FIBE fintech & finance festival has revealed its first programme draft, featuring speakers like former PayPal CEO Dan Schulman, N26 Co-Founder Valentin Stalf, and Apollo Managing Director Veronique Fournier. The festival takes place on April 9 & 10 and will host panels, fireside chats, and startup pitches across its Festival and Club Stages, bringing together global industry leaders to discuss the future of fintech and finance.As with the first edition in 2024, FIBE will feature two main stages, the Festival Stage and the Club Stage, each offering a distinct experience. The Festival Stage will host high-profile keynotes, breaking news discussions, and thought-provoking panels with global fintech leaders, while the Club Stage will provide an interactive platform for in-depth debates, hands-on sessions, and startup showcases. In addition, the programme for a dedicated Podcast Stage, Masterclases and FIBE Späti is currently being drafted, with more details to be announced soon.Festival Stage: A Front-Row Seat to the FutureThe Festival Stage features a series of keynote interviews, panel discussions, and fireside chats with top-tier speakers:Global Fintech Dynamics: Macroeconomics, Regulation & Market Hubs• Opening Keynote Interview with Dan Schulman, former CEO of PayPal.• Fireside Chat with Valentin Stalf, Co-CEO of N26, discussing the latest breaking news in fintech.• Panel discussion on the Digital Euro with Burkhard Balz, Executive Board Member of Deutsche Bundesbank.Emerging Tech & Trends• Fireside Chat with Alexandra Mousavizadeh, Co-Founder & CEO of Evident, on how AI is revolutionizing finance.• Fintech trends and future talks featuring Veronica Breene (Vesta Insights) and Hélène Falchier (Portage Ventures) on the decade-long impact of AI in banking.Fintech Founders & Funding• Founder story with Patrick Stäuble, CEO of Teylor.• Panel discussions on navigating growth, unlocking funding opportunities, and leveraging AI for financial crime prevention, featuring speakers from Raisin, Holvi, and Sopra Steria.Shaping Tomorrow• Panel on green finance innovations featuring Saskia Bruysten (Yunus Social Business) and Dr. Tillmann Lang (Inyova).• Live insights from Silicon Valley, presented by Felix Holtermann, Handelsblatt’s Silicon Valley correspondent.The Festival Stage will also include multiple early-stage startup pitches, hub talks on fintech competitiveness, and debates on regulatory transformations like PSD3 and instant payments.Club Stage: Exploring Fintech’s Core and BeyondThe Club Stage provides an interactive space for in-depth discussions, debates, and “Ask Me Anything” sessions, diving into critical topics shaping fintech today:The Future of Insurance and Banking• Panel on insurtech partnerships and profitability, featuring Gil Arazi (FinTLV Venture Capital).• Insights on redefining traditional banking from leaders at Raiffeisen-Holding, Elevator Ventures and Klim.Beyond Banking and Super Apps• Panel discussion on new revenue models with Oliver Mohseni (Froda) and Roger Berger (BNP Paribas).• Debate on Europe’s potential as a “Super App” leader, featuring Georg Hauer, advisor and venture builder.Emerging Fintech Horizons• Discussions on wealth management and AI transformation, featuring Veronique Fournier (Apollo) and Dr. Axel Haus (Vanguard Group).• Practical tips on fintech funding from Motive Ventures and Tokenize.it leaders.Navigating Regulation and Innovation• Panels on DORA’s (Digital Operational Resilience Act) lessons, PSD3, and the future of payments with experts like Dr

Ferdinand Dabitz, CEO of Ivy, discusses the Open Banking evolution, seamless payment experiences, and the growing demand for real-time transactions.  Can you explain how you eliminate the need for credit cards and ensure successful bank-to-bank transactions with Ivy’s core technology?. Traditional payment methods like credit cards and digital wallets are often costly and inefficient for merchants and consumers. These fees quickly eat into margins, especially for merchants with high transaction volumes or low-margin products. In addition, chargebacks and fraudulent transactions create further operational burdens, often requiring additional resources to manage disputes and recover funds. For consumers, especially in regions like Eastern Europe, credit card ownership remains low, with only 37% of adults owning one. This limits access to credit-based payments, making bank-based alternatives more attractive