Over the past five years, the financial ecosystem across Central and Eastern Europe has undergone a quiet but profound transformation. What began as an urgent push for digitisation has evolved into a deeper reconfiguration of how finance is built, distributed, and experienced, from the unbundling of legacy banking infrastructure and the rise of embedded finance to the convergence of payments, credit, loyalty, and data-driven decision-making.

Insights gathered across previous editions of UNCHAIN Festival and distilled in its sector whitepapers point to a clear direction: finance in CEE is no longer defined by isolated products or institutions, but by ecosystems. Banks are navigating legacy “spaghetti” infrastructures while experimenting with parallel core systems and AI-driven internal automation. Retailers are moving beyond transactions toward experience-first models where payments, lending, and loyalty blend seamlessly into the customer journey. Meanwhile, fintechs are no longer challengers at the edges, but integral players shaping interfaces, expectations, and speed.

Against this backdrop, UNCHAIN Festival returns to Oradea on 17–18 June 2026, offering unparalleled networking opportunities, exclusive industry insights, and strategic connections for over 800 senior leaders and decision-makers from more than 40 countries. This event marks its 5th anniversary and has evolved into a comprehensive platform that connects financial institutions, regulators, technology providers, and industry leaders at a time when alignment has become a strategic necessity.

“During the first four years of the UNCHAIN Festival, we have seen a lot of international cooperation and merchant integration. Technology combines various verticals even more closely. Many non-banks are now entering the financial services market by offering embedded finance options or loyalty/crypto products to their customers. There are many challenges with regulation, but this is exactly why we’re bringing everybody to the same table – so law can keep up with innovation, and vice versa. Technology adoption, as in digital-first and customer-vertically specialized, continues to develop. Neobanks, digital brokers are getting more and more prolific,” says David Pollack, Managing Partner at UNCHAIN.

From Fintech Disruption to Financial Integration

As geopolitical uncertainty, regulatory pressure, and economic fragmentation continue to test Europe’s resilience, UNCHAIN 2026 positions itself at the intersection of these forces, fostering dialogue around regional integration, trust, and execution. The event aligns with the emerging EU Inc. vision and aims to strengthen Europe’s internal economic cohesion, making it a vital platform for stakeholders committed to regional resilience and innovation.

In its fifth year, UNCHAIN reflects the maturity of the ecosystem it serves. Fintech is no longer a vertical; it is embedded across banking, payments, retail, mobility, and public infrastructure. The 2026 agenda will cover critical topics such as programmable capital markets, embedded financial models beyond checkout, hybrid digital–human banking experiences, and the role of AI as an internal efficiency engine rather than a blunt customer-facing tool.

These discussions build directly on patterns observed over time at UNCHAIN: banks seeking clarity over ownership versus partnership, merchants pushing back against outdated loyalty and cashback mechanics, and regulators grappling with frameworks designed for a world that no longer exists.

Industry Voices on Innovation and Regulation

Erik Barna, Co-Founder of FaraGrija.ro, highlights the growing exchange between banking and insurance: “Insurance is the smallest brother of banking. Instead of borrowing from insurance, banking can inspire innovation in insurtech. Directives like PSD2 boosted fintech startups; we need something similar for insurance.”

Similarly, regulators are navigating new challenges at the intersection of data, AI, and innovation. Ivana Jolic, Director at the Croatian National Bank, explains: “Credit risk AI needs vast data, but GDPR restricts usage. We must find a balance for keeping systems safe while fostering innovation.”

Michal Vodrážka of the Czech National Bank adds: “Instant payments should be the norm without over-reliance on law. We focus on improving existing infrastructure while monitoring developments like the digital euro.”

From the merchant perspective, Ciprian Pîrv, Country Managing Director at Payten, observes: “Merchants want seamless payment methods that are stable and error-free. Innovation drives adoption when it delivers direct benefits and competitive advantage.”

Scale, Continuity, and Regional Relevance

What started as a 350-delegate gathering has grown into one of the most influential financial platforms in the region. Across its previous editions, UNCHAIN has brought together well over 2,000 participants, creating a cumulative, cross-border community of decision-makers shaping the future of finance in CEE.

With approximately 75% of attendees from the financial sector, UNCHAIN has become a reference platform for meaningful, outcome-driven conversations that can shape how finance is understood in CEE.

“The fifth anniversary represents more than just a chronological milestone; it marks a fundamental shift in our regional impact.

We are moving beyond the ‘fintech’ label because the challenges of 2026 — liquidity, credit access, and risk management — require a unified ‘Finance’ front. By transitioning from the ‘Fintech Fortress’ to the Finance Fortress, we are inviting the entire spectrum of the financial industry to Oradea to ensure that CEE remains a cohesive, innovative, and resilient economic bloc within the European Union. EU Inc. will definitely be a big topic this year at UNCHAIN“, says David Pollack, Managing Partner at UNCHAIN. 

Reflecting on the momentum behind the 2026 edition, Eliad Saporta, Founder & CEO of Coriunder and long-time UNCHAIN contributor, notes: “What we are seeing across banking and payments is not a race for the next shiny feature, but a recalibration of roles. In 2026, the real competitive advantage will come from institutions that understand context, knowing when to automate, when to intervene, and how to stay visible in the moments that matter most to customers. This is exactly the type of conversation UNCHAIN.”

Mr. Saporta’s contribution at UNCHAIN 2026 will further explore how infrastructure choices, AI governance, and embedded finance models are reshaping short- and medium-term strategies across Europe’s financial institutions.

A Platform for Connection and Execution

Hosted within the historic Oradea Fortress, UNCHAIN 2026 continues to combine strategic content with a highly curated networking environment, offering brands and institutions full exposure to the CEE market in a single setting. The event brings together private-sector leaders alongside central banks, regulators, and global networks such as Visa, reinforcing its role as a bridge between policy, innovation, and real-world execution.

As Central and Eastern Europe moves from catching up to actively shaping Europe’s financial future, UNCHAIN Festival stands as the place where that future is debated, challenged, and built.

Tickets and Registration

Hundreds of finance leaders keep coming back to Unchain each year. This year, they have the chance to access Super Early Bird tickets for UNCHAIN Festival 2026 now available for a limited period of time, offering a 50% discount until January 31st  https://unchainfestival.com/tickets/. After this period, prices will increase.

Pilot Details

• Enhanced Payment Controls: The first pilot enhances SWIFT’s existing Payment Controls service using AI models to detect fraud more accurately by analyzing historical transaction patterns. This will be tested with live customer data.
• Data Collaboration and Federated Learning: The second pilot involves 10 leading financial institutions, including BNY Mellon, Deutsche Bank, DNB, HSBC, Intesa Sanpaolo, and Standard Bank. This experiment focuses on using AI to analyze anonymized data from various sources securely, improving global fraud detection capabilities.

Impact on the Industry

Fraud cost the financial industry USD 485 billion in 2023. The pilots aim to reduce these costs significantly and support the G20’s goal of speeding up cross-border payments.

AI has great potential to significantly reduce fraud in the financial industry. That’s an incredibly exciting prospect but one that will require strong collaboration. Swift has a unique ability to bring financial organizations together to harness the benefits of AI in the interests of the industry, and we’re excited by the potential of both of these pilots to help further strengthen the cross-border payments ecosystem.

Tom Zschach, Chief Innovation Officer at Swift

SWIFT has developed an AI governance framework ensuring accuracy, explainability, fairness, auditability, security, and privacy, aligning with global standards such as ISO 42001, the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, and the EU AI Act.

Insights from Key Figures Involved

Combatting fraud successfully will require industry collaboration, collective action, and strong leadership from operators like Swift. We’re excited to help lead the first wave of innovation in this space and look forward to seeing even more banks join the initiative.

Isabel Schmidt, Executive Platform Owner, Payments Enablement at BNY Mellon Treasury Services

Our passion for holistic payment solutions is founded on expertise, technology, and innovation; not only in terms of our own strategic product development, but importantly through our strong dedication to drive partnership and collaboration across the market. Through these industry initiatives, we have the potential to enhance our ability to detect fraud and reduce operational costs, whilst delivering a premium customer experience and contributing towards a more secure market environment.

Ole Matthiessen, Global Head of Cash Management & Head of Corporate Bank APAC, Middle East & Africa at Deutsche Bank

Building financial resiliency and strengthening risk management is a key priority for our clients and they are looking to us to help them better manage uncertainty and threat through our solutions while supporting their businesses to grow and transform. By utilising new technology and collaborating across the industry to fight fraud, we are helping protect our customers, our data and the bank.

Manish Kohli, Head of Global Payments Solutions at HSBC

Extending and strengthening the collaboration of anti-fraud experts and the exchange of data also at an international level will improve the prevention of and fight against fraud.

Enrico Canna, Head of Anti-Fraud & Customer Protection Center at Intesa Sanpaolo

Key Provisions

• Risk-Based Classification: AI systems are categorized by risk levels, with stricter rules for higher-risk applications. Systems posing unacceptable risks, such as cognitive behavioral manipulation and social scoring, are banned.
• Prohibitions: Bans predictive policing based on profiling and biometric categorization by race, religion, or sexual orientation.
• General-Purpose AI Models: Those with no systemic risks face limited requirements focused on transparency. High-risk models must adhere to stricter regulations.

An AI Office within the European Commission will oversee rule implementation, supported by a scientific panel of independent experts and an AI Board composed of member state representatives. Non-compliance fines are based on a percentage of the offending company’s global turnover or a set amount, whichever is higher. Public service entities must assess the impact of high-risk AI systems on fundamental rights before deployment.

The AI Act encourages innovation through regulatory sandboxes, allowing controlled testing of AI systems. The regulation mandates increased transparency in developing and using high-risk AI systems, requiring registration in the EU database and disclosure when using emotion recognition technology.

Bringing AI to Everyday Banking

The “Libra Voice” feature is designed to understand and respond to user commands given in Romanian, making the banking experience smoother and more intuitive. Users can ask about their account balances, recent transactions, loan details, and more, receiving both audio and textual responses. This integration of AI aims to streamline how customers interact with their bank, moving away from traditional navigation and towards a more conversational interface.

Apart from basic inquiries, “Libra Voice” can perform complex tasks like analyzing transaction histories, summarizing expenditures, or even identifying spending patterns. This tool is particularly useful for users who want to manage their finances more effectively and gain insights into their spending habits.

We’re proud to pioneer this technology in Romania and offer a level of digital banking service that sets new industry standards. ‘Libra Voice’ was entirely developed by our own specialists, reflecting our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions tailored to our customers’ needs.

Cristina Mahika-Voiconi, General Manager of Libra Internet Bank

Initially available to all individual account holders in a beta phase, “Libra Voice” can be activated simply by tapping the microphone icon on the app’s home screen. This easy access encourages users to engage more actively with their financial data, promoting better financial management practices through enhanced accessibility and convenience.

Advanced AI for Improved Customer Interactions

The GIA chatbot is available across all digital devices—smartphones, tablets, and desktops—and can handle customer inquiries in both Romanian and English.  It is also equipped to answer frequently asked questions and assist with more complex customer needs. Customers can access it by visiting the bank’s website and initiating a chat through the homepage window.

GIA utilizes advanced GPT technology to deliver relevant and personalized responses to customers. This technology bases its responses on information available on the bank’s website and can tailor assistance to individual customers or business entities from small enterprises to large corporations.

We are committed to continuously adapting to the needs and expectations of our customers, and the introduction of this next-generation chatbot is a crucial step in that direction. Through GIA, we aim to provide a smoother and more intuitive experience, enabling our customers to access information and address their financial needs quickly and efficiently.

Tolga Banyocu, Deputy General Manager of the Client Solutions Area at Garanti BBVA

AI: The Double-Edged Sword

Interestingly, while fraudsters are using AI to enhance their scams, it is also recognized as a critical ally in combating fraud. 

AI is increasingly being used as a ‘force-multiplier’ by fraudsters.

The Payments Association emphasizes the need for the industry to leverage AI more effectively in fraud prevention efforts. The association further observes that more than half (57%) of survey respondents believe AI will be the “next game-changer” in the fraud prevention space, indicating a strong faith in technology’s potential to safeguard financial transactions.

Responses and New Measures

The response to the rising tide of fintech fraud involves a blend of technological innovation, regulatory adjustments, and industry collaboration. 

For instance, the UK’s recent legislative amendment allowing banks to delay payments suspected of fraud represents a proactive step towards mitigating APP fraud risks. Riccardo Tordera, head of policy and government relations at The Payments Association, elaborates on the nuanced role of AI in fraud prevention:

We have known for years that machine learning is the only thing with the sophistication and the capacity to tackle increasing volumes of fraud, but it’s not a simple case of installing an AI solution and watching it clean up fraud on your system.

As fintech companies brace for the impact of APP fraud, the emphasis on AI and regulatory innovation reflects the industry’s commitment to proactive and adaptive fraud prevention measures. 

The survey results show that our focus on APP fraud as a major vector of losses for both business and the general public was correct.

Tony Craddock, director general of The Payments Association

The Future of Finance Teams with AI

Finance departments play a pivotal role in guiding strategic decisions that determine a company’s future direction. Despite their critical function, a significant portion of finance professionals report being mired in time-consuming tasks like data entry and review cycles. 

Recognizing this challenge, Microsoft Copilot for Finance is engineered to liberate finance teams from the drudgery of manual processes, enabling them to focus more on strategic decision-making and providing valuable insights to the business.

Copilot for Finance enhances widely used apps like Excel and Outlook with finance-specific insights. It connects with existing financial data sources, including ERP systems like Microsoft Dynamics 365 and SAP, offering:

• Quick variance analysis in Excel
• Simplified reconciliation processes
• Summaries of customer account details in Outlook
• Conversion of raw data into reports in Excel to be shared across Outlook and Teams

A Broad Scope for Business Operations

Joining the ranks of Copilot for Sales and Copilot for Service, Copilot for Finance is part of Microsoft’s broader initiative to cater AI-powered solutions to specific business functions. This approach tackles the common issue of transitioning from data insights to impactful actions, with workflows and data catered to unique role requirements.

Companies of all sizes are moving beyond AI experimentation and strategically empowering their workforce with Microsoft Copilot. The tool not only breaks down information silos but also actively derives insights, recommendations, and guidance from a variety of data sources, all in line with Microsoft’s responsible AI principles.