Leading brands and cutting-edge technological solutions at this year’s Money Motion
Cyberattacks on financial institutions have continued to rise in both frequency and impact over the past year. For a long time, banks and companies offering similar services have been prime targets for cybercriminals. Just last year, the industry witnessed dozens of cases of major data and asset losses. For this reason, investments in cybersecurity have never been higher.
Leading consulting and research firms predict that cybersecurity investments in FinTech will grow from tens to hundreds of billions of euros over the next five years. Today, three out of four banks worldwide use artificial intelligence to detect transaction anomalies in real time and identify attackers before they can cause harm. In addition to AI, industry experts have high hopes for blockchain technology as a tool for enhancing security and transparency.
The European Union is actively working on implementing the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), which will introduce stricter cybersecurity standards for all participants in the financial ecosystem starting this year. At the same time, the NIS2 directive additionally expands cybersecurity obligations by imposing stricter data protection and incident response requirements – not just for financial institutions but also for a broad range of other critical sectors.
To address these challenges and ensure system resilience, FinTech leaders, regulators, and security experts are gathering at the Money Motion conference organized in collaboration with leading regional brands ASEE, Monri, Mastercard, OTP banka, A1 Hrvatska, Croatia osiguranje, and LAQO. The conference will take place on March 27–28 at the Zagreb Fair.
We asked top experts from three different FinTech domains – banking, payment processing, and cybersecurity – how they tackle cyber threats and what they expect from the conference.
It is clear to OTP Group that cybersecurity has become the foundation of financial industry stability and client trust in today’s dynamic digital environment. From sophisticated threats and growing regulatory requirements to the complexity of the systems they manage, the bank is well aware of the key challenges facing the industry. That’s why OTP continuously invests in state-of-the-art security technologies, strengthens the protection of sensitive data, and collaborates with regulators and experts to uphold the highest security standards.
A particular focus, says Balázs Békeffy, CEO of OTP banka, is on artificial intelligence, which brings both opportunities and challenges in protecting financial transactions and personal data.
“AI enables faster and more accurate threat detection and automated responses to potential attacks, but it requires responsible management to ensure transparency and ethical application. OTP banka remains committed to innovation and the development of security solutions that provide reliable and secure digital banking for our clients. Our strategy is based on continuously improving technology, strengthening expert teams, and partnering with key stakeholders to build a secure future for the financial industry together.”
Experts often emphasize a broader societal issue – the shortage of cybersecurity professionals, as well as a lack of education and employee engagement in detecting, preventing, and responding to cyber threats in a timely manner.”While AI and decentralized finance are transforming the industry, we are simultaneously witnessing a continuous rise in cyber threats. This environment requires technological innovation, broader access to cybersecurity solutions, and a stronger approach to data protection through advanced defense systems against increasingly AI-driven cyberattacks. Education and awareness – both among users and professionals – are becoming key factors in this process. A sustainable and secure FinTech ecosystem can only be built through continuous learning and proactive engagement from all stakeholders. Platforms like the Money Motion conference play a vital role in fostering idea exchange, joint education, and better preparation for digital risks,” said Željka Jurić, Product Manager at ASEE.
The development of new FinTech solutions, including integrated payment systems and almost invisible transactions, is an exciting next step for the industry and a key topic at the upcoming Money Motion conference. However, every new system launched on the market must prioritize security concerns and address potential vulnerabilities before they become a problem.
At 7Security, experts believe that self-paying cars and smart refrigerators that automatically order groceries are much closer to reality than many think. While discussions about such innovations often delve into machine consciousness, the real issue is the security of transactions in which humans are not directly involved during any stage.”The good news? Security standards are evolving and opening new doors for innovation. As PCI (Payment Card Industry) experts, we see firsthand how security standards adapt to meet industry needs. One of the key developments is MPoC (Mobile Payments on COTS)—a relatively new PCI standard that sets security requirements for accepting card data and PINs on the same mobile device. This allows technology providers to optimize and enhance the payment experience for merchants and consumers. In 2024, we have already seen the first successful MPoC-certified solutions, which fully unlock the potential of integrated payments. Merchants and service providers can now embed MPoC-certified SDKs into their mobile apps, essentially turning them into various modern payment instruments,” said Pavel Kaminsky, Founder & CEO of 7Security.
For new innovative cybersecurity solutions and other industry challenges, applications for the Money Motion Startup Competition are open until the end of February. Winners will share a prize fund exceeding €50,000. The top ten teams will pitch their solutions to a jury of six managers, mentors, and investors on the first day of the conference, with winners announced at the end of the second day.
A ticket grants access to the two-day conference program as well as evening events during the event. For more information, visit the official Money Motion conference website and secure your ticket via the Entrio platform.
