The Electronic Money Association (EMA) is excited to announce its upcoming conference, Innovate, Compete, Succeed: The Future of Digital Payments, scheduled for January 27, 2025, at the Renaissance Marriott Hotel in Brussels. This full-day event aims to gather industry leaders, regulators, and innovators to explore the rapid transformation, growth drivers, and emerging regulatory challenges in digital payments, e-money, and crypto payments.
Conference Overview
As the financial landscape undergoes significant changes, the EMA Conference 2025 provides a platform for stakeholders to discuss and shape the future of digital payments. The event will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, focusing on key themes such as:
- Future Forms of Fintech Payments: Exploring the latest trends and innovations in financial technology and their impact on payment systems.
- Combating Fraud in Payments: Addressing strategies to prevent fraud, enhance data sharing, and allocate liability effectively.
- The Evolution of E-money and Crypto: Discussing the roles of stablecoins, cryptocurrencies, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and e-money in the evolving financial ecosystem.
- Open Banking: Analyzing the advancements in open banking, its impact on competition, and the future of payment architectures.
- Technology Innovation and Competition: Evaluating how technological advancements drive competition and innovation in the payments industry.
The conference will feature a stellar lineup of keynote speakers, including global thought leaders and innovators who are shaping the payments and digital finance landscape. Among the highlights will be discussions on the role of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), the rise of embedded finance, and the future of cross-border payments.
Some speakers include:
- Alexandra Jour-Schroeder: Deputy Director General, DG FISMA, European Commission
- Barbara O’Beirne: CEO, Stripe Technology Europe
- William Olgiati: General Manager, Payment Acceptance & Experience, Amazon EU/UK
- Pietro Candela: General Manager of Alipay+ Europe, Ant International
- Arun Tharmarajah: Head of European Banking & Payments, Wise
Additional speakers from organizations such as Kraken, Meta, Monerium, GoCardless, and the European Payments Council will also contribute their expertise.
Why Attend?
The EMA 2025 Conference comes at a time when the financial industry faces both unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges. The proliferation of digital payment methods, the growing influence of cryptocurrencies, and the increasing importance of financial inclusion are reshaping how money is managed and exchanged.
For businesses, understanding these trends is no longer optional—it’s essential for staying competitive in a rapidly changing market. The conference will provide actionable insights to help companies adapt to new consumer expectations, harness cutting-edge technologies, and navigate an evolving regulatory landscape.
Similarly, for policymakers and regulators, the conference offers a unique opportunity to engage with industry leaders and gain a deeper understanding of the technological advancements driving the sector. This collaboration is vital for creating balanced regulations that encourage innovation while safeguarding consumers.
The EMA Conference 2025 offers a unique opportunity to:
- Gain insights from leading experts and policymakers on the future of digital payments.
- Engage in thought-provoking discussions on emerging trends and regulatory challenges.
- Network with professionals across the digital payments sector.
- Explore strategies to innovate and compete successfully in the evolving financial landscape.
As Thaer Sabri, CEO of the EMA, emphasizes, “As the payments industry undergoes rapid transformation, this conference provides an important platform to explore the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.”