MERGE Madrid 2026 to Spotlight Euro Stablecoins, Digital Payments, and Asset Tokenization
MERGE Madrid 2026 will happen from October 27 to 29, bringing collectively representatives from conventional banking, fintech, digital belongings, and funds to focus on the evolving function of stablecoins and blockchain expertise in world monetary providers.
The occasion is predicted to appeal to greater than 3,000 attendees and 250 worldwide audio system. Santander, BBVA, Trade Republic, Western Union, Mastercard, Ripple, and Qivalis are among the many organizations anticipated to take part in discussions protecting digital currencies, cross-border funds, asset tokenization, and the event of next-generation monetary infrastructure.
The convention comes as monetary establishments more and more discover blockchain-based cost methods and tokenized belongings. Euro- and dollar-denominated stablecoins are anticipated to function prominently, alongside questions surrounding regulation, reserve administration, client safety, and the combination of digital belongings into present monetary providers.
Banks and Payment Providers Explore Stablecoin Strategies
One of the central subjects at MERGE Madrid would be the improvement of regulated stablecoins and their potential function in European and worldwide funds.
Qivalis, an alliance involving 37 monetary establishments throughout 15 European international locations, is working to develop a euro-denominated stablecoin. Participating establishments embrace BBVA, Banca Sella, BNP Paribas, CaixaBank, Cecabank, Intesa Sanpaolo, Kutxabank, Piraeus Bank, Raiffeisen Bank, and Bankinter.
The initiative goals to help sooner funds and transfers, steady transaction availability, and digital asset settlement inside a regulated framework. A industrial launch is deliberate for the second half of 2026, topic to regulatory authorization.
Santander will even focus on an initiative it’s exploring alongside Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, MUFG, TD Bank, and UBS. The undertaking examines the potential issuance of digital currencies backed one-to-one by reserves and accessible by means of public blockchain networks, with a concentrate on currencies pegged to G7 fiat currencies.
These initiatives mirror rising curiosity amongst established monetary establishments in creating shared requirements for digital cash whereas addressing regulatory and operational necessities.
Trade Republic and Western Union Focus on Practical Applications
Beyond banking infrastructure, MERGE Madrid will look at how digital belongings will be built-in into consumer-facing monetary providers.
Trade Republic will contribute its perspective on retail funding, digital asset entry, and the function of funding platforms in making rising monetary merchandise extra accessible to European customers.
Western Union is predicted to focus on USDPT, its dollar-denominated stablecoin issued by Anchorage Digital Bank and constructed on the Solana blockchain. The firm is integrating the asset into its Digital Asset Network to join blockchain-based cash with its established worldwide switch infrastructure.
The initiative is meant to help purposes involving digital transfers, funds, and native forex conversions throughout Western Union’s world community.
Together, these approaches illustrate how stablecoins could also be integrated into present monetary methods, somewhat than working completely inside cryptocurrency markets.
“For the primary time, banks, fintechs, and main cost suppliers aren’t gathering to debate whether or not stablecoins have a spot within the monetary system, however somewhat to clarify how they’re constructing and integrating them and which particular issues they intend to clear up,” stated Paula Pascual, founding father of MERGE.
Pascual added that the occasion would supply a chance to examine totally different approaches and look at how digital cash may develop throughout Europe and Latin America.
Regulation and Monetary Sovereignty Remain Key Issues
The rising curiosity in stablecoins comes amid adjustments within the regulatory atmosphere and continued debate over the way forward for European funds.
The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework has established guidelines for issuing and providing sure crypto-assets, together with particular necessities for related stablecoin issuers. Meanwhile, the worldwide development of US dollar-linked stablecoins has prompted discussions about financial sovereignty and Europe’s skill to develop aggressive cost infrastructure denominated in euros.
For monetary establishments, blockchain-based currencies could provide alternatives to facilitate cross-border transfers, allow programmable funds, help transactions outdoors conventional banking hours, and streamline the settlement of tokenized belongings.
Payment firms and remittance suppliers are additionally exploring methods to scale back intermediaries and join digital currencies with retailers, financial institution accounts, and money assortment providers.
However, wider adoption will rely upon greater than technical capabilities. Discussions at MERGE Madrid will deal with issuer tasks, reserve safeguards, client safety, the connection between stablecoins and conventional financial institution deposits, and the potential function of the digital euro.
Three Days of Discussions in Madrid
MERGE Madrid 2026 will happen throughout two outstanding venues within the Spanish capital.
The occasion will open on Tuesday, October 27, on the Madrid Stock Exchange with an Institutional Summit for bankers, traders, regulators, and business leaders, adopted by a personal VIP networking reception.
The important convention will run on October 28 and 29 at Cibeles Palace, that includes keynote displays and breakout classes targeted on monetary providers, digital belongings, and rising applied sciences.
Confirmed contributors embrace Coty de Monteverde, Global Head of Crypto & Digital Assets at Banco Santander, and Francisco Maroto, Head of Blockchain and Digital Assets at BBVA, alongside representatives from Trade Republic, Western Union, Qivalis, Mastercard, Ripple, and different firms.
The agenda will lengthen past stablecoins and funds to cowl asset tokenization, custody, regulation, capital markets, Bitcoin, synthetic intelligence in finance, and blockchain infrastructure.
By bringing collectively established monetary establishments and digital asset firms, MERGE Madrid goals to facilitate discussions on how conventional finance and blockchain-based providers can work collectively because the business evolves.
About MERGE
MERGE is an institutional platform targeted on digital belongings, blockchain, and Web3, connecting Europe and Latin America. Through occasions in Madrid, Buenos Aires, and São Paulo, it brings collectively banks, regulators, firms, traders, fintech firms, startups, and Web3 business contributors to encourage collaboration and develop new enterprise fashions.
For extra data, the total agenda, and tickets, go to the official MERGE Madrid 2026 website.
Press Contact
Ana Ávila, CXO at Wildcom
Phone: +34 620 981 115
Email: aavila@wildcom.es
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