Conference Description
Key Takeaways
- Event Focus: Digital payments innovation and regulatory technology developments across Spanish and European markets
- Core Topics: Artificial intelligence, embedded finance, Open Finance, instant payments, account-to-account transactions, digital identity, and cross-border payments
- Regulatory Themes: PSD3, PSR, fraud prevention frameworks, and digital asset regulation
- Target Audience: Senior executives from banking, payments, fintech, compliance, regulatory technology, and digital commerce
- Date and Location: 6 May 2027, W Hotel, Barcelona, Spain
Introduction
The NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum convenes in Barcelona on 6 May 2027, bringing together senior leaders from across the payments and financial services ecosystem to examine the operational and regulatory shifts transforming European markets. As the industry navigates the transition toward PSD3 and the Payment Services Regulation, alongside accelerating adoption of instant payments and embedded finance models, the forum provides a timely platform for substantive discussion among practitioners directly responsible for implementing these changes.
About This Event
Hosted at the W Hotel in Barcelona, the forum draws executives from banks, payment service providers, fintechs, regulators, technology vendors, merchants, and broader financial institutions. The programme combines keynote presentations, panel discussions, and fireside conversations with structured one-to-one networking sessions designed to facilitate peer exchange and business development.
Barcelona’s position as one of Europe’s most active technology and fintech centres makes it a fitting location for discussions that span Spanish domestic developments and wider European regulatory harmonisation efforts.
Payments Innovation and Infrastructure Modernisation
The forum agenda addresses several interconnected developments reshaping payment infrastructure. Instant payments continue to gain traction across European markets, driven by regulatory mandates and shifting consumer expectations. Account-to-account payment models are emerging as alternatives to traditional card-based transactions, presenting both opportunities and integration challenges for merchants and financial institutions.
Embedded finance represents another significant theme, as non-financial businesses increasingly integrate payment and lending capabilities directly into their platforms. This trend raises questions about partnership models, technical architecture, and the distribution of regulatory responsibility between licensed institutions and their commercial partners.
Cross-border payments remain a persistent challenge, with ongoing efforts to reduce friction, cost, and settlement times for transactions that traverse multiple jurisdictions and currency zones.
Regulatory Developments and Compliance Operations
European payment regulation is entering a new phase with the anticipated implementation of PSD3 and the accompanying Payment Services Regulation. These frameworks aim to address gaps identified since PSD2 came into force, including provisions around Open Finance that extend data-sharing principles beyond payment accounts to other financial products.
Digital identity verification and fraud prevention feature prominently in the regulatory discussion. As payment volumes grow and transaction speeds increase, institutions face mounting pressure to detect and prevent fraud without introducing friction that undermines the user experience. The forum examines how artificial intelligence and advanced analytics are being deployed to meet these competing demands.
Digital assets and their regulatory treatment also appear on the agenda, reflecting ongoing European efforts to establish clear frameworks for crypto-assets and tokenised financial instruments.
Who Should Attend
The NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum is designed for senior professionals with direct responsibility for payments strategy, regulatory compliance, technology implementation, or product development. Relevant roles include executives from retail and commercial banks, payment processors, acquiring institutions, fintech companies, regulatory bodies, and technology providers serving the financial services sector. Merchants and digital commerce operators seeking to understand evolving payment options and compliance requirements will also find the programme relevant.
Conclusion
With European payments regulation evolving rapidly and technology reshaping how value moves between parties, the NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum offers a focused environment for executives to engage with the practical implications of these changes. The combination of regulatory insight, technology discussion, and peer networking positions the event as a substantive gathering for professionals navigating this complex landscape.