The Portfolio Future of Finance 2026 conference has started, bringing together representatives from banks, insurers, asset managers, fintech companies, corporate finance leaders and regulators. The event aims to explore how the financial industry is being reshaped by technological advances, macroeconomic uncertainty and government incentives.
Topics in focus
Key topics at the conference include euro convergence, the Otthon Start program, the future of interest-rate support measures, shifts in wealth management, the role of artificial intelligence (AI), and the evolving responsibilities of CFOs after 2026. Sessions will also address programmable money, the financing role of the banking sector and generational differences in finance.
Speakers and headline sessions
The "Big Picture" session will cover government financial plans, changes in the global order and strategic issues affecting the sector. Featured speakers include Barabás Gyula, State Secretary for Public Finances at the Ministry of Finance; Farkas Ádám, CEO of the European Financial Markets Association; Randall Baran-Chong, Vice President at Mastercard; Arnaud Mares, Citi's European Chief Economist; Sipos-Tompa Levente, Vice Governor of the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB); and Steigervald Krisztián, a generational consultant.
One of the day's central blocks examines AI and banking: virtual bankers, AI agents, data-asset-driven business efficiency and live bank deployments will be discussed. Attendees will consider whether AI is already a commercially viable tool or still primarily a promising technology.
Simultaneously, the future of wealth management will be in focus: government bonds, asset manager outlooks, private banking challenges, wealth taxes and ownership transparency — topics that will shape the coming years for Hungarian savers and wealthy clients.
In the afternoon, retail lending topics will take prominence, with particular attention to the Otthon Start program, the fate of the interest-rate stop and the baby support scheme (babaváró). Corporate finance and credit management issues will also be highlighted. The day concludes with a roundtable on the future of CFOs and the presentation of the CFO of the Year 2026 award.
Related event: Portfolio Investment Day 2026
Separately, Portfolio Investment Day 2026 will be held on October 21, focusing on investment questions, market outlooks and portfolio construction — including the durability of the AI rally and expectations for equities, bonds, commodities and crypto markets.
The conference reflects that the financial sector is facing simultaneous technological, regulatory and business pressures, and participants are actively seeking answers about who and how will succeed in the next era of finance.
