I recently had the privilege of attending FIBE 2025 – the Fintech & Finance Festival held on 9–10 April at CityCube Berlin. With over 2,000 attendees and 214 speakers from 19 countries across the globe, the event was a dynamic convergence of innovation, regulation, and collaboration in the financial technology sector.
The festival commenced with a compelling keynote by Dan Schulman, former CEO of PayPal, who asserted that artificial intelligence will reshape financial services more in the next five years than in the past fifty. He emphasised the transformative potential of autonomous AI agents in replacing parts of the workforce and advocated for stablecoins as the future of payments, over Bitcoin or meme coins.
On the Festival Stage, Valentin Stalf, Co-CEO of N26, discussed the company's strategic shift from customer acquisition to profitability, focusing on core European markets. He hinted at a potential public listing in the coming years.
A significant panel on the Digital Euro featured Burkhard Balz (Deutsche Bundesbank), Patricia Battenberg (Worldline), and Fredrik Neumann, who highlighted Europe's need to reduce dependence on non-European payment infrastructures, targeting a 2028 launch for the Digital Euro.
Alexandra Mousavizadeh, CEO of Evident, emphasised the competitive edge early adopters of AI are gaining, cautioning that banks lacking AI capabilities may face existential risks.
It was great to see that our colleague Oana Ifrim had the chance to moderate two panels. In the first one, Orna Carni, Nigel Jankelson, and Dr. Christian Reichmayr shared their insights on the road of insurance as a financial service, the rise of tech and AI, and the keys to longetivity and sucess in this industry.
In the second panel, Oana asked her guests what does it take to move beyond banking in terms of discovering new revenue streams and business models? She gathered valuable insights from Oliver Mohseni Skoglund, Roger Berger, and Igor Tomych.
The second day delved into the Open Data Economy, with a panel led by Natalie Staniewicz discussing the Financial Data Access (FIDA) initiative. Experts like Nicola Breyer and Norbert Broeckmann stressed the importance of treating data as a strategic asset and warned that organisations lagging in data strategy are already behind.
A panel on regulation and fintechs, moderated by Susanne Chishti, explored how frameworks like MiCA and DORA are harmonising EU regulations. Discussions included the role of encrypted data collaboration in combating fraud and the benefits of regulatory sandboxes for smaller fintechs.
In a candid conversation, Francesco Cometa, Renate Prinz, and Dr. Lea Maria Siering shared real-world challenges in implementing DORA, noting that while German institutions had a head start, issues like contract management and compliance resources remain hurdles.
The day concluded with a great session moderated by Oana Ifrim on the evolution from Open Banking to Stablecoins. Matt Colebourne and Ferdinand Dabitz discussed the underutilisation of APIs by banks and the potential of stablecoins to simplify cross-border payments, respectively. Tanuj Pasupuleti highlighted Europe's need to catch up with countries like Brazil and India in instant payment infrastructure.
FIBE 2025 was a testament to the rapid evolution of the fintech landscape, offering invaluable insights into the future of finance. The festival's blend of high-profile keynotes, in-depth panels, and networking opportunities underscored the importance of collaboration and innovation in navigating the complexities of financial technology.
A heartfelt thank you to all the organisers, speakers, and attendees who made FIBE 2025 an unforgettable experience.
Vlad is a Senior Editor at The Paypers, working in the Banking & Fintech team. He uses his research, content, and people skills for all activities revolving around Open Banking and Open Finance. Vlad has a degree in Biology and Molecular Genetics and an extensive background in creative writing. You can reach out to him on LinkedIn or email.
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