Three Questions from Paris: Fintech Trends, Takeaways and Conversations

Head of Business & Technology, Victor Hjelm

Q: What were the key insights or trends discussed during the French Fintech Tour and Bank Tech Day?

A: A similar theme from last year's visit to Paris remains, the French fintech and banking ecosystem continues to prioritize self-sufficiency within France and the EU. There is a clear focus on reducing dependencies on US tech providers, especially in cloud and AI. While many acknowledge they are not currently competing on par with US competitors, they are preparing for an uncertain geopolitical future.

Most fintechs are still working on various AI use cases, often centered on automation and efficiency. Typical areas include contract and document handling, AI voice interfaces, ESG reporting, test automation, and employee training tools.

What was new this time for me at least, was a visible increase in deeper research-led AI work applied to financial services. There is growing interest in combining different types of AI to go beyond automation. This includes numerical models for forecasting, causal models for scenario analysis, and large language models for unstructured data and automation. These are now being explored in combination, often orchestrated by agent-based frameworks to make more complex and context-aware decisions.

Q: Any significant networking opportunities or connections?

A: Yes, several. Beyond the formal sessions, there were good opportunities to speak with fintech founders, investors, banks, and government representatives. A dedicated networking session also included private equity players, many of whom are now actively looking at fintech opportunities, particularly in AI and cybersecurity.

There were also valuable discussions with representatives from Banque de France, particularly around how they are working within the constraints of EU regulation to remain globally competitive. Topics like the AI Act, GDPR, MiCA, and others were front of mind, as was the challenge of maintaining flexibility while aligning with regulatory obligations.

Q: What were the most impactful sessions or takeaways?

A: Rather than one single moment standing out, there were a few consistent messages that left an impression.

The strategic focus on European digital autonomy is real. This isn’t just political rhetoric; it’s influencing product and infrastructure choices across the fintech and banking ecosystem.

Also, while many fintech solutions look similar across markets, the forward-looking discussions are now moving toward orchestration of different AI models. The ambition is not just to automate tasks but to support more complex reasoning and decision-making.

Moreover, the verdict on the future of Blockchain is still out there. Some Fintechs as well as bank representatives are super enthusiastic, while others still think it is a technology looking for a problem to solve.

Final thought, Paris showed once again that the fintech dialogue here is not just about solving today's problems. It is also about preparing for future shifts, both technological and geopolitical. Not everything is production-ready yet, but there are more actors out there who want to shape the future of finance.