Find out about the future of money and digital coins at Money Motion conference

Europe has fallen behind in adopting new payment methods beyond the forms of money we already know — cash, card payments (bank account money), or cryptocurrencies. A large-scale adoption of digital currencies and the development of its own financial infrastructure is expected. What should we anticipate more precisely?

Answers to these questions will be explored by industry leaders at Money Motion 2026, the largest FinTech conference in Central and Eastern Europe. The fourth edition of Money Motion will take place on March 11–12 at the Zagreb Fair, with the support of leading brands such as Mastercard, Monri, ASEE, Croatia osiguranje, A1 Hrvatska, Electrocoin, Nexi, HPB, Bankart, Smartis, and other ecosystem partners.

The digital euro and asset tokenization are among the central topics of this year’s program, discussed both on the main stage and the FinTech2030 stage. Ahead of the conference, industry representatives and financial market experts examined the key challenges and trends that will shape the future of money infrastructure.

What are digital currencies, and how do they differ from money in a bank account

Digital currencies are money created and used directly in electronic form, without necessarily relying on traditional banking infrastructure. They are not simply “money on your phone,” but represent a new financial infrastructure that enables direct, programmable, and continuous transfers of value.

Both digital currencies and bank account money are visible through mobile apps or digital interfaces, yet they function differently. Money in a bank account is an entry within the bank’s system, with transfers typically involving intermediaries and not always settling instantly. Digital currencies, on the other hand, are natively digital assets that can be transferred directly between users, often almost instantly and sometimes without intermediaries, operating 24/7 and enabling automated or programmable payments.

Digital currencies vs traditional money

The adoption of digital currencies is no longer seen as an exotic alternative, but as a natural stage in the evolution of the financial system. From instant payments and transfers without intermediaries to the ability to program money and reduce operational costs, these instruments promise to radically transform user experience and the way markets operate.

In some countries, digital currencies are already used extensively. The most advanced countries in adopting digital currencies are the Bahamas, Nigeria, and Jamaica, while China and India lead globally through large-scale pilot projects.

Europe has not yet launched a digital currency, and the digital euro remains under development, with a possible rollout toward the end of the decade. Instead, cryptocurrencies and privately issued stablecoins are used mainly for investments and transfers. Romania follows a similar pattern, where digital currencies are used on a small scale, primarily for investment purposes and peer-to-peer payments.

Digital assets as a complement, not a threat

From the perspective of a global payment network, new forms of digital currencies do not mean the collapse of the existing system, but its expansion.

"The technologies behind new forms of digital currencies represent a new opportunity for payments and for our network. We have been working with partners in this space for years, and there is already a range of Mastercard programs on the market that enable users to buy and use digital assets," says Hendrik Bourgeois, Senior Vice President Public Policy and Government Affairs, Mastercard Europe.

He points out that Mastercard sees the development of digital currencies as a natural evolution of the ecosystem. Digital assets, he adds, are not competition, but an additional layer.

"We see digital assets as a complement to the payment ecosystem and as another currency that we support within our network. Ultimately, it's about enabling people to pay in the way that suits them best – by expanding the payment ecosystem through interoperability, relevant services, global reach, and trust", the expert added.

Europe is late, but cannot stay on the sidelines

Although payments have digitalized rapidly, most transactions remain anchored in traditional banking infrastructure. However, Europe is now at a turning point.

While the private sector and other regions are advancing quickly with stablecoins and blockchain-based infrastructures, the European Union is trying to close the gap through initiatives such as the digital euro and the development of its own financial infrastructure. The stakes go beyond technology, touching on monetary sovereignty, security, and economic competitiveness.

The next step is no longer just about speed. The digital euro and tokenization raise a broader question: who controls the infrastructure of money in the digital age, and how will value move in an economy that operates 24/7?

Figures from 2025 show the stake involved. The digital euro becomes more than a technological project.

Nikola Škorić, co-founder of Electrocoin and Money Motion, warns that the private sector already has serious momentum.

"Europe is quite late compared to the leading private stablecoin issuers, as the American stablecoins USDC and USDT together processed more than $30 trillion worth of transactions in 2025, which is enormous global traffic that far exceeds most nominal European initiatives.

If we look at the cold facts, Europe is moving towards a world where money becomes a digital infrastructure, not a product. The digital euro should bring a state guarantee and stability to the online environment. At the same time, the tokenization of real assets will show how quickly and efficiently value can move when recorded on the blockchain”, Nikola Škorić explains.

This won't 'kill' crypto. Rather, it will separate speculation from real use and force projects to show what they are really for. When institutions adopt the same technology, the network effect becomes huge, and what was an alternative yesterday becomes standard tomorrow.

His assessment for the end of the decade is pragmatic: "By 2030, citizens will probably pay and send money with a combination of the digital euro and regulated stablecoins. Bitcoin and similar assets will remain important, but more as a global, neutral store of value than as a means for 'coffee in the neighborhood.' The real change is that the blockchain will become invisible. We will use it without thinking about it. And when technology becomes boring, that is usually a sign that it has won."

Tokenization as a redesign of the financial "waterway"

If the digital euro represents the public layer of money, tokenization represents a new way for assets to move.

"If the digital euro becomes the new public settlement infrastructure, and tokenized assets enter the main financial flows, then we are not just digitizing assets, but redesigning the 'waterway' of the financial market", Robert Markuš, director of Smartis, adds.

He emphasizes that this is a deeper transformation. According to his interpretation, three infrastructure layers will decide whether the tokenized economy can develop safely and operationally stable: an interoperable real-time settlement infrastructure, an identity-driven compliance and trust architecture, and cryptographic security and operational resilience built into the design.

Banks will not be able to choose between the old and the new, he warns, but will have to build hybrid architectures in which tokenized deposits, central bank digital currency, DLT platforms, RTGS systems, SEPA, and card schemes coexist.

Markuš further emphasizes that in the tokenized economy, identity becomes just as important as liquidity. Strong digital identity, orchestration of KYC/KYB processes, AML supervision adapted to tokenized flows, and programmable compliance are no longer additional functionality, but the foundation of the system.

Topics discussed on stage at Money Motion in Zagreb

This topic will not remain at the theoretical level. On the main stage of Money Motion, the panel "Digitalised Euro: Stablecoin, Tokenised Deposit or CBDC?" will be held, with the participation of Alexandre Soroko (Visa), Martin Bruncko (Schuman Financial), Jürgen Schaaf (ECB), and Ronald Oliveira (Hard Yaka Ventures).

Jürgen Schaaf will also give the keynote "From Vision to Value: The Digital Euro and Europe's Road towards Wholesale CBDC," while Faustine Fleuret will open the geopolitical dimension of tokenization in the keynote "From tokenising to decentralising finance: EU policymakers vs. US strategy makers."

In addition to the main discussions, the Expo Stage sponsored by Raiffeisen Bank International brings a special format. On Wednesday, the first day of the conference, Damjan Rudež and Alojzije Janković will hold a fireside chat, and Janković will then play a game of 'blind chess', a symbolic demonstration of strategic thinking in an environment where the pieces are increasingly moving beneath the surface, in which the audience will play an important role.

Because that is exactly what is happening with money. The digital euro, tokenization, and interoperability might soon become boring infrastructure. And in finance, that is usually a sign that the system has become the standard.

Money Motion is the largest FinTech event in Central and Eastern Europe, bringing together more than 700 companies and around 3,500 professionals from the financial and technology sectors each year. The conference gathers leaders from banking, fintech, digital payments, cybersecurity, regulation, and technological innovation, providing a strategic platform for discussions, partnerships, and the launch of the latest industry solutions.

The event will take place on March 11–12, 2026, at the Zagreb Fair in Croatia, serving as a key meeting point for the financial and tech ecosystem in Central and Eastern Europe, including specialists, investors, and companies from Romania and other European markets.