Banks, Fintechs, and Payment Companies Unite in Madrid for Stablecoin Discussion

The Spanish capital of Madrid will be at the center of a major discussion on the future of money this October. The event, MERGE Madrid 2026, brings together four perspectives on stablecoins: collaboration among international banks, the creation of a European stablecoin within MiCA, digital asset adoption from a European investment platform, and the integration of a digital dollar into one of the largest remittance networks in the world.

Santander will discuss its initiative to issue a form of digital money backed by reserves and available on public blockchains. The project explores currencies linked to G7 currencies and aims to build common standards for international banking to operate with digital money securely and regulatedly.

Trade Republic will provide the perspective of one of Europe's leading investment and savings platforms on incorporating digital assets into everyday financial services. Western Union will present its dollar-denominated stablecoin, USDPT, issued by Anchorage Digital Bank and built on Solana.