Breaking Banks Europe

Breaking Banks Europe
Breaking Banks Europe

The European Edition of Breaking Banks brings you the European Unicorns, Startups, Founders, Regulators and Leaders innovating the rapidly evolving Fintech scene, with some of the world’s most well-known hosts and influencers in fintech. Produced in cooperation with FintechStage.

  1. JAN 31

    Episode 263: News From The Fintech Front (January 2025)

    In this episode of News From The Fintech Front, host Matteo Rizzi is joined by Alexander Gaillard, CEO of InvestGlass, to discuss the biggest fintech stories of January 2025. The month saw a major funding round in Europe, with French fintech Swan raising €42M to expand embedded banking across the continent, highlighting strong investor confidence in the sector. In payments, Elon Musk’s X announced a partnership with Visa Direct to power X Money, introducing real-time P2P payments for U.S. users. Meanwhile, the AI space saw a significant development as OpenAI launched o3-Mini, a powerful reasoning model aimed at countering rising competition from DeepSeek. Additionally, the financial infrastructure space witnessed a key partnership as Euroclear signed a seven-year deal with Microsoft to modernize operations through cloud computing and AI. With Alexander Gaillard’s expert insights, this episode explores how these developments are shaping the fintech landscape in 2025. Follow Alexandre: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandre-gaillard-fintechinvestglass.com

    22 min

  2. JAN 6

    Episode 262: The Bankers’ Bookshelf – The GeoEconomics of Money in the Digital Age

    In this episode of The Bankers' Bookshelf series for Breaking Banks Europe, hosted by Paolo Sironi, Nicola Bilotta, a Senior Research Associate at the Florence School of Banking and Finance, delves into the evolving landscape of international reserve currencies and monetary systems. Bilotta discusses the forces driving the transformation—economic dislocation, geopolitical shifts, and advancing technology—while addressing the global dissatisfaction with the US dollar. He explains how countries like China and the European Union are exploring digital currency initiatives, each with distinct motivations: China aiming for monetary control, while Europe seeks strategic autonomy and a pan-European payment system. Bilotta also explores why the US has been slow to adopt a digital dollar, citing political skepticism and fears of losing influence. The conversation highlights future scenarios, including fragmentation, digital dominance, and global shifts. This insightful discussion is based on Bilotta’s book The Geoeconomics of Money in the Digital Age, and marks the transition of The Bankers' Bookshelf series into its own show since 2025. Get the book: https://www.routledge.com/The-Geoeconomics-of-Money-in-the-Digital-Age/Bilotta/p/book/9781032812168?srsltid=AfmBOoo8O35JN-o-TBvUnGfDzfkpYPrfiivuGtVQi89w_TH6sgnGHJkA FOLLOW THE NEW SHOW: https://provoke.fm/show/the-bankers-bookshelf/

    28 min

  3. JAN 3

    Episode 261: News From The FinTech Front (December 2024)

    In this episode, Anthony Day, Managing Partner at Midnight, sits down with Matteo Rizzi to explore the major shifts in 2024 and early 2025 in the world of digital asset finance, tokenization, and AI technologies. Matteo announces that Breaking Banks Europe will transition from a weekly to a monthly show, while introducing new monthly series Breaking Banks Africa and a spin-off of #BBE, Paolo Sironi’s success The Bankers’ Bookshelf. The conversation dives into key topics like decentralized finance, the evolving landscape of AI, and the challenges surrounding data privacy and asset tokenization. Join us as we unpack the future of finance and explore the opportunities shaping the financial sector in this insightful discussion. ‌ Follow Anthony: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyjjday/ ‌

    35 min

  4. 12/30/2024

    Special Episode: Singapore Fintech Festival – Take Over 2

    In this Breaking Banks Europe live podcast episode, Matteo Rizzi interviews Parul Seth Khanna and Sam Ghiotti during the Singapore Fintech Festival. Parul, co-founder of pinbox solutions, discusses the evolving fintech landscape in Asia, particularly in India. She shares insights on how the region is embracing technology and innovation to transform financial services, and the challenges companies face in such a dynamic market. Sam Ghiotti, co-founder of Abito, talks about his experience in building a fintech company in Japan, navigating the country’s unique cultural and regulatory environment. He explains the complexities of Japan’s financial behavior, where risk aversion and low financial literacy dominate, and how Abito is addressing these issues with fresh financial solutions. The episode explores global fintech trends, with both Parul and Sam offering valuable perspectives on market dynamics, innovation, and overcoming obstacles in diverse regions.

    47 min

  5. 12/23/2024

    Episode 260: Singapore Fintech Festival – Take Over

    At the Singapore Fintech Festival, Breaking Banks Europe, hosted by Matteo Rizzi and supported by CXO Conversations, featured conversations with Premier Oiwoh (NIBSS CEO) and Jo Ann Barefoot (CEO of the Alliance for Innovative Regulation). Premier highlighted Africa's innovation leadership, emphasizing USSD payments and financial inclusion. Jo Ann discussed regulatory challenges in emerging markets, noting the impact of technology and generational shifts in central banks, including insights from Rwanda, Ghana, and Namibia. The podcast explored cross-border payments, digital asset regulation, and the evolving role of technology in finance. Jo Ann also shared her podcast, Barefoot Innovation.

    44 min

  6. 12/16/2024

    Episode 259: Ecosystem Zoom-In: The Namibian Case

    In an insightful conversation at the Singapore FinTech Festival with CXO Conversations, Valeria Ndapunikwa Mbango and Tune Hafo Brock from the Bank of Namibia and host Matteo Rizzi discussed the nation’s progressive approach to driving fintech innovation. They highlighted initiatives like the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Accelerator Lab in partnership with NUST, aimed at building tech talent locally. The Bank is also spearheading projects such as instant payment solutions for financial inclusion, a regulatory technology platform for real-time data use, and exploration of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) for cross-border efficiency. Acknowledging Namibia’s small population as a challenge, they emphasized the need for collaboration among startups, banks, and international investors. With a focus on interoperability, tourism-linked fintech opportunities, and fostering entrepreneurship, the Bank aims to position Namibia as a unique player in Africa’s digital ecosystem. Their mindset reflects a commitment to innovation, inclusion, and partnerships, paving the way for the nation’s financial transformation.

    31 min

  7. 12/09/2024

    Episode 258: Ecosystem Zoom-In: The Moroccan Case

    The podcast explores Morocco’s evolving fintech and innovation landscape, highlighting its potential as a hub for technological and economic growth. Despite challenges like a large unbanked population and bureaucratic hurdles, fintech startups are bridging gaps with innovative, user-friendly solutions, supported by collaborations with traditional banks and regulators. Morocco’s adoption of cryptocurrencies, upcoming regulations, and focus on emerging technologies, such as AI and green energy, reflect its commitment to modernization. Initiatives like UM6P university emphasize nurturing local talent, crucial for driving innovation. Morocco's stability, low costs, and strategic location also attract digital nomads and investors, particularly in real estate and hospitality, which are poised for growth. ‌ Connect with Yassine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yassine-loqmane

    33 min

  8. 11/25/2024

    Episode 256: News From The Fintech Front (November 2024)

    In this month’s installment of News From The Fintech Front, Silvia Attanasio, Mico Curatolo, and host Don Ginsel dive into the future of European finance, focusing on the digital euro and the impact of new regulations such as MiCAR. Silvia Attanasio shares her perspective on the digital euro, highlighting its potential for innovation but stressing the need for clarity in regulation. Mico Curatolo discusses the opportunities and challenges MiCAR brings, such as standardizing the crypto market and enhancing consumer protection, while acknowledging the complex compliance journey ahead. Silvia calls MiCAR a "Frankenstein" of regulations, blending payment and financial instruments law, and emphasizes the need for more clarity. Mico talks about the opportunities for collaboration across the industry, while Don Ginsel facilitates the conversation, noting the importance of creating a unified European financial infrastructure. They all agree on the necessity of working with regulators to drive innovation while maintaining security and compliance. ‌ Follow our guests: Mico Curatolo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mico-curatolo-57a18497/ Silvia Attanasio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silviaattanasio/

    38 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

The European Edition of Breaking Banks brings you the European Unicorns, Startups, Founders, Regulators and Leaders innovating the rapidly evolving Fintech scene, with some of the world’s most well-known hosts and influencers in fintech. Produced in cooperation with FintechStage.

Information

  • Creator
    Breaking Banks Europe
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Breaking Banks Europe

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