Although Italy remains underestimated in Europe’s fintech conversation, it is the EU’s third-largest economy, home to major financial institutions, a strong SME base, deep private savings and a culture of quality execution.
At Money2020 Europe, OpenWay joined a panel discussion organized by ItaliaFintech on what it would take for Italy to define a stronger role in the European fintech ecosystem.
Moderated by Alessandro Hatami, Founder and Managing Partner of Pacemakers.io, the panel brought together Alessandro Portolano, Chairman of ItaliaFintech and Partner at Chiomenti; Fabrizio Zennaro from the FinTech Division of the Bank of Italy; and Maria Vin, Head of Strategy at OpenWay.
The discussion revealed where Italy’s strength could be different: becoming a hub for sophisticated, trusted B2B fintech. The next stage of fintech growth in Europe will depend on more than consumer adoption. It will require infrastructure that can support regulated innovation, SME finance, embedded services, wealth solutions, AI, operational resilience and cross-border scale. And this is where Italy could shine.
The panel looked at:
• Why Italy remains undervalued as a fintech hub
• Where its strongest fintech opportunities may emerge
• Why regulation can become a mark of credibility
• What foreign fintechs should understand before entering the market
• How Italy can define its own role in Europe’s fintech ecosystem
Watch the video to hear why Italy’s fintech opportunity could be less about becoming just “the next” hub — and more about becoming the right hub for sophisticated financial innovation.
