After nine years in Zurich-Oerlikon, Finanz26 returned this Wednesday and Thursday to the heart of Zurich for the first time in many years—at the lakeside Kongresshaus. According to a press release, the event drew approximately 3,100 professional investors.

Under this year’s motto, «Disruption Drives Innovation», the event brought together investors and asset managers to support well-informed investment decisions in a period marked by heightened uncertainty and market volatility. finews acted as the event’s media partner.

(Video: Matisse Chik)

Four high-profile roundtables addressed China, global debt challenges, the future of the Swiss financial sector, and the emerging new world order. In addition, 22 expert panels covered topics including artificial intelligence, digital currencies, gold, private equity and investment products—among them the 25th anniversary of ETFs.

Why Bitcoin and Stablecoins Are Not Rivals – read more here.

Prominent speakers included leading figures from the financial industry such as UBS Switzerland President Sabine Keller-Busse, alongside experts from politics, business and academia.

A few impressions from Finanz 26

(Images: finews)

«What's new? Essentially everything.»

When asked what had changed at this year’s event, Finance CEO Julian Malgiaritta summed it up succinctly: «Grundsätzlich alles.»

In an interview with finews, he explained that when the event was launched in 1999, it was still open to the public and also targeted retail investors. Over time, however, the focus shifted to a purely institutional B2B format—an approach that remains in place today.

With the move to the Kongresshaus, the emphasis is now more strongly on efficiency and productivity compared with the traditional trade fair format:

«The large exhibition stands were removed and standardized so that they are easier to manage. This enables us to respond more flexibly and quickly to the needs of sponsors, exhibitors and providers, and to accommodate even very short-term requests,» said Malgiaritta.

The so-called sponsor walls also create dedicated networking zones that facilitate personal discussions and the building of professional relationships.

Vision for Finanz 27

Looking ahead, the organizers intend to further expand the platform. The goal is to make the event «even bigger», to further increase its relevance for sponsors and exhibitors, and to establish it as the central meeting point for Switzerland’s financial sector, Malgiaritta said.

In addition to the annual flagship event, the team is planning additional smaller formats throughout the year, as well as another larger edition next spring. Finance 27 is scheduled for March 17 and 18, 2027.

Furthermore, targeted adjustments to the event concept will be made based on feedback from sponsors and attendees.