Cross-Border Finance Takes Focus at Money20/20 Europe

Money20/20 Europe has convened senior policymakers, regulators, central banks, supervisors and industry leaders at Policy20, a high-level forum focused on the cross-border implications of diverging policies, implementation approaches and technological developments across financial services.

Held at the RAI Amsterdam under the Chatham House Rule, the invitation-only programme has brought together more than 40 leaders from public authorities, payment networks, financial institutions, technology companies and infrastructure providers. The discussions have explored how greater co-operation can support innovation, resilience and trust across an increasingly interconnected financial ecosystem.

The forum has focused on key areas including cross-border payments, digital identity, stablecoins, artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging financial infrastructure. Participants have recognised that technology is no longer the primary barrier to progress, with faster, cheaper and more efficient solutions already available across the industry.

Instead, discussions have highlighted the need for interoperable frameworks, supportive regulation and practical implementation to enable innovation at scale. Participants have also emphasised that trust between institutions, jurisdictions and consumers remained fundamental to driving adoption and growth across global financial markets.

The programme opened with a fireside chat hosted by Tracey Davies, President of Money20/20, and His Royal Highness Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, Special Envoy for Techleap. The discussion explored policy developments within the European Commission and initiatives supporting entrepreneurs and technology startups.

Oliver Smith, Head of Content, Money20/20 Europe, said, “Policy20 was designed to bridge the gap between policy and implementation. Bringing regulators, policymakers and industry leaders together in one setting creates a unique opportunity for open dialogue, helping ensure that conversations about the future of financial services remain grounded in both policy objectives and operational realities.”

The forum has further highlighted concerns around fragmentation across jurisdictions, with participants acknowledging that while complete global harmonisation may be difficult to achieve, greater co-ordination between regulators, policymakers and industry stakeholders remains essential to supporting resilient and interoperable financial systems.

Ruth Wandhöfer, CEO of Leximar Advisory and Chair of the Policy Roundtable, said, “Despite different mandates and markets, there was broad agreement that issues such as stablecoins, digital identity and AI cannot be addressed in isolation. In an increasingly global financial system, regulatory co-operation and practical alignment will become just as important as technological innovation.”

The discussions have also reinforced the view that technological capability alone will not determine the future of finance. Participants have agreed that reducing fragmentation and strengthening collaboration across markets will be critical to unlocking the full benefits of innovation.

Policy20 has concluded with a renewed focus on fostering dialogue between policymakers, regulators and industry leaders, highlighting the importance of practical co-operation in shaping the future of global finance.