Eleven weeks after the European Union‘s MiCA deadline passed, the European Blockchain Convention returns to Barcelona for its 12th edition, EBC12, on 16 and 17 September 2026. It is the region’s first major institutional gathering since the world’s first comprehensive digital asset regulation became fully binding law, and organizers expect over 5,000 attendees from more than 90 countries at the new Palau de Congressos de Catalunya venue.
Key Highlights
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EBC12 takes place on 16 and 17 September 2026 at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya in Barcelona
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Over 5,000 attendees expected from more than 90 countries, alongside 80 of Europe’s top 100 banks, up from 50 last year
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More than 300 confirmed speakers, including representatives from J.P. Morgan, the Financial Conduct Authority, Invesco, Fidelity International, and BNY
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10,000 pre arranged one to one meetings plus a dedicated Buy Side Breakfast for allocators and institutional investors
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Registration is open at eblockchainconvention.com
Europe’s First Gathering Since MiCA
The Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation is now fully in force across the European Union, and the shift in conversation is immediate. Where prior editions of EBC debated whether the regulatory framework would arrive at all, EBC12 is built around what comes after: CASP licensing, stablecoin issuance under the new regime, and the role of central bank digital currencies in settlement that crosses borders. Our own coverage of firms racing to secure MiCA compliance ahead of the deadline showed how much operational weight the license carries. EBC12 is where the institutions that cleared that bar compare notes on what happens next.
Rather than chasing separate mandates city by city across London, Paris, Frankfurt, Zurich, and Barcelona, EBC12 compresses the European digital asset market into a single two day commercial arena. The event has moved to the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya, a larger premium venue that organizers say reflects how far the convention has scaled since its founding in 2018.
Banks Are Already Moving
The institutional signal ahead of EBC12 is concrete rather than aspirational. Deutsche Boerse has invested 200 million dollars in Kraken, and Santander’s digital bank, Openbank, has expanded crypto trading for customers across Germany and Spain. Both institutions are expected among the delegations discussing what comes next in Barcelona this September.
“Eight years ago, we built EBC because we believed Europe would be where this industry matured. A lot of people thought we were early. In 2026, European banks are deploying capital, institutional products are live across major markets, and the regulatory framework is in place. EBC is where the people driving that change meet once a year to do real business,” said Victoria Gago, Co CEO of European Blockchain Convention and Digital Assets Forum.
Who Is Confirmed to Speak
The speaker roster leans heavily institutional. Confirmed names include Emma Landriault, Head of Kinexys Labs at J.P. Morgan; Mohamad Zaraket, Head of Digital Assets Strategy EMEA at BNY; Kathleen Wrynn, Global Head of Digital Assets at Invesco; Victor Jung, Vice President of Digital Assets and Currencies at Hamilton Lane; Previn Singh from Fidelity International; and Colin Payne, Head of Innovation at the Financial Conduct Authority. They join more than 300 speakers drawn from banking, asset management, infrastructure, and policy.
The EBC12 Programme
Sessions across both days cover institutional capital allocation strategy, central bank digital currency development, real world asset tokenization, and regulatory market structure. The stablecoin regulation debate that has dominated policy circles this year gets a dedicated track, alongside sessions on AI in stablecoin management and settlement infrastructure more broadly.
Alongside the main programme, EBC12 runs 10,000 pre arranged one to one meetings and a Buy Side Breakfast built specifically for allocators and institutional investors. A dedicated press room gives media direct access to speakers across both days.
“What makes EBC valuable is not scale for the sake of scale. It is the concentration of the right traders in one place, decision makers, operators, investors, and infrastructure leaders, with enough relevance and intent to make the time count,” Gago said of the event’s growth from 50 to 80 of Europe’s top 100 banks in a single year.
A Market Moving Past the Adoption Question
EBC12 arrives as institutional allocation accelerates across the board. Recent coverage of firms securing US trust bank approval for crypto operations confirms how quickly regulated infrastructure is being built out on both sides of the Atlantic. For European institutions, the debate over whether to enter digital assets is largely settled. EBC12 organizers frame this edition around the harder question: how allocation, custody, and settlement actually scale once the license is in hand.
Registration and Press Details
Registration for EBC12 is open now. The event runs 16 and 17 September 2026 at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. Full programme details and registration are available at eblockchainconvention.com. Press enquiries can be directed to ebc@yapglobal.com or samvidha@yapglobal.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the European Blockchain Convention 2026 taking place?
The European Blockchain Convention, EBC12, will take place on 16 and 17 September 2026.
Where will the event be held?
EBC12 will be held at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya in Barcelona.
What is MiCA and why is it significant for the convention?
MiCA stands for the Markets in Crypto Assets regulation, and it is significant because it is now fully in force across the European Union, shifting the focus of discussions at EBC12 to what comes next in digital asset regulation.
How many attendees and speakers are expected at EBC12?
Organizers expect over 5,000 attendees from more than 90 countries and more than 300 confirmed speakers, including representatives from major financial institutions.
