Where Greece and Europe Converge to Shape the Future of Payments & RegTech
#npf
21st NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum
JOIN INTERNATIONAL PAYMENTS & REGTECH EXPERTS
LET’S CONNECT
“Change is the only constant in life.”
Heraclitus
Welcome to the NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum – Athens 2026!
Join us at the Marriott Hotel in Athens for an energising one-day forum at the crossroads of payments, compliance, RegTech and AI. Building on the success of the 2025 Forum in Athens – which brought together leading banks, PSPs, fintechs, regulators and corporates from across Greece, Cyprus and the wider region – the 2026 edition will go even deeper into the technologies, regulations and strategies reshaping the European payments ecosystem.
Across a full day of keynote sessions, strategic panel discussions and real-world case studies, you will explore how instant and real-time payments, A2A transactions, digital wallets, open banking, stablecoins, the Digital Euro and embedded finance are transforming customer journeys and business models. You will also gain clarity on the evolving EU regulatory landscape – from PSD3/PSR and the Instant Payments Regulation to the EU AML package, DORA and new expectations from supervisors such as the ECB, HCMC and CySEC.
A special focus will be placed on AI and agentic AI in payments and RegTech – how intelligent, goal-driven systems can orchestrate workflows, enhance fraud and financial crime detection, and support compliance teams, while keeping governance, explainability and human oversight firmly in place.
Whether you represent a bank, cooperative bank, payment institution, fintech, merchant, RegTech provider, processor, card scheme, corporate treasury or regulatory body, the Forum is designed to deliver concrete, actionable insights and open the door to high-value partnerships across Greece, Southeast Europe and the wider EU.
Reserve your place today and help shape the future of payments, compliance and RegTech from the heart of Athens.
PAST SPONSORS
PAST SPEAKERS
Our speaker line-up brings together leading voices from the global payments industry, EU compliance sector, and top banking technology innovators. They will deliver high-value insights on driving innovation, meeting regulatory demands, and navigating the rapidly evolving payments landscape.
PAST CONTRIBUTORS
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WHAT'S COMING UP
The Future of Payments in Greece & Europe
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Instant, A2A & Cross-Border Payments – How real-time payments, A2A schemes and new cross-border models are changing consumer behaviour, merchant expectations and bank strategies across Greece, the Balkans and the EU
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Digital Wallets, iGaming & Everyday Commerce – The rise of digital wallets, frictionless checkout and new use cases in sectors such as e-commerce, gaming and travel – and what this means for product, risk and treasury teams
Regulatory Change, DORA & Supervisory Expectations
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From PSD2 to PSD3, PSR & the EU AML Package – What upcoming rules mean in practice for Greek and regional institutions: licensing, safeguarding, transparency, consumer protection and anti-money laundering compliance
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Operational Resilience by Design – Implementing DORA, strengthening governance, and building resilient technology and risk frameworks that satisfy supervisors while enabling innovation and growth
AI & Agentic AI in Payments & RegTech
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From Analytics to Agentic AI – Moving beyond rules-based systems and classic machine learning towards agentic AI that can coordinate tasks, surface insights and support real-time decisioning in onboarding, fraud, AML and treasury operations
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Human-in-the-Loop Intelligence – Designing AI and agentic AI with the right guardrails: governance, model risk management, explainability and human oversight so that innovation, customer experience and regulatory expectations stay aligned
Financial Crime, Fraud & the New European Payments Infrastructure
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Next-Gen Fraud & AML Defences – Using AI, data and collaborative intelligence to combat scams, mule accounts, APP fraud, sanctions evasion and cross-border money laundering across the Greek and European payments ecosystem
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Instant Payments, Stablecoins & the Digital Euro: How instant payments, stablecoins and the upcoming Digital Euro will reshape settlement, liquidity, risk management and customer expectations – and what banks, PSPs and fintechs must do now to prepare
THE AGENDA
22 OCTOBER | ATHENS, GREECE
The 21st NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum will bring together leading experts to explore the future of payments, banking, and compliance in Europe. The agenda highlights AI, digital transformation, cryptocurrency, cross-border payments, instant payments, and AI-driven financial crime prevention, offering insights into the KEY challenges, solutions, and trends shaping 2025.
22 OCTOBER 2025
08:30-09:00
REGISTRATION AND WELCOME COFFEE
Participants arrive, register, and enjoy welcome coffee
Sponsored by Futurae
09:00-09:05
WELCOME ADDRESS
Lilly Pavlou, Executive Director at QUBE Events
09:05-09:10
CHAIRMEN WELCOME ADDRESS
Welcome from the Chairmen: Setting the stage for the day's discussions
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Overview of key challenges and opportunities in the payments and RegTech space
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Introduction of the event's goals and expected outcomes for attendees
Robert Courtneidge, Payment Industry Expert
Andrew Doukanaris, Chief Executive Officer at Flotta Consulting Ltd
09:10-09:40
PANEL DISCUSSION + Q&A
The Future of Payments and Banking: Embracing Digital Transformation
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Exploring transformative trends, digital innovation, customer-centric solutions, regulatory evolution, and strategies for an inclusive financial ecosystem
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Discuss the impact of digital currencies and emerging payment technologies
Moderator: Andrew Doukanaris, Chief Executive Officer at Flotta Consulting Ltd
Konstantinos Maragkakis, EEA CEO at Paysafe Payment Solutions Ltd
Tasos Michas, Product Manager, Payments at Novibet
Constantinos Frydakis, Managing Partner at ConFryd Business Consultants
Lefteris Economides, Product Director at Plum Fintech
09:40-10:05
KEYNOTE SESSION + Q&A
Operational Resilience by Design in the Age of
DORA Regulation
Thomas Barkias, Team Lead, Banking Supervision at the European Central Bank (ECB)
10:05-10:35
PANEL DISCUSSION + Q&A
Mastering Regulatory Changes in the EU: How Businesses Can Prepare
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Overview of the latest EU regulatory landscape impacting payments, including the current EU regulatory framework, which comprises PSD2 and AMLD6, and the proposed updates to PSD3 and AMLR. Anticipating future regulations, consumer rights, data protection, and anti-money laundering measures
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Provide practical insights on how to prepare for and comply with evolving regulatory requirements
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Highlight the implications of non-compliance and the importance of proactive risk management
Moderator: George Mintzas, Former Head of FC AML, ABC, Tax and Functions, Europe at HSBC
Peri Katana, Head of Compliance & Regulatory at COSMOTE Payments
Hartwig Gerhartinger, Global Head of Compliance Regulatory Enterprise Risk Government Affairs at Paysafe
Eleni Panagiotopoulou, Head of AML at SOFTSWISS
Elena Niki Karletidi, Director and General Secretary at ENAH Services Ltd and Cyprus Compliance Association
Thibaud Catry, Group Chief Compliance Officer at Payhawk
10:35-10:55
FIRESEIDE CHAT + Q&A
Moderator: Andrew Doukanaris, Chief Executive Officer at Flotta Consulting Ltd
Vassiliki Lazarakou, Chair of the Hellenic Capital Market Commission
George Theocharides, Chairman of the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)
10:55-11:25
PANEL DISCUSSION + Q&A
Building a Future-Ready Finance Function
This panel explores how CFOs overseeing payment functions are adapting to the rapidly evolving payments ecosystem to ensure financial stability and foster innovation.
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Developing agile budgeting and forecasting processes to manage the uncertainties of payment flows and transaction volumes
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Evaluating and prioritizing investments in new payment technologies and infrastructure
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Managing liquidity, capital, and risk effectively in a fast-paced, digital payments environment
Moderator: Marianna Polykrati, Group Treasurer of Avramar Group
Marios Noutsos, Co-Founder & CFO at finloup
Kostas Apostolidis, Incoming & Outgoing Payments Manager, Treasury at OTE Group of Companies (HTO)
Manos Valsamakis, Treasury Manager at Stoiximan
Kostas Kontogiannis, Chief Financial Officer at Skroutz Group
11:25-11:55
NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK + ONE-TO-ONE MEETINGS
Opportunity for attendees to connect and discuss insights from the morning sessions
Sponsored by Infocredit Group
11:55-12:25
PANEL DISCUSSION + Q&A
Driving Innovation in Cross-Border Payments:
Enhancing Efficiency, Security, and Compliance
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Exploring new technologies and partnerships to streamline cross-border payment processes, including blockchain solutions, fintech collaborations, and AI for fraud detection and compliance
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Examine the role of blockchain technology in reducing costs and increasing transparency in cross-border payments
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Discuss strategies for mitigating fraud and ensuring compliance in international transactions
Moderator: Robert Courtneidge, Payment Industry Expert
Dimitris Poutouris, Cloud Transformation Lead at VeraCloud
Athanasios Zoidis, Chief Information Officer at DirectPay - Payment Institution
Yannis Dinapoyias, Founder & CEO at Travelr
Evangelos Markopoulos, Head of Information Security at Snappi
Panos Papagiannakopoulos, Partner - Technology Consulting at EY
12:25-12:50
KEYNOTE SESSION + Q&A
The Changing Fintech and Payments Landscape:
Trends, Challenges & Opportunities
Panagiotis Kriaris, Commercial Director - Business Development at Unzer
12:50-13:15
KEYNOTE SESSION + Q&A
How to do Money Laundering and Sanctions Evasion in 2025
Yiannis Pettemerides, Forensic Investigations, Sanctions Compliance, Anti Money Laundering Compliance
13:15-14:15
NETWORKING LUNCH
Attendees network over lunch, fostering connections and discussions
Sponsored by Mastercard
14:15-14:45
PANEL DISCUSSION + Q&A
Stablecoins: Risks, Regulation & Real-World Use Cases
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Assessing the growing role of stablecoins in global payments and remittances
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Regulatory perspectives: balancing innovation, systemic risk, and financial stability
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Opportunities for financial institutions and merchants in adopting stablecoin solutions
Moderator: Robert Courtneidge, Payment Industry Expert
Chrysovalantis Koutsoumpos, Chief Technology Officer at xMoney
Sophia Bantanidis, Future of Finance, Citi Global Insights at Citi
Andreas Koidis, Founder at Merklebaum
Panagiotis Kriaris, Commercial Director - Business Development at
Unzer
14:45-15:15
PANEL DISCUSSION + Q&A
From Agentic AI to Agentic Commerce:
Redefining Finance & Customer Experience
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Understanding the leap from generative AI to agentic AI in compliance, payments, and financial operations
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Real-time decisioning, fraud prevention, and liquidity management through autonomous agents
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The rise of agentic commerce: AI-powered customer journeys, loyalty, and personalisation
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Risks & governance: how should regulators and financial institutions respond to autonomous financial agents?
Moderator: Andrew Doukanaris, Chief Executive Officer at Flotta Consulting Ltd
Dimitris Petrilis, Sales Director Central Eastern Europe at Backbase
Ali el Hassouni, Founder & CEO at MarvelX
Sophia Bantanidis, Future of Finance, Citi Global Insights at Citi
15:15-15:45
NETWORKING COFFEE BREAK + ONE-TO-ONE MEETINGS
Take a moment to connect with fellow attendees and discuss key insights
Sponsored by Veracloud
15:45-16:15
PANEL DISCUSSION + Q&A
Navigating Risk and Compliance Challenges:
A Strategic View for Finance Departments
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Integrating risk management into core financial processes
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Utilising data analytics and AI to enhance fraud detection and prevention
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Collaborating with compliance teams to ensure adherence to regulations
Moderator: Theo Skagias, President & CEO at TH.C. SKAGIAS S.A.
Dimitris Anastassiou, Chief Financial Officer at Matrix Pack Group
Ioannis Arampatzis, Head of Finance GMCI (Greece, Malta, Cyprus, Israel) at BAT
Sotiris Papakonstantinou, Head of Risk Management at Optima bank
Sakis Theologis, Chief Risk Officer at Cooperative Bank of Karditsa LLC
Maria Tsiliakou, Head of Payments & Digital Services Compliance Sub-Division within the Group Compliance Function at the National Bank of Greece (NBG)
16:15-16:50
PANEL DISCUSSION + Q&A
The Current Payments Landscape:
The Surge of Instant Payments, Integration with A2A Transactions, and Their Impact on Industry Dynamics
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Instant Payments Standardisation: By 2025, instant payments are now the norm, enhancing real-time transactions and transforming consumer experiences
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Explore the shift towards instant payments and its impact on consumer behavior
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Analyse the growing synergy between A2A payments and traditional payment methods
Moderator: Andrew Doukanaris, Chief Executive Officer at Flotta Consulting Ltd
Daniel Jonas, Head of Research & Insight at Pay.UK
Georgios Syntelis, CEO at EveryPay
Eftychia Chatziantoniou, Chief Operating Officer at Snappi
Andreas Mantis, Head of Business Development & Innovation at Interbanking Systems DIAS S.A.
16:50-17:15
KEYNOTE SESSION
The Digital Euro: Bridging Policy, Payments, and Innovation
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Where we are today: ECB’s roadmap and design choices
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What it means for the market: impacts on banks, PSPs, merchants, and corporations
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What it means for people: consumer trust, convenience, and privacy
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What’s next: could the digital euro transform cross-border settlement in Europe?
Nikos Polymenakos, Director Group Treasury and Subsidiaries Finance at DELTA FOODS SA
17:15-17:45
PANEL DISCUSSION + Q&A
Artificial Intelligence in Payments: Enhancements and Opportunities
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Utilising AI for risk assessment and fraud detection in the payments sector
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Innovations in payment systems driven by machine learning technologies
Moderator: Robert Courtneidge, Payment Industry Expert
Yannis Larios, Payments & Applied AI Strategist — ex SVP Strategy & Business Dev, Viva.com Bank
Giorgos Haralabopoulos, Senior Head of Product, Payments at Kaizen Gaming
Angelina Simoudi, Head of Digital Solutions and Business Development at National Bank of Greece
Josip Tolić, Head of Regulatory and Government Affairs at Aircash
Alessio Alfonsi, Account Manager | South East Europe at Swift
Evangelos Tzolos, Card Senior Business Specialist at TORA WALLET S.A. (Member of OPAP Group)
17:45-18:00
KEYNOTE SESSION
Mastercard Agent Pay – Powering the Next Frontier of Commerc
Sotiris Prokopiou, Product Strategy Manager at Mastercard
18:00-18:05
CHAIRMEN CLOSING COMMENTS
Summarising the key takeaways from the conference and addressing final questions from attendees
Robert Courtneidge, Payment Industry Expert
Andrew Doukanaris, Chief Executive Officer at Flotta Consulting Ltd
18:05-19:30
NETWORKING DRINKS RECEPTION
A closing networking reception to foster connections among attendees and speakers,
featuring local drinks & snacks
Sponsored by Payhawk
20:00-22:30
CLOSING NETWORKING DINNER
Local Tavern Experience
Participants of the 21st Nextgen Payments & Regtech Forum are invited to join us at the Networking dinner at the amazing Taverna (Τα Μεζεκλίκια της Λαχαναγοράς) for an evening of authentic cuisine and warm connections, fostering networking in a relaxed and culturally rich atmosphere! There will be drinks, lots of food and music!
MEDIA PARTNERS
KEY BENEFITS FOR PARTICIPATING
Build Thought Leadership
Showcase expertise and establish yourself as an industry thought leader
Generate Leads
It is the most cost-effective way to generate qualified leads of key B2B decision makers
Targeted Audience
Meet & engage with your target group
Global Reach
Hybrid events enable you to connect with your target audiences both locally and globally
New Prospects
Engage with new prospects and support existing relationships thus helping to drive leads into your sales funnel
PAST EVENT VIDEO
MEANINGFUL NETWORKING
Finally we are back with in-person events! The time to connect with our colleagues and peers in the Payments and RegTech sector is here! Our aim with the 21st NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum is to facilitate key discussions and create a platform for meaningful networking. No spamming, no irrelevant conversations, just quality conversations that promote business growth.
“Impressive stage of presenters discussing actual hot topics in the payments industry. A good forum for networking with others working in the same sector & also payments/financial services experts.”
MeDirect Malta Senior, Manager - Core Banking Platforms
BECOME A SPONSOR
Sponsoring an event like The 21st NextGen Payments & RegTech Forum provides you with a perfect opportunity to secure new clients, showcase your products & solutions, interact directly with your target audience and grow your international business network.
You can expect to build new partnerships and expand your network with key decision-makers and industry influencers.
Our Sponsorship package takes on a holistic approach and includes:
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An integrated international marketing & branding campaign strategy
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20 minute keynote presentation
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Inclusion on an industry-expert panel discussion
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Access to The Meeting Point (5 pre-qualified meeting package)
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Various dedicated social media campaigns
