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Ekmel Cilingir

Ekmel Cilingir Chairman of the Supervisory Board at European Merchant Bank

Funding obstacles complicate SMEs' path to sustainability

The European Union (EU) aims to become a climate neutral continent by 2050. This sustainability objective undeniably influences all sectors, but particularly sensitively affects small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It calls for a move towards sustainability, but experts say businesses are struggling to achieve it. The greatest pitfall – fin...

/sustainable

Ekmel Cilingir

Ekmel Cilingir Chairman of the Supervisory Board at European Merchant Bank

Adaptation and Growth: The Road Ahead for the FinTech Sector

In 2023, the financing of the FinTech sector has faced some serious fluctuations. The latest KPMG report shows that in the first half of 2023, global financing of the FinTech sector decreased by 17 per-cent compared to the second half of 2022. Despite facing this and other recent challenges, FinTech is one of the most advanced and innovative secto...

/markets /predictions Fintech

Ekmel Cilingir

Ekmel Cilingir Chairman of the Supervisory Board at European Merchant Bank

Why Lithuania's Fintech is Booming

Lithuania is becoming increasingly established in the Fintech sector and is gaining more international recognition. The statistics do not lie – the country is attracting more investments and interests from foreign businesses every year. For example, in 2022, this sector attracted investments in the amount of EUR 67.9 million to Lithuania. During H...

/markets Fintech

Ekmel Cilingir

Ekmel Cilingir Chairman of the Supervisory Board at European Merchant Bank

Embedded Finance: Another Buzz Phrase or a Real Opportunity for the FinTech Sector?

The FinTech industry is picking up speed, and is changing our understanding about financial services and their uses in many fields. One of the reasons for this change is embedded finance. This technology is subtly and significantly transforming entire sectors, as well as creating new opportunities. A study by Juniper Research revealed that the wor...

/predictions Embedded Finance

Ekmel Cilingir

Ekmel Cilingir Chairman of the Supervisory Board at European Merchant Bank

How Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionising the Fintech Landscape?

Lately, the FinTech industry has witnessed a significant transformation due to the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). This cutting-edge technology has opened up novel avenues, streamlined and refined operations, bolstered security measures and elevated customer service. While AI has numerous advantages, it also poses challenges that are pe...

/predictions Fintech

Ekmel Cilingir

Ekmel Cilingir Chairman of the Supervisory Board at European Merchant Bank

5 lessons banks must learn from fintech companies

The value of the global financial technology (fintech) market was USD 112.5 billion last year. The same market is projected to grow threefold to reach USD 332.5 billion over the next six years. This growth is sending a clear signal to the banking sector: a new aggressive player has joined them at the poker table and, if they do not act, it will ta...

/retail /predictions Fintech

Ekmel Cilingir

Ekmel Cilingir Chairman of the Supervisory Board at European Merchant Bank

Fintech versus Banks: Time to Choose the Best Strategy.

The fintech industry is like an everlasting engine. Even in the most turbulent of times, when the world is beset by crises and hardships, its revs have hardly decremented. Well, and over time, this expeditious magnification of fintech is increasingly making banks wonder – what’s next? And there are only two possible answers to this question: compe...

/retail /predictions Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation

Ekmel Cilingir

Ekmel Cilingir Chairman of the Supervisory Board at European Merchant Bank

The future of banking in the EU: Four trends

Banking has advanced so much across the EU in recent years that even customers themselves do not always keep up with the innovations. In this insight, I will look at the most striking innovations of recent years and those that will continue to improve banking. Environmental influences and security There is no doubt that the big breakthrough came in...

/retail /predictions Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation

Ekmel Cilingir

Ekmel Cilingir Chairman of the Supervisory Board at European Merchant Bank

Towards a digital euro: There will be changes, it’s important to take advantage of them.

Just over a year ago, in July 2021, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced the launch of the digital euro project. According to the ECB, the first two years will be spent on research and preparation, and the next three on testing and deployment. When the digital euro is launched in 2026, the European Union will be far from being among the leade...

/crypto /predictions Banking Strategy, Digital and Transformation

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