The MERGE Madrid 2026 conference, an institutional blockchain and Web3 event, is scheduled to take place from October 27 to 29 in the Spanish capital, convening key architects of next-generation financial systems.
Major European banks, including BBVA, Cecabank, BNP Paribas, Banca Sella, Raiffeisen Bank, and Piraeus Bank, have confirmed their attendance to discuss regional digital asset strategies.
A focal point of the event will be the Qivalis consortium, an alliance of 37 European financial entities developing a euro-pegged stablecoin compliant with the Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation. This initiative seeks to establish a continuous instant settlement network tailored for the global economy, reflecting a strategic effort by European banks to ensure regional sovereignty in digital currency rather than ceding dominance to dollar-backed alternatives.
This development highlights a broader industry competition among traditional banks, payment processors, and regulatory authorities to dictate the trajectory of digital money.
“We are living through one of the greatest changes in the recent history of finance. The conversation is no longer about whether digital assets will play a relevant role, but about who will build the infrastructure that will move the money of the future,” said Paula Pascual, founder of MERGE in a written statement. “At MERGE, we are going to bring together many of the players leading that transformation — from banks and regulators to technology companies and global payment networks,” he added.
The conference will utilize the Palacio de Cibeles and the Madrid Stock Exchange as venues, expecting over 3,000 participants and 250 global speakers. The agenda will cover asset tokenization, regulatory frameworks, artificial intelligence integration, and the proliferation of stablecoins, which offer programmable cross-border transaction capabilities.
Alongside the aforementioned banks, major firms such as Santander, Unicaja, Kutxabank, Eurobank, Renta 4, Visa, Mastercard, Ripple, Stripe, Circle, and Rain are slated to participate. The proceedings will commence with the MERGE Institutional Summit on October 27 at the Madrid Stock Exchange, operating as an exclusive, invitation-only forum designed to facilitate strategic discussions among top executives and policymakers regarding the evolution of financial markets across Europe and Latin America.
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