Finfluencer Circle Christmas party – 150 finfluencers celebrate a year of exchange, innovation, and future prospects

December 4, 2025 – powered by Sopra Financial Technology & CRIF

The lights were twinkling, the MAC Airport Center was transformed into an atmospheric winter wonderland, and 150 finfluencers, industry experts, corporate leaders, creators, and innovators came together to celebrate an eventful year and look ahead to the future.

This year's Finfluencer Circle Christmas party, with the generous support of Sopra Financial Technology / Sopra Steria and CRIF, was more than just a festive end to the year. It was a place for encounters, perspectives, and a space for real conversations about the future.

With a festive “touch of red” in the dress code, a musical premiere by Carsten Fritz, inspiring contributions from our award winners Fabienne Lindner, Nathalie Richert, and Patrick Dewayne, and a book presentation by Petra Nabinger, the evening was a special experience. Accompanied by Philipp Schäfer (capture 21), who visually captured the magic of the moment.

A central highlight: the keynote speech by Thomas Heinz, Chief Growth Officer of Sopra Financial Technology. His outlook on 2025 and 2026 set impressive accents – for Sopra, but above all for the entire industry.

2025 – A year that shook up the financial industry

2025 was a year that showed us all how quickly the financial sector is changing. Technology, regulations, customer expectations, market dynamics – everything was in flux. Looking back, we can identify five key developments that extend far beyond corporate boundaries:

1. Clarity beats complexity

In a year in which AI, cloud architectures, cyber threats, and platform models all exerted pressure at the same time, one thing became particularly clear: companies with clear positioning, clear communication, and clear brand management fared better in 2025. It is no longer about mastering everything. It is about standing for something.

2. Thought leadership has become the key currency

In 2025, the questions were asked more intensely than ever before:

• Who do I trust?
• Who provides guidance?
• Who explains instead of confusing?

Visibility is no longer just “nice to have.” It is a strategic part of brand management. Podcasts, white papers, LinkedIn, panels—these are today's arenas where expertise becomes public and trust is built.

3. Communities have developed a new strength

Events such as Banking Exchange, Frankfurt Digital Finance, and exclusive C-level roundtables have made one thing clear:

• Face-to-face encounters beat stage lights.
• People want real conversations.
• Not about roles—but about challenges.
• Not about titles – but about solutions.

This is exactly what the Finfluencer Circle embodies. The fact that 150 people came together that evening shows that

this community has charisma – and it is more than just a network. It is a space for growth.

4. Technology has become the core of the business model

2025 has shifted boundaries:

• AI has become productive.
• Tokenization is regulated.
• Cyber resilience and AFC are on the board agenda.
• Platform strategies are becoming the lifeline of business.

The crucial question is no longer: “Do we need this?”

But rather: “How quickly, securely, and scalably can we implement it?”

5. Collaboration determines relevance

Whether it's banks & fintech, corporations & creators, RegTech & institutions, or business & community:

2025 has proven that the strongest momentum comes from breaking down silos and mixing perspectives.

That's exactly why this event was so valuable. That's exactly why the Finfluencer Circle is a place where the future is made.

2026 – A year that calls for courage, focus, and a willingness to experiment

In his speech, Thomas Heinz not only looked back, but above all looked ahead.

His conclusion: 2026 will be a year in which we must shape the future more consciously – and do so together.

Five topics will shape the coming year:

1. AI will evolve from a project to a product

AI will finally leave the pilot phase in 2026.

The question is no longer “Will it happen?”, but rather:

• How productive will it be?
• How measurable?
• How responsible?
• How scalable?

Those who act early will gain advantages that will be difficult to catch up with.

2. Crypto & tokenization arrive in the regulated market

The banking infrastructure for tokenization is maturing.

2026 will be the year in which institutions define their position – strategically, economically, and technologically.

3. Platforms will become the operating system of the financial sector

Data orchestration, multi-cloud models, resilience—platforms are no longer IT projects.

They are business architecture, and they determine competitiveness.

4. Thought leadership will become the basis of trust

Brands without a clear story will lose visibility. Companies without a clear stance will lose relevance.

In 2026, thought leadership will not be marketing – it will be an offer of trust.

5. Communities such as the Finfluencer Circle will become laboratories for the future

This is where the debates, content, and ideas that shape the sector arise. Not behind closed doors – but in an open, collaborative space.

In 2026, cooperation with the Finfluencer Circle will become even closer: with co-events, joint formats, and impulses that have an impact far beyond the community.

Conclusion: An evening full of inspiration – and a preview of a strong 2026

The festive evening of the Finfluencer Circle impressively demonstrated how much power lies in exchange, how valuable genuine networking is, and how much we as an industry benefit when we think collectively.

2025 was an eventful year.

2026 will be a year we can shape.

With courage.

With focus.

With a clear stance.

And with the power of this community.

Here's to an inspiring new year – and to many more evenings where we write the future together.

Contact:

Sopra Financial Technology GmbH
Birgit Hass
Frankenstraße 146, 90461 Nuremberg, Germany
Phone: +49 911 9291-0
Email: communications.sft@soprasteria.com