Future of Bank–FinTech Partnerships in the Age of GenAI: Build, Buy, Use, Co-Create, Stop?

Generative AI is reshaping how financial institutions and technology providers develop, source and deliver solutions. By accelerating software development and prototyping, it raises important questions about traditional build-versus-buy decisions, the competitive advantages of fintech providers, regulatory and operational constraints, and the future of bank–fintech cooperation.

What does this mean in practice for banks and their technology partners? And how can both sides adapt and create greater value together?

To explore these questions, the ABBL FinTech & Innovation Forum (FIF), in cooperation with the LHoFT, is organising an interactive workshop bringing together representatives of financial institutions and B2B fintech firms.

Rather than offering predetermined answers, the workshop will encourage participants to challenge assumptions, share practical experiences and identify concrete opportunities for collaboration.

Through five interactive group discussions, participants will examine how GenAI could transform technology sourcing decisions, regulatory considerations, fintech value propositions and future partnership models.

The objective is to move beyond general discussions about AI and identify practical opportunities for banks and fintechs to innovate and create value together.

Five themes for discussion

The workshop will focus on five key questions:

1. Build, Buy, Use or Co-Create: Rethinking Technology Sourcing

Could faster, lower-cost prototyping change when banks develop solutions internally, source from fintech providers, use ready-made services or discontinue projects?

2. Risk and Regulatory Conditions

How do DORA, AI governance, data protection, cybersecurity, technical integration and third-party risk requirements influence technology sourcing and cooperation? Which challenges could banks and fintechs address together?

3. Distinctive B2B Fintech Value

As software development becomes more accessible, how can fintech providers continue to differentiate themselves through specialised expertise, distinctive data, cross-market knowledge, trust and measurable business value?

4. New Partnership Models

Could co-development, embedded teams, managed services, shared solutions or pre-integration testing create more effective forms of cooperation while preserving necessary banking controls?

5. Imagining a Better Bank–FinTech Ecosystem

How could banks and fintechs jointly leverage AI to share innovation costs, develop collaborative solutions and create opportunities to scale beyond Luxembourg?

These themes are intended as hypotheses to test and challenge, rather than conclusions established in advance.

Programme

11:00 – Optional Guided Visits: LHoFT AI Experience Centre

An opportunity for interested participants to explore practical applications of AI in financial services.

Prior registration is compulsory for this optional visit.

11:30 – Registration & Walking Lunch

12:00 – Welcome & Introduction

12:10 – Setting the Scene: Is GenAI Rewriting the Bank–FinTech Relationship?

An introduction to the opportunities and challenges that generative AI presents for banks, fintech providers and their future cooperation.

12:25 – Introduction to Group Discussions: Five Issues to Discuss

Presentation of the workshop methodology and the five themes to be explored.

12:30 – Interactive Group Work

Participants will work in five mixed groups of approximately six to eight representatives from banks and B2B fintech firms.

Each group will examine one hypothesis, challenge assumptions, identify a practical problem and propose an actionable collaboration option.

13:15 – Group Presentations

Five short presentations, approximately five minutes each, covering:

• Assessment of the initial hypothesis
• Identification of the priority problem
• Potential solutions or alternative collaboration models
• Recommended next steps

13:40 – Plenary Discussion: From Hypotheses to Action

A collective discussion to compare findings and identify feasible actions for the ABBL FinTech & Innovation Forum, banks and fintech providers, including potential shared approaches and follow-up initiatives.

13:55 – Conclusions & Next Steps

14:00 – End of Event

Who should attend?

This workshop is particularly relevant for ABBL members and affiliates of the ABBL FinTech Circle involved in:

• Digital transformation and innovation
• Technology sourcing and procurement
• Bank–fintech partnerships and collaboration
• IT strategy and technology development
• Regulatory compliance and third-party risk management
• Strategic decision-making related to generative AI

The interactive format is designed to encourage direct exchanges between financial institutions and B2B fintech providers.

Registration

Participation is open to ABBL members and affiliates of the ABBL FinTech Circle.

Places are limited to preserve the interactive nature of the workshop, which is expected to bring together approximately 30–40 participants.

Participants wishing to attend the optional guided visit to the LHoFT AI Experience Centre must indicate this when registering. Prior registration for the visit is compulsory.

Practical information

Date: Monday, 23 November 2026

Time: 12:00–14:00

Registration and walking lunch: From 11:30

Optional guided visit: 11:00–12:00, subject to prior registration

Venue: BigBang, LHoFT
9 Rue du Laboratoire
L-1911 Luxembourg

Format: In person, interactive workshop

Organiser: ABBL FinTech & Innovation Forum (FIF), in cooperation with the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology (LHoFT)

Contact

ABBL Member Relations
member-relations@abbl.lu