Electronic Money Association Confirms Speakers for 25th Anniversary Conference

The Electronic Money Association has finalized the speaker lineup for its 25th Anniversary Conference, taking place in Dublin on 14 October 2026. For fintech professionals, the event represents a significant alignment of regulatory oversight and industry innovation, coinciding with Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union and addressing the critical evolution of digital currencies and automated commerce.

What was announced

The Electronic Money Association (EMA) confirmed that its milestone 25th Anniversary Conference will be held at the Aviva Stadium on Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4. The event is scheduled for Wednesday 14 October 2026, featuring a programme that bridges high-level policy discussions with practical industry applications. The day begins at 12:00 with a networking lunch, followed by a formal conference schedule from 13:00 to 17:00, and concludes with networking drinks until 19:00. An exclusive morning session for EMA members will include the association’s Annual General Meeting and a technical presentation by the Central Bank of Ireland’s Financial Integrity Division regarding the new EU AML Package.

The afternoon is divided into three core sessions. The first, "From Stablecoins to the Digital Euro: Bridging Public and Private Innovation," features Mattias Levin, Acting Head of Unit for Digital Finance at the European Commission’s DG FISMA, and Ray O'Connell, Head of Division PSSD at the Central Bank of Ireland. They are joined by Andrew Mulvenny, CEO of the Trading Platform at Kraken Ireland, and Matthew Osborne, Policy Director for Europe and the UK at Ripple. The second session, "Fraud on the Frontline," includes Reka Horvath from DG CONNECT, Peter Gallagher from the Central Bank of Ireland, Paul O'Brien from Bank of Ireland, and Linda Strazdiņa from Wise. The final session on "Agentic Commerce" features Rita Wezembeek of the European Commission and Deniz Oran from Google. Robert Troy TD, Minister of State for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance, will provide the opening keynote, while Mary-Elizabeth McMunn, Deputy Governor for Financial Regulation at the Central Bank of Ireland, will deliver the closing address. Individual tickets are priced at €495, with group passes for four delegates available for €1,195.

The companies involved

The Electronic Money Association (EMA) is the primary European trade body representing the interests of electronic money issuers and payment service providers. Since its inception, the association has acted as a collective voice for a diverse range of members, including traditional payment institutions, fintech disruptors, and firms operating at the intersection of crypto-assets and fiat currency. The EMA plays a central role in the European regulatory ecosystem, facilitating dialogue between its members and key statutory bodies such as the European Commission and various national central banks. Its focus remains on the development and implementation of payment services regulations, ensuring that the operational interests of non-bank payment providers are represented in legislative discussions.

The association’s influence is evidenced by its ability to convene senior officials from the European Commission’s DG FISMA and DG CONNECT alongside leadership from global technology and finance firms like Google, Kraken, and Ripple. By hosting this 25th-anniversary event in Dublin during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the EMA reinforces its position as a strategic intermediary in the European financial landscape. The organization continues to provide a platform for the industry to navigate complex frameworks, including the Digital Services Act and the evolving EU AML Package, while advocating for a harmonized approach to electronic money and digital payment standards across the European Economic Area.

What this means

The inclusion of "agentic commerce" on the agenda alongside the digital euro signals a major shift in the industry’s focus toward autonomous, machine-led transactions. This transition poses a direct challenge to current fraud prevention frameworks, which are largely optimized for human-initiated payments. The heavy presence of European Commission and Central Bank of Ireland officials suggests that the period of regulatory ambiguity for stablecoins is ending, with authorities now focused on how these private assets will integrate with public digital currency initiatives. For payment service providers, the pressure is no longer just about compliance, but about proving their infrastructure can handle the dual demands of the Digital Services Act and the new EU AML Package without stifling the speed of innovation.