The third summit took place on October 1 in Frankfurt. The event, which we once again organized together with Finfellas and Linklaters Germany, was a great success. The continued growth in the total number of participants, who came from 14 European countries, shows that there is a real need for a format that focuses solely on the topic of Non-Bank Digital Lending (NBDL).
This year’s conference once again brought together institutional investors, Fintech lenders, and service providers to discuss the latest trends and challenges from the perspective of regulators, analysts, investors, and NBDL. Unlike in the previous two years, we reduced the number of panels this time and offered even more time for networking. This was very well appreciated by our guests! The event concluded with a relaxed after-party.
This year’s opening speech was given by Samuel Duncombe from BF Capital. In his opinion, private lending is moving closer and closer to private investors. This is driving demand for more liquidity and a shift towards open structures. As a result, interim valuations and model-driven asset pricing are becoming increasingly important. What was once hidden under static valuations is now being revealed.
A clear picture emerged in all of the subsequent panel discussions: competition between lenders is intensifying. Leverage is increasing, requirements are being relaxed, and margins are falling—except for a few niche strategies. At the same time, we are seeing consolidation among NBDLs. This combination means that lenders are under more pressure than ever. Greater risk appetite requires better transparency, control, and infrastructure to navigate these markets sustainably. This topic came up in many discussions and is a challenge that the entire ecosystem must tackle together.
We would like to thank the many digital lending enthusiasts, the high-caliber speakers, and our co-organizers, Linklaters Germany and Finfellas, who made this year’s “What’s Up Digital Lending?” conference an even greater success. We will return in 2026 with the fourth edition. Stay tuned!
