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🇫🇷 EDFA at FinTech R:Evolution | Paris

EDFA took part in FinTech R:Evolution, the flagship annual event hosted by our member France FinTech at Station F. The day brought together policymakers, investors, and ecosystem representatives for debates on the future of digital finance in Europe.

👉 Read the recap

☕ FiDA Breakfast | Brussels

Can FiDA scale European innovation before it moves elsewhere? On 23 April, EDFA hosted a closed-door session in Brussels bringing together MEPs, the European Commission, and industry leaders to tackle the realities of Open Finance. Through live use cases from Swimbird and Intellitech, the discussion highlighted a critical divide: while innovation is already happening through bilateral deals and web crawling, a formal FiDA framework will decide if these solutions scale within Europe, or outside of it.

👉 Read the full recap

🎙️ DLT Pilot Regime: In Conversation with Ondrej Dusílek 🇨🇿

Country Highlight: Why the Czech Republic isn't waiting for the DLT revolution

Ahead of the Fintech Roadmap conference in Prague (14 May), the team at Fintech Roadmap sat down with Ondřej Dusílek, CEO of the Central Securities Depository Prague. In a candid interview, Dusílek explains why the Depository is building its own DLT registry now to avoid a "Kodak moment," and why the biggest hurdles to European tokenisation aren't technical, they’re legal.

👉 Read the interview

🎟️ Register for Fintech Roadmap

☕ Fintech Café - April 2026

The April edition of the Fintech Café focused on regional collaboration among European fintech associations and the cross-border initiatives taking shape across the network. The session highlighted several upcoming moments where members will engage jointly, including a co-organised event at Money20/20 Europe, the Future Finance Fest, the Norway Fintech Festival, and Baltic Fintech Days. The group also discussed the recently released 28th Regime and its implications for fintech players across the Single Market.

The next Fintech Café takes place on 4 May.
👉 Register here

🎙️EDFA at the EU Roundtable of Financial Centres | Tallinn

EDFA was represented at the EU Roundtable of Financial Centres, hosted by our member FinanceEstonia in Tallinn on 15–16 April. EDFA President Alessandra Guion spoke on the role of digital finance in strengthening global financial hubs, joined by Board Member Karsten Wenzlaff as part of the delegation representing our community.

👉 Read more

Working Group Updates

Is your association a member of EDFA?

Join our working groups to contribute to key policy discussions and ensure your voice is heard at the European level. 

👉Register here

Working Group Highlights

EDFA’s working groups continue to bring together experts and members from across Europe to discuss key developments shaping the future of digital finance.

• AI Digital and Data Security Working Group
  In a joint session with the Open Finance Working Group, the group reviewed EDFA's engagement on two active AMLA consultations: the draft RTS on Customer Due Diligence and the draft RTS on business relationships, occasional and linked transactions. The group is now closely monitoring the Digital Omnibus on AI, which is now in trilogue, to assess its implications for fintech firms.

• Open Finance Working Group
  The working group co-organised the FiDA breakfast in Brussels, where co-chair Henrik Sjølie and EDFA Board member Florence de Maupeou presented EDFA's pan-European position on open finance and use cases to MEPs and Commission representatives. Planning for the second half of 2026 is underway, with FiDA remaining the central focus.

• Blockchain Working Group
  The group joined 38 partner organisations in co-signing a joint letter advocating for a DLT Pilot Regime "Quick-Fix." The initiative gained significant international traction, earning featured coverage in major financial and industry outlets, including Bloomberg, Börsen-Zeitung, and CoinDesk.
  👉 Read the letter 

• ECSP (Crowdfunding) Working Group
  Working group chairs and leaders participated in the 5th International Conference on Alternative Finance Research (ICAFR 2026) in Málaga, joining researchers, policymakers, and platform operators for cross-disciplinary discussions on the future of alternative finance.

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Brussels Policy Watch

EDFA encourages members and ecosystem stakeholders to respond, particularly on issues affecting digital finance competitiveness and cross-border market integration.

DG FISMA Management Plan 2026

The Commission's DG FISMA has published its 2026 Management Plan, setting out operational priorities across digital finance, AML, the Savings and Investments Union, and competitiveness. Recommended reading for anyone tracking the Commission's agenda across active legislative files.
🔗 Read the Management Plan

AMLA | Customer Due Diligence RTS - Art. 28(1) AMLR
🔗 Consultation | Deadline: 8 May 2026

AMLA | Business Relationships and Linked Transactions RTS - Art. 19(9) AMLR
🔗 Consultation | Deadline: 8 May 2026

News from Our Members

🇷🇴 RoFintech | From Regulation to Reality

RoFintech recently met with Commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque to discuss the state of open finance in Europe and Romania's experience with PSD2 implementation, as part of ongoing efforts to ensure that Central and Eastern European fintech ecosystems are represented in EU-level policy discussions. Supervisory Board member Cosmin Cosma has also published a broader analysis on the gap between European financial services regulation as written and as experienced in practice. 

👉 Read the article

🇪🇸 AEFI | Mission Spain 2026

Finnovating (AEFI member) has opened registrations for Mission Spain 2026, a curated program for international companies looking to establish or accelerate business in the Spanish market. The mission offers structured access to key fintech players, including financial institutions, regulators, and service providers.

👉 Schedule a meeting to learn more

Industry Insights

In collaboration with:

A selection of in-depth analyses on developments shaping European digital finance, curated from our partner Contextual Solutions.

Europe's Quiet Rebalancing: VC Funding Hits $17.6bn in Q1 2026 

European startups raised $17.6 billion in the first quarter, up 30% year on year. European fintech has now reached rough parity with American totals for the first time, driven by a decade of regulatory infrastructure that has proved a genuine competitive asset.
🔗 Read the analysis

Europe's First Instant Payments Report Card 

On 9 April, every payment service provider in the eurozone submitted its first standardised annual filing under the Instant Payments Regulation. The data will reveal whether instant payments are being priced fairly and whether real-time sanctions screening is working as intended.
🔗 Read the analysis

Europe Just Laid the Foundation for Its Tokenised Financial Future 

The ECB published its Appia roadmap on 11 March, setting out the institutional blueprint for a European tokenised wholesale financial ecosystem. The near-term Pontes bridge to TARGET Services is expected to launch by Q3 2026.
🔗 Read the analysis

Upcoming Events

EDFA proudly partners with these selected events to drive industry collaboration. To access exclusive EDFA member benefits and discounts for these and other upcoming engagements, please contact your local EDFA member association.

AI Everything Abu Dhabi - May 11, 2026

The event will bring together innovators, policy-makers, investors, and industry leaders to explore cutting-edge AI technologies, pioneering research, and industry-ready solutions across multiple sectors. With conferences, workshops, investor–startup matchmaking, and networking opportunities, it will be a key platform to connect and collaborate on the future of AI.
🔗 Learn more 

MEMBER EVENT 🇱🇻: Baltic Fintech Days | Riga, 12–13 May 

Baltic Fintech Days returns to Riga, uniting the vibrant ecosystems of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. This major regional summit features 120+ speakers and 65 sessions across five tracks, including Cognitive Finance, Future Payments, and RegTech. The event bridges Baltic innovation with global investors, co-organized by EDFA members Fintech Latvia, Lithuanian Fintech Association, and FinanceEstonia. It’s a vital platform for talent and capital to connect across the Baltics and beyond. 

🔗 Learn more

MEMBER EVENT 🇨🇿: FinTech Roadmap | Prague, 14 May 

EDFA is proud to be an ecosystem partner for the 5th edition of FinTech Roadmap, the premier Czech-Slovak professional conference. Hosted at the Czech National Bank, the event gathers 350+ experts to explore the core pillars of Ecosystem, Innovation, and Funding. Attendees will dive into EU regulatory trends, asset tokenisation, and scaling strategies alongside industry leaders. We are especially pleased to see our member, the Czech Fintech Association, among the primary organisers.

🔗 Learn more

Balkan Payment Forum 2026 - Tirana, 14 May

A high-level summit for banks, regulators, and fintechs to explore the payment landscape in the Balkans. Discussions will cover the impact of PSD3, Instant Payments, and Open Finance on regional growth.

🔗 Learn More

Future Finance Fest (3f) - Amsterdam, 5 June

Held immediately following Money20/20 Europe at the nhow Amsterdam RAI, 3f bridges the gap between industry and academia. The event features curated sessions on AI, digital infrastructure, and sustainable finance. Industry participants interested in speaking can contact the organisers at [email protected]

🔗 Register and Learn More

GITEX Europe - Berlin, 30 June - 1 July 

The European debut of the global AI powerhouse, focusing on scaling AI to create real business value. The event connects European tech ecosystems with global innovators, policy-makers, and investors to explore cutting-edge research and industry-ready solutions.

🔗 Learn More