Venly Wins Mastercard For Fintechs France-Belgium Semifinal and Advances to European Final
The Belgian stablecoin payment infrastructure provider is one of two winners chosen from six semifinalists, after 63 applications from France, Belgium and Luxembourg. Next is the European final in Milan on November 25.
Venly Finance · September 28, 2026
The France-Belgium winners, Venly and Giskard AI, with the Mastercard For Fintechs team in Paris. Photo shared by an event attendee
WILLEBROEK, Belgium, September 28, 2026. Mastercard has named Venly, the company behind Venly Finance, and Giskard AI the winners of the France-Belgium semifinal of Mastercard For Fintechs 2026, held on September 22 at the Hôtel de l’Industrie in Paris. Both companies go on to the European final in Milan on November 25, 2026.
Six semifinalists, two winners
Six fintechs presented to a jury of experts from Mastercard and the European fintech ecosystem: Tranched, Giskard AI, SPORTYNEO, Cashlab, Venly and Peaky. This third edition of Mastercard For Fintechs received more than 240 applications across Europe, 63 of them from France, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Mastercard describes Venly as providing blockchain infrastructure and payment solutions that facilitate the management of digital transactions internationally. Giskard AI builds a platform that lets companies test and secure their AI agents before they deploy them. According to Mastercard, the two stood out for the relevance of their solutions and their potential impact on financial services.
Venly’s trophy from the France-Belux round, engraved “Mastercard For Fintechs 2026, Belux Winner”. Photo: Mastercard / Vincent Blocquaux
“This edition confirms the dynamism and quality of the fintechs in our region. Venly and Giskard AI respond to very topical challenges around digital assets and artificial intelligence. We are proud to see them carry the colours of Belgium and France at the European final in Milan.”
Benjamin Dessy, General Manager, Mastercard Belgium and Luxembourg Translated from the French original in Mastercard’s announcement.
Stablecoins in real payment flows
Stablecoins are moving from trading and treasury into real-world payments. Venly Finance is the stablecoin payment infrastructure that Venly builds for fintechs, payment service providers, neobanks and marketplaces. Through one API, their customers can receive money, hold stablecoins and pay out, while the platform keeps its own product and its customer relationships.
“For us, this is another strong signal that stablecoins are moving from experimentation into real payment infrastructure. Our focus has always been on making the underlying technology disappear: giving fintechs and payment companies a practical way to move money globally using stablecoins without forcing them to become blockchain companies themselves. Milan is the next step.”
Tim Dierckxsens, CEO and Founder, Venly
The European final in Milan
Venly and Giskard AI will represent Belgium and France at the European final in Milan on November 25, 2026, where they meet the winners of the other local rounds. The 2026 programme runs in Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal.
According to Mastercard’s launch announcement for the 2026 edition, the winner of the final receives EUR 100,000 in marketing support, preferential access to Mastercard’s Start Path programme and personal mentoring from Mastercard specialists and fintech partners.
An earlier Mastercard selection
In May 2024, Mastercard selected Venly as one of five startups from around the world for its Start Path Blockchain and Digital Assets programme.
Mastercard announcement
Venly et Giskard AI remportent la demi-finale France-Belgique de Mastercard For Fintechs et se qualifient pour la finale européenne
Mastercard announced the result on September 25, 2026, in French, on the Mastercard Newsroom. The figures, the list of semifinalists and Mastercard’s description of Venly in this article come from that announcement; the prize comes from Mastercard’s launch announcement of March 17, 2026.
Read Mastercard’s announcement (in French)
Mastercard’s launch announcement for Mastercard For Fintechs 2026
Mastercard’s 2024 Start Path Blockchain and Digital Assets announcement
About Venly Finance
Venly Finance is stablecoin payment infrastructure for fintechs, PSPs, neobanks and marketplaces. Platforms connect accounts, conversions and payouts through one API and keep their own product and customer relationships. Venly Finance is built by Venly NV, based in Willebroek, Belgium.
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