policy is Product track will treat regulation as a strategic market force, analyzing the impact of MiCA and UK frameworks, the role of CBDCs, and how operators can maintain compliance while driving innovation. The two-day event will be structured around deep-dive sessions that move beyond theoretical discussion to practical application. Attendees will explore how banks are integrating stablecoins into legacy rails, how AI is automating liquidity and risk management, the specific mechanics of building infrastructure that bends without breaking under global demand, and the strategic importance of policy. Speakers will include: Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, Founder and CEO, Flutterwave Jess Houlgrave, CEO, Walletconnect Keith Grose, CEO, CB Payments Ltd, Coinbase, UK Maike Hornung, Head of Crypto Europe, Visa Sabih Behzad, Head of Digital Assets and Currencies Transformation, Managing Director, Deutsche Bank Latitude59 2026 May 20-22, 2026 Kultuurikatel, Tallinn, Estonia Latitude59 2026, a major startup and technology conference, will take place from May 20 to 22, at Kultuurikatel in Tallinn, Estonia. The event expects approximately 3,500 attendees from over 70 countries, featuring more than 180 speakers and 800 investors. This year’s theme, “The Global Village Experiment”, will explore how ecosystems collide to create valuable connections. Key topics will include climate and defense technologies, the balance between humanity and technology, and regulatory sandboxes for innovation through the “Thinking in Billions” side event organized with Estonia’s Ministry of Economic Affairs. Day 0 will offer 40+ side events and investor experiences, Day 1 will feature the main conference plus the legendary afterparty, and Day 2 will include pitch competition finals where winners have collectively raised over EUR 2 million. Notably, 2026 will introduce the first-ever two-day Builders Lab, giving ten selected teams direct feedback from companies like Google, Project Europe, and Bilt. Major tech players including Google Cloud, Meta, Mastercard, and Amazon Web Services will participate, with Google Cloud hosting its first AI agent workshop in the Baltics. insureNXT 2026 May 20-21, 2026 Koelnmesse Confex, Cologne, Germany insureNXT 2026, a premier international congress and trade fair for innovation in the insurance industry, will take place on May 20 and 21, at Koelnmesse Confex in Cologne. The event will bring together insurers, startups, service providers, and players from outside the industry to develop sustainable solutions for technological, cultural, and strategic challenges. Building on 2025’s success with 3,500 participants, 150 exhibitors, and 200 speakers across three stages, the 2026 edition is set to break records with over 230 exhibitors and partners already confirmed. The program will center on four key sectors: insurance, cross-industry, technology and startups, and science, with three focus topics driving the agenda: “Winning with AI” will explore scaling AI from pilots to measurable business outcomes, including agentic AI deployment; “Driving Customer-Centric Growth” will cover hyper-personalization and orchestrating channels from direct sales to embedded insurance partnerships; and ”Shaping Insurance of the Future” will address resilience amid market volatility, IT infrastructure, regulatory transformation, and balancing an aging workforce with modern technology needs. A highlight of this year’s event will be the insureNXT Innovators Award 2026, entirely dedicated to artificial intelligence, with six finalists presenting live on May 21 in the Demo Arena. Nordic Fintech Summit 2026 May 20-22, 2026 Wanha Satama, Helsinki, Finland The Nordic Fintech Summit 2026, scheduled from May 20 to 22, at Wanha Satama in Helsinki, Finland, aims to serve as the region’s premier senior convening point for leaders shaping the future of Nordic finance. With over 800 decision-makers, more than 80 speakers, and 30 partners, the event is set to facilitate more than 3,000 curated meetings, positioning the Nordics as a digitally mature and openly regulated gateway into the Eurozone. The three-day agenda will be structured to maximize high-level engagement and actionable intelligence. It will be tailored specifically for C-level banking, fintech, and regulatory leaders, prioritizing intimate, invitation-based circles where strategy shifts and regulatory plays will be exchanged among peers rather than broadcast to a general audience. May 20 will kick off with an exclusive “Strategy Talk Day” featuring intimate roundtables and theme-focused side events, while May 21 will serve as the main Summit Day with a networking-first layout across three tracks: the Nordic Fintech Highlights Stage, the Payments Arena, and the Strategy Talk Track for open peer learning. Paris Banking Summit 2026 May 21, 2026 L’Apostrophe, Paris, France The Paris Banking Summit 2026 will take place on May 21 at L’Apostrophe in Paris. Organized by Fitch Ratings and PwC, the summit will focus on resilience, innovation, and the future of the European banking landscape, bringing together industry leaders to examine the forces reshaping the sector. The summit will provide expert insights and interactive discussions on critical themes ranging from macroeconomic shifts and geopolitical sovereignty to the evolving competitive dynamics between traditional banks and emerging digital players. The agenda will feature specialized panels addressing the most pressing challenges and opportunities in the industry. These will explore how digital banks and non-bank financial institutions are challenging traditional business models, and delve into the debate surrounding digital assets, tokens, and stablecoins, questioning whether they represent a threat or a transformative opportunity for European banks. The summit will culminate in a networking drinks reception, offering attendees a chance to connect with speakers and peers from major financial institutions, rating agencies, and consulting firms. Money20/20 Europe 2026 June 02-04, 2026 Amsterdam, Netherlands   Money20/20 Europe 2026 will be held in Amsterdam from June 02 to 04, at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre. This year’s event is expected to bring together more than 450 speakers across six stages, and four powerful themes that capture the forces redefining global finance. The 2026 agenda will be anchored by four transformative shifts: “AI and the Agentic Age”, where autonomous systems are rewriting how decisions are made; “The Great Rebundling”, mapping the rise of seamless, end‑to‑end financial experiences; “Money Stack Rewired”, spotlighting the stablecoin‑driven infrastructure reinventing how value moves; and “Regulation in the Fast Lane”, where rapid policy change is creating new competitive frontiers. New for 2026, the “Intersection Stage” will become the epicenter of one of the most important shifts in global finance: the convergence of tradfi and DeFi. As traditional institutions and decentralized networks increasingly collide, this stage will bring together the leaders, builders, and policymakers defining a new financial paradigm. The program will feature standout voices from across the financial spectrum, including Michael Shaulov, CEO, Fireblocks; Cassie Craddock, VP and Managing Director, UK and Europe, Ripple; Mark Jennings, CEO Europe, Gemini; Simone Maini, CEO, Elliptic; and Olugbenga Agboola, Founder and CEO, Flutterwave. VivaTech 2026 June 17-20 2026 Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Paris, France VivaTech 2026 will celebrate its 10th anniversary from June 17 to 20 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, expanding into the larger Hall 7 and featuring a unique installation on the Champs Elysees. As one of Europe’s largest tech events, VivaTech 2026 expects 180,000 attendees, including 14,000 startups, 4,000 partners, and 3,600 investors. This year’s agenda will be driven by eleven core themes: Artificial Intelligence: Impact, Not Illusion​ Productivity Reimagined: Is the future of work still working? Sovereignty & Ethics: Who controls the future: nations, platforms, or algorithms? Energy, Greentech & Mobility: Our planet at a turning point Cybersecurity & Defense: Can innovation outsmart the next threat? Health & Longevity: What happens when humans become upgradeable? Risk, Build, Scale: High stakes, new tech and uneven odds Creative Industries: Technology can generate. But can it create? Tech Beyond the Obvious: From Deeptech and Radical Science to Practical ingenuity CMO Summit: Rewriting the Playbook for Attention Tech Leaders Summit: Make It Work. Make It Scale. A major highlight this year will be the new VivaTech x Bloomberg Awards, hosted in a brand new 2,000-seat “Theater” venue. This partnership will bring seven new award categories to be broadcast globally, cementing VivaTech’s status as a media powerhouse. Swiss Fintech Week 2026 June 19-25, 2026 Kongresshaus Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland Running from June 19 to 25, Swiss Fintech Week 2026 will unite over 1,500 attendees, including visionary founders, top investors, corporate leaders, and regulators in a week-long initiative to showcase the best of Swiss fintech. Organized as a joint effort by Finanz und Wirtschaft Forum, Tenity, and the Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN), this event aims to fill a gap in the global landscape by bundling existing independent events into a cohesive festival that cements Zurich’s status as a world-leading fintech hub. The program will explore some of the most important technological shifts in financial services, including: AI in banking and financial services; Tokenization and digital assets; The integration of financial services into digital ecosystems; and Next-generation financial infrastructure. The central conference will take place at Kongresshaus Zurich, complemented by curated side events, networking formats, ecosystem gatherings, and networking opportunities distributed across the entire city. Point Zero Forum 2026 June 23-25, 2026 Kongresshaus Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland The Point Zero Forum 2026, taking place from June 23 to 25 at the Kongresshaus Zurich, is an initiative of the GFTN and the Swiss State Secretariat for International Finance to promote a policy and technology dialogue in Financial Services. Held annually in Zurich, the forum convenes central bankers, regulators, policymakers, and industry leaders to address the latest developments in financial technology and the future of finance. This year, the forum will move beyond theoretical discussion to drive confidence and adoption of transformative technologies, assessing the necessary risk frameworks for a shifting global financial landscape. The agenda will be structured around leadership dialogues, public-private roundtables, and deep-dive workshops focusing on seven themes: Tokenization and digital assets; AI in financial services; Agentic commerce and the future of payments; Governance, policy and regulation; Wealth and private capital; Quantum readiness; and Global corridors and new finance hubs. Speakers will include Swiss Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter, UBS CEO Sergio P. Ermotti, and European Commissioner H.E. Maria Luisa Albuquerque. Following the main conference, the forum will extend into “Innovation Tours” on June 25 across various Zurich locations, fostering further networking and practical engagement. Next Banking Summit 2026 July 02, 2026 Berlin, Germany Next Banking Summit 2026, scheduled for July 02, in Berlin, will break the traditional conferences by taking place entirely within the House of Finance and Tech (HoFT) Backfabrik campus, a working environment shared by active fintech firms like Scalable Capital, Pliant, and Upvest. Designed as a focused, one-day event, the summit will bring together 185 decision-makers from 115 companies to debate the future of Europe’s financial stack. The agenda will be framed by three critical questions: who controls the financial stack, where the banking-as-a-service (BaaS) consolidation wave will land, and what happens when AI transitions from an assistant to an autonomous decision-maker. The morning agenda will feature keynote and panel sessions that tackle high-stakes topics like the “agentic finance shift” and the implications of FIDA and PSD3 for the European data economy. In the afternoon, the format will shift to immersive masterclasses, allowing attendees to discuss embedded finance, AML, and platform sovereignty. Nordic Fintech Week 2026 September 21-25, 2026 Copenhagen, Denmark Nordic Fintech Week 2026, taking place from September 21 to 25, in Copenhagen, Denmark, promises the largest finance and fintech conference in the region, leveraging the Nordics’ reputation as a prime hub for digital adoption and high-trust innovation. The week-long gathering is expected to draw over 2,000 attendees, including 225 speakers, 200 fintech companies, and 150 financial institutions. The main conference, scheduled for September 23 and 24, will be driven by ten forward-looking themes: Agentic finance and AI-native financial systems; Payments and the new transaction rails; Programmable money and digital assets; Embedded finance and platform economies; Super accounts and the future financial interface; Wealth, pensions and democratized investing; Insurance, health, and longevity finance; Capital markets reinvented; Security, fraud, and trust in an AI world; and Quantum computing and post-quantum security. High-profile speakers will include: Edwin de Ron, Product Manager, Signicat; Tanya Juul Kjær, VP Product Acquiring, Worldline; Jean-Baptiste Kaloya, VP of Product Design & Research, Bpifrance; Thibault Moeyersoms, Country Manager Northern Europe, Chift; and Ulrik Nødgaard, Governor, Danmarks Nationalbank. A key highlight in 2026 will be the introduction of “Insight 365,” a continuous online platform that extends the ecosystem’s engagement beyond a single week and opening up ongoing access to insights, perspectives, and conversations shaping the ecosystem. Fintech Week & Expo 2026 October 07-08, 2026 Frankfurt, Germany Fintech Week & Expo 2026 is returning to Frankfurt, Germany, on October 07 and 08, positioning itself as a pivotal gathering in one of the world’s most dynamic financial hubs. Now in its fifth edition, the event will center on the theme “Shaping Next-Gen Finance: AI, Real-Time Payments and Financial Crime Prevention,” bringing together over 500 attendees and 120 expert speakers. The agenda will feature more than 45 sessions designed to bridge the gap between fintech founders, investors, regulators, and traditional banking leaders, fostering a collaborative environment for discussing the transformation of financial services through AI-powered finance, decentralized technologies, and open finance. Speakers will include: Frank Jan Risseeuw, COO, ING Wholesale Banking, Netherlands Zena Mokdad, Director, Banks and Fintech Client Coverage, Standard Chartered, France Simon Begeer, Product Manager Digital Euro, Rabobank, Netherlands Joris Dekker, Market Infrastructures Expert, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Netherlands Beyond the conference sessions, the event will offer an exhibition floor where organizations will get to showcase their solutions directly to decision-makers from banks and financial institutions actively seeking innovation. Attendees will also be able to engage in targeted networking through roundtables, workshops, and exclusive side events, while speakers will have the opportunity to take the stage for keynotes, panel discussions, or fireside chats. Fintech Meetup Europe October 06-08, 2026 Lisbon, Portugal Fintech Meetup Europe is launching in Lisbon, Portugal from 6-8 October 2026. Building on Fintech Meetup’s huge success, the proven model is coming to Europe. The event will bring together 2,500+ attendees, including 650+ hosted buyers from banks, financial institutions, retailers, and merchants, alongside fintech innovators, investors, and ecosystem leaders from across Europe and beyond. MoneyLIVE Nordic Banking 2026 October 27-28, 2026 Bella Center, Copenhagen, Denmark MoneyLIVE Nordic Banking 2026 will take place on October 27 and 28, at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, standing as a premier banking and payments conference for the Nordic and Baltic regions. The event is expected to bring together over 800 attendees to define strategies, manage emerging risks, and seize the opportunities of innovation. The agenda will be structured across three stages to cover critical themes such as AI-powered customer acquisition, the transformation of payments, and the future of European wallets and account-to-account (A2A) transfers. The program will feature over 100 speakers, including: Tomas Hedberg, Deputy President and Deputy CEO, Swedbank Kirsten Renner, Group Chief Information Officer and Head of Technology, Nordea Mark Luscombe, CEO, Sydbank Sander Aasna, Chief Product Officer, SEB Baltics Mette Hindborg Gade, Chief Product Owner, Lunar Julie Chatterjee, Group CEO, Northmill Bank Vegar Heir, Chief Commercial Officer, Vipps MobilePay Beyond the formal sessions, the conference will foster deep networking through curated formats and conclude with an official after-party, providing a platform for the region’s most influential players to forge partnerships. Portugal Tech Week 2026 November 06-15, 2026 Portugal Portugal Tech Week 2026 will take place from November 06 to 15, distinguishing itself as the largest decentralized innovation festival in the country, spanning 20 cities and hosting over 300 free events for an expected 23,000 participants. The festival aims to consolidate Portugal’s position as a global tech hub by democratizing access to innovation, connecting people, startups, and businesses in a dynamic, unbound environment that celebrates the nation’s ambitious growth trajectory. Building on its roots since 2022, which saw over 100 events including the Web Summit, and the expansion in 2023 with support from partners like StartupPortugal and the European Commission, the 2026 edition will scale significantly to include more than 200 scheduled events. The program will be designed to foster technology with purpose, highlighting the startups that are driving transformation and the communities that are leading the way. Web Summit Lisbon 2026 November 09-12, 2026 Lisbon, Portugal Web Summit Lisbon 2026 will take place from November 09 to 12, 2026, in Lisbon, Portugal. As the flagship event of the one of the world’s largest technology conference series, it will bring together over 70,000 participants from more than 160 countries, featuring over 1,000 speakers and 2,000 startups. The gathering will attract professionals from IT, engineering, data science, software development, hardware, Internet-of-Things (IoT), and industrial automation sectors to exchange ideas and shape the future of technology and innovation. Founded in Dublin in 2009 as a small 150-person tech conference, Web Summit has grown exponentially to gather over a million business people worldwide. Its mission centers on creating meaningful connections between CEOs, founders, investors, media, politicians, and cultural figureheads who are reshaping the global landscape. The event typically features multiple tracks covering a wide range of tech themes including AI, fintech and digital finance, startups and scaleups, software-as-a-service (SaaS), cybersecurity and data, and sustainability and future tech. Slush 2026 November 18-19, 2026 Helsinki, Finland Slush 2026 will take place on November 18 and 19, 2026, in Helsinki, Finland. As one of the world’s leading startup events, this year’s event is expected to bring together 13,000 attendees including 6,000 startups and scaleups, 3,500 investors, 1,700 partners, 250 media representatives, and 200 speakers. Founded in 2008 as a small 250-person gathering, Slush has grown into a major hub for European startups, world-class investors, and tech journalists, serving as a “human accelerator” for young people pursuing careers in tech and entrepreneurship. Slush is industry-agnostic and is attended by startups spanning more than 50 sectors, with fintech, SaaS, healthtech, AI, gaming, deeptech, medtech, energy, edtech, and manufacturing leading the pack.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by 21ST via Magnific The post Top 21 Fintech Events in Continental Europe for Late 2026 appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

This year, global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) dealmakers have powered through geopolitical tensions and trade policy uncertainty. In Q1 2026, total deal value reached an estimated US$1.6 trillion, setting a new quarterly record and marking a 50.6% year-over-year (YoY) increase, according to new data released by capital markets research platform PitchBook. The number of transactions also climbed 18% YoY to an 13,877,  landing at the same record levels observed in Q4 2025 and underscoring the strength of the M&A market. Global M&A activity by quarter, Source: Global M&A Report Q1 2026, PitchBook, Apr 2026 Energy leads M&A growth In Q1 2026, investors’ priorities shifted towards the energy sector, which led M&A growth with value up 59.8% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ), followed by business-to-consumer (B2C) at 38.6%. Energy also posted the most dramatic valuation expansion. The enterprise value multiple jumped from about 6.6 times annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, to 9 times those earnings, marking a 36.5% jump. This indicates that investors were willing to pay significantly more for similar levels of profit, which suggests stronger confidence in the sector’s future growth, profitability, or attractiveness. This was driven largely by increased demand for infrastructure and energy-transition-related assets, PitchBook notes. Median M&A EV/EBITDA multiple by sector, Source: Global M&A Report Q1 2026, PitchBook, Apr 2026 SpaceX’s xAI transaction drives IT M&A value IT sector figures were strong as well, primary led by the xAI transaction, a US$250 billion related-party sale to SpaceX with clear shared ownership, which inflated the picture considerably. The transaction helped propel the sector to its highest quarterly value on record to an estimated US$409.5 billion. SpaceX and xAI are two companies founded and led by Elon Musk. This transaction units aerospace capabilities with xAI’s AI and social media assets from X, creating a combined entity valued at US$1.3 trillion. According to PitchBook, this strategic move is a precursor to SpaceX’s anticipated initial public offering (IPO). By merging with xAI before going public, SpaceX is transforming its investor narrative from “rocket developer and Internet provider” into “AI and space-infrastructure platform.” IT M&A activity by quarter, Source: Global M&A Report Q1 2026, PitchBook, Apr 2026 Large transactions dominate financial services M&A Financial services M&A meanwhile held steadily in Q1 2026 against the momentum seen at the end of 2025. Levels remained elevated relative to the sector’s historic figures despite a QoQ decline. In Q1 2026, there were an estimated 976 deals worth a total value of US$170.2 billion in the financial services sector. These totals are over 30% above pre-pandemic averages despite declining 6.5% and 29.8% QoQ, respectively. Financial services M&A activity by quarter, Source: Global M&A Report Q1 2026, PitchBook, Apr 2026 This year, financial services M&A activity continued shifting toward larger transactions. There were 23 financial services megadeals totaling US$108.9 billion in Q1 2026, compared with 19 totaling US$66.2 billion in Q1 2025. Elevated megadeal activity reflects market participants’ push for scale and consolidation in an evolving sector, as well as continued appetite for bold M&A despite macroeconomic volatility, PitchBook says. Asset managers turn to M&A to remain competitive Asset managers were especially active in Q1 2026, turning to M&A to remain competitive. In March, Corebridge Financial acquired Equitable Holdings for US$22 billion to create a retirement, life insurance, wealth, and asset management platform with US$1.5 trillion in assets under management (AUM). The acquisition will expand the offerings available to customers, accelerate technological initiatives, and potentially deliver more than US$500 million in expense synergies by the end of 2028 through the elimination of redundant roles, vendors, and IT systems. The combined company will also enhance origination and investment capabilities through Equitable’s active asset management subsidiary AllianceBernstein, with plans to shift over US$100 billion of Corebridge’s accounts to AllianceBernstein over time. Another notable transaction in Q1 2026 was the acquisition of UK-based Schroders by US asset manager Nuveen. The deal, valued at US$13.5 billion, is set to expand the company’s geographic footprint and create an asset manager with a combined AUM of US$2.5 trillion. Fintech M&A activity declines Fintech M&A activity, meanwhile, continued to decline in Q1 2026, reaching 199 transactions in Q1 2026 and marking a 26% QoQ decline, according to CB Insights data. Notable deals that quarter were concentrated in areas that saw outsized funding growth in 2025, particularly cryptocurrency, spend management, and business-to-business (B2B) technology. In particular, Capital One completed its US$5.3 billion acquisition of Brex, following the spend management sector’s fourfold funding growth in 2024 and 2025; Fireblocks acquired Tres Finance in crypto accounting and tax reporting; and Mastercard announced a US$1.8 billion deal for BVNK in the crypto payment processor vertical, which was up 3.5-fold. The transaction is still pending regulatory approval. Quarterly fintech M&A, Source: State of Fintech Q1 2026, CB Insights, Apr 2026 Public listings also fell in Q1 2026, with only 11 companies going public compared to 24 in Q4 2025. Several high-profile IPOs, including Clear Street and Kraken, were postponed at the start of the year, citing unfavorable market conditions. Notable IPOs in Q1 2026 included PayPay, a Japanese payments app; PicPay, a Brazilian digital bank; and BitGo, a crypto custody firm.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Magnific The post Global M&A Surges and Hits US$1.6 Trillion Record in Q1 2026 appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

AMINA Bank has become the first bank to support Canton Coin (CC), the native token of the Canton Network, by offering custody and trading services to its clients. Canton Network is a public blockchain that focuses on privacy for capital markets. It has recently attracted participation from traditional finance and decentralised finance organisations, including DTCC, Visa and BitGo, which are developing settlement, tokenisation, custody and collateral applications on the network. The network is also building an on-chain capital markets ecosystem covering repo, lending and wrapped asset flows designed for regulated market participants. Through its offering, AMINA will provide institutional clients, including Super Validators and professional investors, with custody and trading access to Canton Coin. The service is delivered through a single FINMA-regulated institution. Myles Harrison, Chief Product Officer at AMINA, said: Myles Harrison “By making Canton Coin available for custody and trading, AMINA is providing clients, whether they are Super Validators or investors seeking exposure to Canton Network’s growth, with the regulated access they need to engage with this ecosystem.” Viv Diwakar, Head of the Canton Foundation, said: Viv Diwakar “For Canton Network participants who need a compliant, supervised home for their Canton Coin holdings, AMINA provides that with the credibility and regulatory standing that the ecosystem demands.” AMINA has previously introduced several digital assets to its institutional client base, including being the first globally to support Ripple USD (RLUSD) and among the first to offer SUI trading and custody. The bank said it intends to continue expanding its involvement in the Canton Network ecosystem as it develops.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by mrsiraphol via Magnific The post AMINA Becomes First Bank to Support Canton Coin Custody and Trading appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Signicat, a European provider of digital identity solutions, has appointed Emma Bauer as Global Chief Product Officer. She will join the leadership team to support the scaling of the company’s Software-as-a-Service platform, as Europe prepares for regulatory changes including eIDAS 2.0 and the EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR). The company noted that the European digital identity market remains uneven, with high adoption of electronic identities in Nordic countries compared with more fragmented approaches in parts of Southern Europe. Signicat has expanded its offering through eight acquisitions, building a product portfolio aimed at supporting cross-border identity and authentication needs for regulated industries and public sector organisations. Emma Bauer began her career as a software developer and has held product leadership roles in technology companies operating in growth environments. Signicat said she brings experience in scaling product organisations and working across distributed teams. As Chief Product Officer, Bauer will oversee product strategy and development, with a focus on incorporating artificial intelligence and maintaining compliance with evolving regulatory requirements across Europe. Emma Bauer “Digital identity is the foundation of a modern society, but differing consumer behaviours and upcoming regulations across Europe create a complex challenge,” said Emma Bauer, CPO of Signicat. “Signicat is positioned to address this by providing a unified platform for cross-border transactions. I was drawn to its purpose, culture, and market position. This is a significant scaling phase, and I look forward to contributing to its development.”     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image digitizesc via Magnific The post Signicat Names Emma Bauer CPO as EU Identity Rules Tighten appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

In the financial services industry, artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved into a mainstream standard, with machine learning (ML), and generative AI (genAI) emerging as the most widely adopted technologies in the category, according to a new study by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) at Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge. However, the realization of profitability gains and operational improvements depend heavily on an organization’s AI maturity, sophistication, and investment levels, the research found. Released in April 2026, the study was conducted between October 2025 and January 2026, and captured insights from 628 financial institutions, AI vendors, and regulatory authorities operating across 151 jurisdictions. Results highlight the widespread adoption of AI in finance, with 81% of industry players now adopting AI at some level and 40% reporting advanced AI adoption, including “Scaling” or “Transforming”. This underscores the industry’s recognition of AI’s critical role in enhancing efficiency, risk management, and customer personalization. AI adoption maturity: industry versus regulators, Source: 2026 Global AI in Financial Services Report: Adoption, Impact and Risks, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), Apr 2026 Fintech firms lead in adoption Findings show a clear divide between fintech companies and incumbents, with fintech firms leading in AI adoption and being more than three times more likely as traditional financial institutions to have reached the “Transforming” stage at 19% versus 6% for incumbents. Conversely, incumbents show higher shares of “Exploring” (21%) and “Piloting” (44%), underscoring slower progression through the AI adoption maturity curve. This disparity reflects the fact that fintech firms are digital-first, more agile adopters of new technologies, whereas traditional financial institutions often face organizational inertia, legacy complexity and more demanding integration and security requirements that complicate the path to scaling deployment. AI adoption maturity by type – fintech firms versus traditional financial institutions, Source: 2026 Global AI in Financial Services Report: Adoption, Impact and Risks, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), Apr 2026 ML and genAI as primary frontiers Looking at specific technologies, the study found that classical ML is the most widely adopted AI technology among the financial services providers, embraced by 75% of respondents. These systems learn statistical patterns from labeled historical data and are commonly applied to fraud scoring, credit underwriting, and anti-money laundering (AML) anomaly detection. However, several newer technologies are rapidly scaling. GenAI, in particular, is recording an adoption rate of 71%. GenAI involves large ML models trained once on a vast corpus of text, code, or other data, and then adapted to many downstream generation tasks. Additionally, agentic AI has emerged as a booming frontier technology, with 52% of industry respondents actively adopting it. This demonstrates rapid uptake in a relatively short period of time. Agentic AI refers to systems that pursue objectives through autonomous, multi-step sequences of actions. Common applications include autonomous trading, dynamic portfolio rebalancing, and real-time risk mitigation. Active AI adoption by AI type and stakeholder group – % active adoption covers Piloting, Scaling or Transforming, Source: 2026 Global AI in Financial Services Report: Adoption, Impact and Risks, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), Apr 2026 AI deployment in financial services The research also looked at the deployment of AI within financial institutions, and found that AI is mostly used in operational and back-office functions. The most mature and widely adopted use cases globally are process automation, data visualization, and software development, with adoption rates of 79%, 75%, and 75%, respectively. Within the front-office, AI-powered customer support leads at 73%, followed by sales, customer relationship management (CRM) and outreach at 67%, and marketing and personalization at 64%. These applications primarily support client relationship management and enhance customer acquisition strategies. Industry AI adoption maturity across use cases, Source: 2026 Global AI in Financial Services Report: Adoption, Impact and Risks, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), Apr 2026 The impact of AI Findings from the study also show that AI adoption is increasingly generating measurable improvements across financial services, especially regarding productivity. The strongest gains were observed in technology, data, and product functions, where 79% of respondents reported positive outcomes. Back office and operations followed closely at 75% overall. AI productivity impact by function and firm type, Source: 2026 Global AI in Financial Services Report: Adoption, Impact and Risks, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), Apr 2026 Crucially, the research found strong correlations between AI maturity, sophistication, and spend. 64% of more mature adopters of AI reported increased profitability compared with 33% of less mature firms. Similarly, 56% of fintech firms recorded productivity gains compared with 34% of financial institutions, a divergence which aligns with the 17% maturity gap in advanced AI adoption between fintech firms and finance incumbents. Investment levels also play a pivotal role, with 61% of firms that invested over US$100,000 in the most recent financial year observing increases in profitability compared to 40% of firms spending less than US$100,000. Furthermore, firms with fully in-house or fine-tuned AI models reported higher profitability gains at 54% compared with those relying on off-the-shelf or vendor-built solutions at 39%. Taken together, these findings indicate that realizing financial value from AI may depend less on adoption alone and more on organizational maturity, technical capability and the level of control over AI development. Reported AI profitability impact across key comparison groups, Source: 2026 Global AI in Financial Services Report: Adoption, Impact and Risks, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), Apr 2026 Workforce implications of AI and future outlook Regarding the impact of AI on employment in the financial services sector, the results show that the actual effect on headcount has remained very limited for the last three years, with 74% of respondents reporting that no significant job losses or gains have been observed due to AI implementation. Looking ahead to 2030, the industry expects structural transformation rather than simple contraction. 25% of firms expect “Reskilling and Transformation” of the workforce. Combined with the 10% of respondents expecting a net increase, a total of 35% of the industry anticipates a future where job roles are transformed through reskilling or positively impacted by the use of AI. Nevertheless, a quarter of firms predict a net reduction in jobs by 2030, with the payments sector being the most pessimistic, with 21% of respondents projecting a significant decline. Expected job impact of AI by 2030 by sub-sector, Source: 2026 Global AI in Financial Services Report: Adoption, Impact and Risks, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), Apr 2026 Challenges to AI adoption Despite growing AI adoption, the CCAF study also highlights persistent challenges, especially around data quality, fragmented systems, technology and infrastructure challenges, and limited institutional capabilities. Data availability and quality are the leading pain point hindering AI adoption, cited by 66% of AI vendors, 46% of regulators, 40% of industry participants. Vendors also reported specifically acute data-related challenges when working with their clients, with 72% citing data quality and completeness, 46% legacy systems and siloed environments, and 41% reporting data-sharing restrictions. For surveyed regulators, lack of AI training and capacity building (48%), talent (47%), and technology and infrastructure (45%) are also core constraints for AI adoption in addition to data issues. Top six pain points for AI adoption by stakeholder group, Source: 2026 Global AI in Financial Services Report: Adoption, Impact and Risks, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), Apr 2026   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by tamirt via Magnific The post AI Adoption in Finance Tops 81% appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Financial technology vendor FIS has partnered with AI company Anthropic to introduce new automation tools for banks. The collaboration centres on deploying FIS Anthropic agentic AI technology to accelerate anti-money laundering investigations and reduce compliance costs. The first product from the partnership, the Financial Crimes AI Agent, cuts the time required to review suspicious activity. The system automatically gathers evidence across a bank’s core platforms, checks account activity against known money laundering patterns, and flags high-risk cases for human review. North American lenders BMO and Amalgamated Bank will be the first financial institutions to deploy the technology. Broader availability for the tool is scheduled for the second half of 2026. Anthropic engineers are working directly with FIS to design the initial agent and train the company’s internal teams. This will allow FIS to build future tools independently. The architecture relies on Anthropic’s Claude models for reasoning. Client data remains entirely within FIS infrastructure to maintain regulatory compliance. Stephanie Ferris “Every bank in the world wants AI that acts, not just assists. The future is about a trusted provider who manages the data, who governs the agents, and who stands between your customers and the AI making decisions about their money.” Stephanie Ferris, CEO and President, FIS, said. Jonathan Pelosi, Head of Financial Services at Anthropic, said FIS provides the regulatory knowledge and transaction data necessary for practical applications. Jonathan Pelosi “They needed a model that could reason through complex investigations accurately, explain its work, and operate safely inside regulated workflows,” Pelosi said. Scaling FIS Anthropic agentic AI in banking Banks currently spend billions annually on compliance operations. A large portion of this cost stems from investigators manually compiling data from disconnected systems before they can begin their analysis. The new tool connects to both FIS and proprietary bank systems to assemble complete case files at the start of an investigation. Following the release of the compliance tool, FIS plans to expand its AI roadmap. Future applications will focus on credit decisions, customer onboarding, and fraud prevention.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by topntp26 via Magnific The post FIS and Anthropic Launch Agentic AI for Bank AML Investigations appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

SIX has received approval from the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) to merge its digital central securities depository, SIX Digital Exchange, into SIX SIS. The consolidation brings digital and traditional asset services under a single legal entity, forming the basis for integrated post-trade services across both asset classes. Separately, SIX has also obtained FINMA approval to offer crypto custody services through its licensed central securities depository. The development allows financial institutions to access crypto custody within the same regulated infrastructure used for traditional securities. According to SIX, the arrangement will operate under a combined model that links traditional and digital assets through a single post-trade environment, aiming to reduce operational complexity. Rafael Moral Santiago “Our objective is to provide financial institutions with a unified, secure, and regulated gateway to digital assets,” said Rafael Moral Santiago, Head Securities Services and member of the Executive Board at SIX. “By extending our CSD infrastructure to include crypto custody and integrating digital asset capabilities into our core offering, we combine digital asset innovation with the regulatory certainty and operational robustness of established financial market infrastructure.”     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by topntp26 via Magnific The post SIX to Merge Digital Exchange into SIS After FINMA Crypto Custody Approval appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Santander has agreed to participate in funding rounds totalling approximately £550 million for Ebury, its cross-border payments and international trade platform. Centerbridge Partners is leading the investment alongside existing backers Santander, Vitruvian Partners and 83North. Santander will invest £50 million and retain a 55% majority stake. The parties will execute the transactions in two stages, subject to regulatory approval. Ebury operates in 30 regulated markets and serves over 27,000 businesses. Its platform enables payments in more than 140 currencies across 160 countries. It also allows clients to manage foreign exchange risk, transfer funds between subsidiaries in real time, and integrate with financial systems. Since Santander invested in 2020, Ebury has grown its revenue by more than 30% annually. The company will use the proceeds to expand geographically and develop new products. It also plans to strengthen its AI capabilities to improve payment processing, optimise foreign exchange services and enhance the client experience. Ana Botín, Executive Chair of Banco Santander, said: Ana Botín “These transactions support both Ebury’s continued growth and Santander’s focus on disciplined capital allocation and value creation. The additional investments will enable Ebury to scale faster and enhance its offering to SMEs globally.” Juan Lobato, Ebury’s CEO, said: Juan Lobato “These investments come at a pivotal time, as the evolution of digital money infrastructure and agentic payment workflows will provide strong tailwinds and further accelerate our growth.” After completion, Santander will apply the equity method to account for its stake, which will remove Ebury’s revenues and costs from its consolidated reporting with minimal impact on the income statement. The transaction should add around four basis points to CET1, with completion expected by the first quarter of 2027.     Featured image credit: Ebury press release The post Santander Raises Stake to 55% as Ebury Secures £550M Funding Round appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

The global fintech industry has entered a new era defined not by speculative exuberance but by a balanced focus on scalability, profitability, and operational and regulatory maturity. A new report by McKinsey & Company, in partnership with QED Investors, offers an overview of this landscape, outlining four trends shaping this “new age” of fintech. The report highlights artificial intelligence (AI) and digital assets as pivotal technologies driving efficiency and unlocking new business opportunities. It also notes a strategic shift among established firms towards securing banking licenses to fully integrated financial institutions that control the entire value chain. Finally, the report identifies the rise of “horizontal” fintech companies. These software providers, which are helping modernize incumbents, are experiencing robust growth and attracting investors. AI as the great accelerant AI represents the most consequential force reshaping fintech, acting as an accelerant behind most structural trends that have been eroding incumbent advantages for years. Fintech firms are deploying AI to build products in weeks rather than years, serve customer segments that were previously not economically viable, and compress cost structures so aggressively that legacy operating models cannot compete on price. Early adopters are already tangible returns. According to a 2026 report by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, AI adoption in financial services is generating measurable improvements, especially in technology, data, and product functions, where 79% of respondents reported positive outcomes. Fintech firms reported greater benefits than traditional firms, with 86% observing gains compared to 68% for incumbents. Back office and operations followed closely at 75% overall, with fintech and traditional firms reporting similar results at 76% and 72%, respectively, indicating that operational automation is delivering consistent benefits across firm types regardless of origin. AI productivity impact by function and firm type, Source: 2026 Global AI in Financial Services Report – Adoption, Impact and Risks, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, Apr 2026 However, McKinsey warns that for incumbents that have not yet moved decisively, the competitive gap is widening. As for scaled fintech companies, AI has now become a double-edged sword that powers their current advantage while also simultaneously lowering the barriers that once protected them from the next wave of insurgents. Stablecoins for payment transactions Another key trend highlighted by McKinsey is the rise of digital assets, including stablecoins and tokenized deposits. Stablecoins offer instant, near-free settlement, making them highly promising for cross-border payments and remittances. However, the report notes that the use of stablecoins for real-world applications remains modest, with the vast majority still utilized for trading, arbitrage, and crypto-native activities. Of the US$35 trillion in reported annual stablecoin transaction volume, only US$390 billion, or about 1%, represented true end user payments such as remittances, and supplier payments, in 2025, according to McKinsey estimates. This figure represents a small fraction of total volume that is nevertheless more than double the 2024 level, underscoring growing utility. Annualized stablecoin volume, by type, estimate, US$ trillion, Source: McKinsey, Feb 2026 The stablecoin market has expanded rapidly in recent years, and industry forecasts reflect strong expectations for continued growth. Citi believe that total stablecoin issuance could reach between US$1.9 trillion and US$4 trillion by 2030. In comparison, aggregate stablecoin supply stood at US$280 billion in September 2025, up 40% from approximately US$200 billion at the start of 2025. This reflects a surge in adoption and increasing integration of stablecoins into payment systems. Estimating stablecoin market size by 2030 (US$ billion), Source: Stablecoins 2030: Web3 to Wall Street, Citi Institute Global Perspectives and Solutions, Sep 2025 Banking licenses as strategic assets The third trend highlighted by McKinsey is the accelerating race to secure banking licenses. These licenses are no longer perceived as regulatory hurdles but rather strategic assets that allow fintech companies to transition from peripheral service providers to fully integrated financial institutions. In 2025 alone, 21 fintech firms applied for banking charters in the US, a figure that exceeds the previous four years combined. These include industry giants such as PayPal, Ripple, and Interactive Brokers. Number of new bank charter applications to the US Office of Comptroller of the Currency, Source: The new age of fintech: AI, digital assets, and new paths to success, McKinsey and QED Investors, Apr 2026 Securing a banking license grants these companies direct control over their financial infrastructure, significantly reducing operational costs and unlocking superior scalability. They can accept customer deposits for a more stable source of funding, and connect directly to payment systems, removing dependency on intermediary banks. They can also offer a broader range of financial services under one roof, improving margins and customer retention. For crypto-focused companies like Ripple, a banking license also provides regulatory legitimacy and closer integration with the traditional financial system. The rise of horizontal fintech Finally, the fourth and last trend highlighted by McKinsey is the rise of horizontal fintech, a sector that’s gathering momentum and attracting a disproportionate share of investment. Horizontal fintech firms are software companies and ecosystem enablers that help digitize incumbents and improve efficiency across the financial-services value chain. For example, agentic AI players like Omilia offers self-learning AI solutions for regulated industries like financial services that can be deployed quickly and deliver cost and customer benefits within days. Others, like Alloy and Footprint, provide automated identity decisioning and risk management tools used by banks, credit unions, and fintech startups to automate know-your-customer (KYC), know-your-business (KYB), and anti-money-laundering (AML) screening and fraud detection. Today, horizontal fintech companies represent about 13% of industry revenues, but have grown 25% faster than firms directly competing with financial-services players over the past four years. This accelerated growth stems from their role as enablers of the entire industry’s transformation. These companies are less dependent on consumer trends and are driven by the structural necessity for banks to modernize. This makes their growth trajectory more robust and resilient to market saturation. Investors are increasingly recognizing the potential of these firms. In 2021, firms underwriting insurance direct to customers attracted 75% of investment in the UK’s insurtech industry, while horizontal insurtech firms attracted just 25%. By 2024, that proportion had flipped, with more than 90% of funding going to insurtech firms focused on digitizing incumbents. UK insurtech funding, by business model, % of total funding, Source: The new age of fintech: AI, digital assets, and new paths to success, McKinsey and QED Investors, Apr 2026     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by geetaroy via Magnific The post McKinsey Report: A New Era of Fintech appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Zühlke has announced the acquisition of nxt digital, a boutique advisory firm focused on digital transformation in financial services. nxt digital will continue to operate as a separate entity under the name nxt, part of Zühlke Group. The acquisition combines Zühlke’s engineering and delivery capabilities with nxt digital’s banking sector expertise and executive advisory services. The firms said the combined offering is intended to provide end-to-end support for financial services clients, from strategy and advisory through to implementation. Gregor Bieler “This acquisition brings together best-in-class capabilities in financial services transformation. By combining strategic advisory with our strong engineering and execution expertise, we can deliver even greater value and measurable impact for our clients,” said Gregor Bieler, CEO of Zühlke Group. For clients operating in complex, technology-driven environments, the integrated approach is expected to support more coordinated delivery across strategy and execution. Zühlke and nxt digital have worked together since 2024. The acquisition is intended to support growth for both organisations and expand their joint offering, particularly in the insurance sector. Fabian Lötscher “Joining Zühlke is a natural next step following our successful collaboration. It allows us to scale our consulting expertise on a broader platform, access new opportunities, and continue growing our business, while delivering even greater value to our clients,” said Fabian Lötscher, Founding Partner at nxt digital.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Frolopiaton Palm via Magnific The post Zühlke Acquires nxt Digital to Boost Financial Services Push appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

This year, global fintech funding is flowing towards scaled banking startups competing directly with traditional banks, as well as digital asset companies despite overall funding volumes continuing to contract, according to new data released by CB Insights. In Q1 2026, late-stage deal share in banking reached 35%, more than twice the quarterly average of 2024-2025. At the same time, total banking fell to a multi-year low of 34, and total funding dropped to US$934 million, roughly half of US$1.8 billion raised during the same period last year. Of the capital still entering the banking vertical this year, funding is concentrated on established banking competitors rather than banking enablers like core systems and digital onboarding providers, which saw declines. Among the top ten banking deals in Q1 2026, eight went to banking challengers competing for deposits and customer relationships. These include: Uala, an Argentinian digital bank targeting consumer banking across Latin America (LatAm) which raised a US$195 million Series F at a US$3.2 billion valuation to support regional growth; Allica Bank, a digital bank for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that raised a US$150 million Series D at a US$1.2 billion valuation to fuel lending growth, deepen investment in its proprietary stack, and expand outside of its UK home market; Anchorage Digital, a federally chartered digital asset bank in the US that raised a US$100 million Series E at a US$4.2 billion valuation to build federally chartered crypto banking infrastructure; and Uzum, an Uzbekistan-based digital platform combining e-commerce, fintech, and logistics, which raised US$82 million in a Series C to expand product depth, strengthen infrastructure, and increase access to digital services nationwide. Top digital banking equity deals in Q1 2026, Source: State of Fintech Q1 2026, CB Insights, Apr 2026 Crypto startups: high valuation relative to team size Another notable trend this year is the high valuation of crypto startups despite their small sizes. In Q1 2026, these ventures commanded an average valuation of US$6.4 million per employee, nearly twice the broader fintech average of US$3.5 million per employee. This suggests that investors are placing bigger bets on smaller crypto teams, expecting them to generate substantial value with leaner operations. This is partly due to their use of blockchain technology and smart contracts, which allow them to automate settlement, reconciliation, and custody work that would otherwise require large operations teams. CB Insights data show that of the top ten deals in Q1 2026 by valuation per employee, seven are crypto startups. These include World Liberty Financial, a crypto-focused financial company and a business venture of the Trump family with a valuation per employee of US$60 million; Kalshi, a prediction with a valuation per employee of US$48.5 million; and Rain, a enterprise-grade infrastructure for stablecoin-powered payments with a valuation per employee of US$16.8 million. Top fintech companies by valuation per employee, Source: State of Fintech Q1 2026, CB Insights, Apr 2026 Fintech M&A declines In Q1 2026, fintech mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity continued its downward trend. The quarter saw 199 transactions, marking a 26% decrease from Q4 3035 and reaching a six-quarter low. Notable deals this quarter were concentrated in areas that saw outsized funding growth in 2025, particularly cryptocurrency, spend management, and business-to-business (B2B) technology. In particular, Capital One completed its US$5.3 billion acquisition of Brex, following the spend management sector’s fourfold funding growth in 2024 and 2025. Fireblocks acquired Tres Finance in crypto accounting and tax reporting, and Mastercard announced a US$1.8 billion deal for BVNK in the crypto payment processor vertical, which was up 3.5-fold. The transaction is still pending regulatory approval. Quarterly fintech M&A, Source: State of Fintech Q1 2026, CB Insights, Apr 2026 Public listings also declined in Q1 2026, with only 11 companies going public compared to 24 in Q4 2025. Notable initial public offerings (IPOs) include PayPay, a Japanese payments app valued at more than US$10 billion when it debuted in March; PicPay, a Brazilian digital bank valued at about US$2.6 billion during its IPO in January; and BitGo, a crypto custody firm valued at US$2.1 billion when it completed its public listing in January. Several high-profile IPOs were postponed at the start of the year. Clear Street, which provides a modern, cloud-native platform for institutional investors and family offices, cited unfavorable market conditions, while crypto exchange Kraken has deterred its IPO plans until conditions improve, two people with knowledge of the matter told CoinDesk. Top fintech IPOs in Q1 2026, Source: State of Fintech Q1 2026, CB Insights, Apr 2026 Fintech funding continues to slump Fintech deals continued to fall in Q1 2026, totaling 762 transactions and marking a fifth consecutive quarterly decline and multi-year low. However, funding dollars rebounded to prior levels at US$12.1 billion following a Q4 2025 spike. This suggests that capital is concentrating on fewer companies, later in their lifecycle, with greater conviction. This trend is reflected in larger deal sizes. In 2026 year-to-date (YTD), the average deal size stood at US$22.5, marking a new high and a 10.8% increase from 2025. Median deal size also rose to US$6 million, growing 27.7% from US$4.7 million in 2025. Annual average and median deal size, Source: State of Fintech Q1 2026, CB Insights, Apr 2026 This year, AI remained the dominant investment theme, totaling US$226.2 billion in venture capital (VC) funding raised in Q1 2026 and representing 79% of all funding for the quarter. AI secured some of the period’s largest transactions, including US$122 billion for OpenAI, US$30 billion for Anthropic, US$16 billion for Waymo, and US$7.5 billion for xAI. Market outlook Looking ahead, industry experts expect several trends to shape the 2026 fintech landscape. Stablecoins and other digital assets are poised to continue to gain momentum as traditional corporates, maturing startups, and new startups capitalize on new opportunities amid enhanced regulatory certainty. Capital markets are set to experience significant disruption throughout 2026, with investors looking at all aspects of the market, from equity, stocks, and shares to debt capital markets, project and export finance, and the shift to private credit. Finally, asset management will remain an area of interest as well-established managers start to take significant strides to improve the efficiency of their front, middle, and back offices, including moving to the cloud, embracing data solutions, integrating AI agent, and tokenizing funds.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by freepik via Magnific The post Fintech Deals Target Banking Challengers and Emerging Crypto Startups appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

By 2030, tokenized assets, stablecoins, and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) will no longer be experimental concepts, but will be industry staples. According to a new report by IBM, these technologies are poised to dominate retail payment systems, disrupt wholesale payment rails, and revolutionize capital markets. The report shares insights from a global survey and perspectives of 500 financial services executives. It outlines three scenarios for how tokenization will reshape banking through 2030, detailing each of these scenarios’ distinct advantages and drawbacks. CBDCs take over retail payment systems The first scenario involves CBDCs taking over retail payment systems. In this vision, governments and central banks gain greater oversight of monetary flows, enabling faster fund distribution to citizens and reducing bureaucratic friction, while committing to preserve privacy rights. Everyday users benefit from lower transaction fees. For traditional banks, this scenario poses a relevant threat. If CBDCs sideline card networks and conventional accounts, banks could forfeit billions in interchange fees and deposit-based interest income, as well as the strategic advantage that comes with controlling transaction data. To remain relevant, banks would need to redefine their value proposition, shifting toward advisory services, holistic digital wealth management, or custody of tokenized assets. One-third of the executives polled by IBM believe CBDCs are very likely to replace traditional card networks. Stablecoins replace payment rails Privately-issued stablecoins backed by assets like fiat or treasuries offer reliability, potential yields, and programmability. These features make them a compelling choice for enterprises, especially when operating cross-border. Widespread adoption of privately-issued stablecoins would enable borderless, instant payments, optimized liquidity through built-in yield features, and innovative business models that streamline global finance. However, it would also introduce risks to traditional banks. Programmable payments and smart contracts could spike liquidity demands, forcing enterprises to hold more idle capital to avoid balance sheet strain. Furthermore, if major corporations issue their own stablecoins, a scenario 42% of executives see as likely, banks could see transaction fees evaporate, deposit bases shrink, and customer data slip away. To counter this, banks can adopt tokenized deposits and tokenize their operations to realize substantial cost efficiencies and boost profit margins. They can also evolve into full-service providers for tokenized operations, from digital custody to liquidity optimization, and offer bridge platforms to foster interoperability across a fragmented stablecoin ecosystem. Tokenized securities overtake traditional market infrastructure In this scenario, exchanges, clearing houses and custodians fade into the background as blockchain platforms handle issuance, trading and settlement directly. The benefits here include near-real-time transactions, automated compliance, and fractional ownership that broadens investor access. For established intermediaries, this would bring a mix of threats and opportunities. Margins might tighten as trading and reconciliation costs plummet, cannibalizing existing revenue. Executives rank these concerns as the top two major threats they face. However, new niches could emerge, such as enhanced liquidity services, compliance tools, and integrated risk management. Similarly, investors and issuers would gain efficiency and agility, but also face fresh vulnerabilities. Wallets and smart contracts could become primary targets of cyberattacks, and regulators would grapple with overseeing decentralized networks to ensure transparency, prevent market abuse, and uphold standards in a programmable financial ecosystem. 18% of the financial executives polled by IBM believe it is very likely that tokenized securities will overtake traditional capital markets infrastructure. The state of tokenization While the future of the tokenized economy remains uncertain and is still unfolding, industry stakeholders agree that the technology is here to stay and are aggressively moving toward adoption. 26% of industry executives say tokenization is now core to their strategic direction. However, only 9% report being live or ready to deploy initiatives in 2026, reflecting persistant implementation gaps. Talent is a key factor holding them back, with 71% of executives stating that they face talent deficiencies, with 14% saying these gaps are profoundly limiting. Despite the challenges, IBM expects 2026 to be a turning point for tokenization, propelled by accelerating development fueled by advancing regulation, including the US GENIUS Act, maturing blockchain technologies, and the transition of pilots to live deployments. Notable examples include parts of Singapore’s Project Guardian ecosystem, China’s e-CNY, and Cambodia’s blockchain-based retail system Bakong. Market projections Estimates by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and ADDX suggest that tokenized assets could reach US$16 trillion by 2030, which would represent nearly 10% of global GDP. McKinsey offers more modest baselines, projecting between US$2 trillion and US$4 trillion in total tokenized market capitalization, excluding cryptocurrencies, by decade’s end. Asset tokenization by 2030, Source: Boston Consulting Group and ADDX, Sep 2022 Looking ahead to 2030, banks are expected to play different roles in the tokenized economy. Financial executives polled by IBM anticipate their institutions will participate across multiple roles, with service providers (64%), custodian services (61%), and issuer roles (56%) cited most frequently. Interestingly, only 32% see their organization actively providing wallet solutions, despite wallets being a primary client touchpoint in a tokenized economy.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by ahmedemad11 via Magnific The post Tokenization, Stablecoins and CBDCs in 2030 appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

In 2026, global retail crypto activity continued to fall, driven primarily by macroeconomic tightening and reduced retail participation. According to blockchain intelligence company TRM Labs, retail crypto activity in the first quarter of the year reached US$979 billion, marking the continuation of a two-quarter contraction, and following a significant 23% drop in Q4 2025. This signals a sustained pullback in retail engagement across the sector. Compared to the same period last year, global retail crypto activity went down 11%. According to the firm, this downturn has been largely fueled by a global risk-off environment characterized by uncertainty surrounding US tariff policy, a strengthening US dollar, and elevated real yields. These factors have put pressure on the price of cryptocurrencies, with Bitcoin declining 22% over the quarter, ending near US$68,000. This pattern is consistent with how crypto had behaved across previous market cycles. Bitcoin returns are more often than not aligned with broader macro regimes, with strong performance during periods of liquidity expansion and sharp drawdowns during risk-off episodes, such as the 2022 tightening cycle. Steep declines in Asia Across the top ten countries by retail volume in Q1 2026, South Korea recorded the steepest decline. Ranking second globally, South Korea saw its volume fall 31% year-over-year (YoY) to reach US$66.6 billion in Q1 2026 from US$96.1 billion a year prior. This sharp contraction reflects the outsized role of domestic retail speculation in a market sensitive to global risk sentiment, the report says. Vietnam and Ukraine also experienced significant downturns, each recording YoY declines of 22%. Retail volume in Vietnam dropped to US$31.6 billion in Q1 2026 while Ukraine fell to US$31.6 billion. Despite these declines, the two countries remained significant players in the global retail crypto landscape, ranking eighth and ninth, respectively, in Q1 2026. Top 10 countries by retail crypto volume, Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025, Source: TRM Labs and SimilarWeb, Apr 2026 In Q1 2026, the US maintained its position as the largest market for retail crypto volume at US$213.3 billion. The figure is nearly three times the next largest market, South Korea. Following these is Russia with a volume of US$47.5 billion in Q1 2026, sustained in part by activity on Grinex, which filled the void left by the enforcement actions against Garantex. Crypto volumes sustained in Russia despite sanctions Garantex was sanctioned by authorities for facilitating money laundering and illicit financial activity. Investigations by the US Treasury found that the exchange had received millions of dollars in crypto transactions associated with darknet markets, ransomware, and state-sponsored hacking groups. Grinex emerged as a successor or rebrand of the sanctioned Russian exchange, sharing infrastructure, funds, and activity patterns. Although registered in Kyrgyzstan, Grinex has strong ties to Russia and is one of the largest exchanges for exchanging Russian rubles for cryptocurrencies. The US has stated that Grinex is helping customers circumvent sanctions via a RUB-backed stablecoin called A7A5. This comes as Russia’s major banks are being disconnected from the international SWIFT system following EU sanctions related to the military campaign in Ukraine, prompting the nation to develop sophisticated crypto infrastructure to facilitate foreign trade. In April 2026, however, Grinex announced that it had suspended its operations after assets worth RUB 1 billion (US$13.1 million) were stolen during a cyberattack, Reuters reports. Escalating pressure on Iran In Q1 2026, retail crypto activity in Iran unfolded amidst heightened geopolitical tension and escalating sanctions enforcement targeting the country’s financial infrastructure. In January, the US Treasury took the step of sanctioning two crypto exchanges, Zedcex and Zedxion, for facilitating transactions tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), marking the first time digital asset platforms were designated for operating in Iran’s financial sector. Consequently, crypto activity in Iran fell significantly. Iranian-attributed crypto volumes declined 59% from a peak of US$2.1 billion in Q4 2024 to US$510 million in Q1 2026, reaching their lowest levels in the past year. Total incoming volume to Iranian-registered VASPs (US$ million), Source: TRM Labs, Apr 2026 Turkey as a top mover Compared to its international counterparts, Turkey performed relatively better, rising from seventh place in Q1 2025 to fifth in Q1 2026 despite a slight 7% YoY decline in volume to US$34.9 billion. Last year, Turkey dominated value received in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) with nearly US$200 billion between July 2024 to July 2025. The figure is almost four times that of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which follows as the second-largest market in the region at US$53 billion, according to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis. Top countries in MENA by total value received, July 2024 – June 2025, Source: The 2025 Geography of Crypto Report, Chainalysis, Oct 2025 These large volumes are being partly attributed to Turkey’s challenging economic circumstances, including currency devaluation and inflationary pressures. This has driven crypto adoption for economic necessity, serving as an alternative financial infrastructure and an investment vehicle to escape financial hardship. Chainalysis estimates that gross crypto inflows in Turkey totaled approximately US$878 billion between early 2021 and mid-2025, outpacing all other regional markets. Cumulative gross cryptocurrency inflows in MENA, Source: The 2025 Geography of Crypto Report, Chainalysis, Oct 2025 Stablecoin use surges in Venezuela Another bright spot this year is the rise of crypto activity, and most particularly stablecoins, within the sanction-constrained economy of Venezuela. In January 2026, US authorities escalated pressure on the Maduro regime through a superseding indictment and a military operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture and removal from power, intensifying uncertainty around the country’s political and economic outlook. Against this backdrop, Venezuela witnessed a relative surge in crypto activity. In Q1 2026, the country rose to become the 17th largest retail crypto market by volume with US$17.9 billion, up from 22nd in Q1 2025. In particular, stablecoins, particularly those pegged to the USD, dominated Venezuelan crypto activity, accounting for a large share of transaction activity in the country. Three structural factors are driving this pattern, namely local currency instability, capital controls with restricted banking access, and the longstanding habit of using of informal exchange channels. EUR-denominated stablecoins gain ground Though globally, USD-denominated stablecoins are seeing a decline in volume, EUR-denominated stablecoins are experiencing significant growth. In January 2025, USD stablecoins processed at retail virtual asset service providers (VASPs) totaled US$310 billion. By March 2026, that figure stood at US$274 billion. In contrast, EUR-denominated stablecoins grew from US$69 million in January 2025 to US$777 million in March 2026, representing a 12-fold increase over 15 months. TRM Labs attributes this growth to several factors, including the introduction of the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, which is providing clear rules for stablecoin issuance and compliancey; ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty and US-centric financial conditions prompting demand for diversification; and European exchange and payment providers increasingly supporting EUR-denominated products, making it easier for users to enter and exit crypto markets without converting into USD.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by MDStudio via Magnific The post Global Retail Crypto Activity Falls Amid Geopolitical Tensions appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

LemFi has announced a £100 million commitment to the UK economy over the next five years, alongside the establishment of London as its global headquarters. Bilateral trade between the UK and Nigeria now reaches £8.1 billion annually, and the UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) describes the commitment as the largest single fintech investment pledge facilitated under the UK–Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership. He added that it also reinforces the UK’s position as a hub for high-growth firms supporting more accessible financial services for diaspora communities. Rian Cochran, Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer of Lemfi, said the company’s global workforce informs its product development. Rian Cochran “Our team across five continents reflects every corridor we serve; to us, that lived experience is not a diversity metric; it is our product advantage,” he said, adding that centralising operations in London would support infrastructure and regulatory engagement across markets. The company will direct the £100 million commitment towards hiring across engineering, compliance and product functions, expanding regulatory and compliance infrastructure, and continuing investment in technology and research and development. The announcement follows LemFi’s 2025 acquisition of London-based credit fintech Pillar and regulatory approval in Ireland to acquire Bureau Buttercrane, extending access to the European Economic Area. The company currently holds licenses and approvals in the UK, Ireland, Australia and 14 US states.     Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by 21studio via Magnific The post LemFi Commits £100M to UK Expansion, Names London as Global HQ appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.