On 19–20 May 2026, Europe’s regulators, financial institutions, AI innovators and academic partners will converge in Vienna for the inaugural VI3NNA Congress. The invite‑only summit will co‑create a roadmap for Europe’s digital‑asset economy through four executive tracks culminating in the VI3NNA Declaration.
Recent findings from Ripple & BCG’s “Approaching the Tokenization Tipping Point” show how urgent this agenda is. The report forecasts that tokenized real‑world assets will surge from about US$0.6 trillion in 2025 to US$18.9 trillion by 2033, implying a 53 % compound annual growth rate. Tokenization isn’t only about growth; it promises tangible efficiencies. For example, investment‑grade bonds could save US$40–60 million annually per US$100 billion of issuance by reducing intermediaries and automating issuance, settlement and compliance.
Real‑estate funds managing US$5 billion could cut US$100–150 million in administrative costs over five years and unlock US$500 million–1 billion in fresh capital through fractional ownership. Collateral and liquidity management offers US$150–300 million in yearly savings for a global bank with US$100 billion in daily repo volume, while trade finance could free US$2–4 billion in working capital per US$50 billion of trade and reduce annual financing costs by US$20–50 million. Even corporate treasury and cash management operations can generate US$55–140 million in annual savings for a multinational firm managing US$1 billion in idle cash and US$10 billion in payments.
Europe’s path forward hinges on turning these opportunities into reality. The MiCA framework provides the first harmonized legal foundation for digital assets in the European Union, offering a clear pathway for institutional participation. The next phase will be defined by execution, interoperability and scalable, compliant market infrastructure. By convening regulators, banks, investors and founders in Vienna, VI3NNA Congress positions the city as a neutral ground for aligning on that framework and ensuring that digital finance drives prosperity across the continent.
A Timely Platform for Europe’s Next Phase of Digital Assets Economy
Europe is entering a decisive period for its competitiveness and capital markets. Fragmented markets, slow productivity growth, and the urgent need to finance the energy transition demand new infrastructure. Digital assets, tokenisation and AI‑enabled finance are now seen as tools to unlock capital efficiency, transparency and cross‑border functionality — provided coherent regulation and secure market infrastructure are in place. VI3NNA Congress was created to meet this need: an invitation‑only forum that enables public and private decision‑makers to align on frameworks that support responsible adoption at scale.
Academic & Advisory Consortium Underpins the Executive Tracks
The foundation for VI3NNA’s four Executive Tracks and the VI3NNA Declaration is built in collaboration with an Academic and Advisory Consortium. This consortium provides research depth, strategic perspective, and institutional relevance to ensure that discussions are grounded in evidence and practical feasibility.
Insights developed through expert sessions and roundtables are consolidated into structured problem statements and concrete recommendations and are synthesised into the annual VI3NNA Declaration. The goal is to support policymakers and market operators with implementable priorities rather than abstract debate.
The VI3NNA Declaration – Setting the Agenda for Europe’s Digital Assets Policy
Unlike traditional industry conferences, VI3NNA’s curated format is built around deliverables. The two‑day programme culminates in the VI3NNA Declaration, a non‑political, industry‑driven position paper synthesising plenary sessions, executive round‑tables and partner input. The declaration aims to provide clear recommendations for regulators and market operators on taxation, anti‑money‑laundering (AML), capital efficiency and innovation sandboxes.
“Digital assets open a window of opportunity to drive prosperity in Europe,” notes VI3NNA Managing Director Oliver Schmitt. “By convening regulators, banks, investors and founders in Vienna, we can translate Europe’s regulatory clarity into real‑world adoption and ensure that digital finance creates jobs and growth — in Vienna and across the continent.”
Vienna – Europe’s Emerging Crypto Hub
The choice of host city is deliberate. Vienna has become a fast-growing centre for institutional digital assets activity, with regulated service providers and major exchanges establishing EU operations in the city, and banks and financial institutions increasingly advancing tokenisation, custody, and stablecoin-related initiatives. This institutional momentum is reinforced by Austria’s pragmatic supervisory approach and the broader harmonisation under MiCA, positioning Vienna as a credible base for compliant market development.
Retail adoption is also visible. A 2025 Tech Funding News report cites an estimated 18% crypto adoption rate, 230+ crypto and blockchain companies, around 400 merchants accepting crypto, and 130 research-intensive firms and institutes. Together, these factors make Vienna an ideal neutral ground for Europe’s digital assets dialogue.
Four Executive Tracks – From Liquidity to Innovation Free Zones
VI3NNA’s programme addresses the most pressing strategic questions for Europe’s digital assets economy through four Executive Tracks:
- Liquidity & Capital Efficiency – examines how tokenization, on‑chain settlement and new market structures can unlock capital efficiency; DeFi‑market structure research and AI‑driven liquidity optimization will inform a European Tokenized Liquidity Framework.
- Regulatory Landscape: Tax, AML & Compliance – analyses the interplay between MiCA, DAC8, AML reforms and national laws; legal/governance expertise and cost‑modelling will underpin a competitiveness‑oriented regulatory blueprint.
- AI & Digital Assets in Banking & Finance – explores how AI, data and digital assets converge to reshape banking models, risk management and customer experience.
- EU vs. Global Innovation & Free Zones – compares Europe’s regulatory approach with international innovation free zones to balance competitiveness and systemic stability.
Each track brings together regulators, central banks, tax authorities, commercial banks, asset managers, exchanges, infrastructure providers, and high-impact start-ups. Participants engage in moderated round‑tables and workshops that feed directly into the VI3NNA Declaration. As General Counsel for the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), Ruben Bombardi recently advised, compliance must be considered at the design stage — “think about compliance at design stage,” he noted at a 2026 industry roundtable. VI3NNA’s structured discussions are intended precisely to embed regulatory considerations into product and infrastructure design.
A Curated, Invitation‑Only Forum – Demand Exceeds Capacity
Although the inaugural edition was planned for around 120 participants, VI3NNA has already received more than 100 applications from C‑level executives, regulators and investors, prompting organisers to expand the setting. This strong demand reflects a thirst for a high‑quality, decision‑maker‑level conversation that goes beyond typical crypto events. The invite‑only format ensures that discussions remain focused and actionable.
Early partners and supporters illustrate the event’s breadth. International exchanges and infrastructure providers such as Bluechip, Black Manta Capital Partners, Blockchain for Europe, INATBA, Digital Asset Association Austria (DAAA), taxbit, BitMEX, Blockpit, KuCoin EU, and others are already on board. High‑level keynote invitations are being finalised with the European Central Bank, the European Commission, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance, and regulatory agencies from across Europe. These partnerships underscore VI3NNA’s ambition: to become Europe’s most influential and directional conference on the digital assets economy.
Voices from the Ecosystem
Florian Wimmer, co‑founder and CEO of Blockpit, points to the importance of clear rules and effective supervision, noting that Vienna’s regulatory clarity and VI3NNA create a unique opportunity to position Europe as a leader in compliant digital finance.
Prof. Chris Brummer, Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Financial Technology at Georgetown University and founder of Bluprynt, stresses the need for interoperability and alignment between policy, market infrastructure, and technological innovation, and sees VI3NNA as a timely space to define that alignment.
Ruben Bombardi, General Counsel of Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), underscores the importance of building compliance in from the start. At a 2026 industry roundtable, he urged participants to “think about compliance at the design stage,” noting that sustainable growth depends on embedding governance and supervisory expectations into product architecture and operational controls from day one.
Stephan Lutz, CEO of crypto derivatives exchange BitMEX, points to the convergence required for market maturity: “Europe’s digital asset economy will only reach its potential when liquidity, risk management, and compliance converge. VI3NNA’s focus on capital efficiency and regulation is exactly what our industry needs.”
Part of the Global Digital Asset Forum Vienna 2026
VI3NNA Congress anchors the inaugural Global Digital Asset Forum Vienna 2026, a week‑long series of events celebrating digital finance. Throughout the week, workshops, hackathons, and networking events will showcase innovations in blockchain, AI, and tokenised finance. VI3NNA’s Executive Tracks and Declaration ensure that the week produces concrete policy and market outcomes rather than just talk. By connecting industry, regulation, and academia, the Forum opens a window of prosperity for Europe — improving, harmonising and further developing the framework so the continent can catch up with and eventually lead the global digital asset economy.
Walter Mösenbacher, CEO of the Global Digital Asset Forum Vienna 2026, notes:
“Vienna is emerging as a serious venue for institutional digital assets dialogue. We welcome VI3NNA as a core anchor of the Global Digital Asset Forum Vienna 2026—aligning executive-level debate with a week of ecosystem activity, and ensuring the programme translates into concrete policy and market outcomes, not just conversation.”
VI3NNA CongressDates: 19–20 May 2026
Location: MQ Libelle, MuseumsQuartier, Vienna
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The venue for our main stage during the conference is MQ Libelle, MuseumsQuartier, Vienna.
About VI3NNA Congress
VI3NNA Congress is a curated, invitation‑only forum held annually in Vienna, Austria, that brings together senior decision‑makers from regulation, finance, infrastructure, academia and technological innovation to actively shape Europe’s digital assets economy. Structured around four Executive Tracks—Liquidity & Capital Efficiency, Regulatory Landscape, AI & Digital Assets in Banking & Finance, and EU vs. Global Innovation & Free Zones—the two‑day summit culminates in the VI3NNA Declaration, an industry‑driven position paper designed to translate strategic dialogue into actionable recommendations. The Congress 2026 is co‑developed with leading academic centres to ensure technological feasibility, economic coherence, regulatory realism and academic credibility.
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