Last week, the European Digital Finance Association (EDFA) hosted the 13th edition of its Fintech Visits programme, bringing policymakers and industry representatives together for an in-person session with DG FISMA in Brussels.
The session reflected EDFA’s ongoing role as a neutral platform for structured dialogue between Europe’s digital finance ecosystem and EU institutions, enabling direct exchange on real market experience and regulatory considerations.
Spotlight on Hungary’s Electronic Payments Ecosystem
EDFA was pleased to welcome EFISZ – the Electronic Payment Service Providers Association of Hungary, represented by Gábor Dávidházy, Secretary General of EFISZ and EDFA Board Member, and Dr. József Czímer, Member of the EFISZ Board.
The presentations provided DG FISMA with an in-depth overview of Hungary’s electronic payments landscape, highlighting how coordinated ecosystem development, regulatory clarity, and infrastructure-level interoperability can support the scalable adoption of cashless payment solutions.
Interoperability as a Foundation for Scalable Payments
Discussions focused on the importance of interoperability and unified payment initiation, including the combined use of QR codes, NFC, deep links, and request-to-pay mechanisms. These tools were presented as key enablers of user-friendly, instant payment experiences across a wide range of use cases, from e-commerce and point-of-sale payments to peer-to-peer transfers and invoicing.
EFISZ shared practical insights from Hungary’s instant payment framework, which has been in operation since 2020 and is regulated by the Central Bank of Hungary and operated by GIRO. The model demonstrates how mandatory participation, clear governance, and coordinated incentives can accelerate adoption while maintaining consumer protection and system reliability.
Ecosystem-Level Cooperation and Regulatory Dialogue
A central theme of the session was the role of ecosystem-level cooperation. EFISZ illustrated how close, ongoing engagement between industry participants, national authorities, and regulators has supported innovation while ensuring alignment with public policy objectives.
The discussion also highlighted how structured national-level dialogue can inform EU-level policymaking, offering concrete examples that may be relevant for broader European discussions on payments, instant payments, and interoperability.
The DG FISMA team engaged actively throughout the session, contributing questions and reflections that underlined the value of direct, experience-based exchanges within the Fintech Visits framework.
Fintech Visits: A Trusted Platform for Policy Engagement
This session marked the 13th Fintech Visit organised by EDFA, underlining the programme’s continuity and its role as a trusted channel for dialogue between fintech ecosystems and EU policymakers.
By connecting national experiences with European policy discussions, the Fintech Visits programme continues to support informed, balanced policymaking in digital finance.
Looking ahead, EDFA will continue to facilitate open and structured exchanges between market participants and EU policymakers, ensuring that practical market insights remain an integral part of Europe’s digital finance policy discussions.