EuroFinance

The 34th EuroFinance International Treasury Management conference in Budapest brought together treasury and finance professionals from around the world.

Over three days, attendees exchanged insights and debated the shifting role of treasury in a world defined by higher interest rates, digital acceleration, and geopolitical flux. The discussions were lively, the mood reflective, and the message clear: treasury’s remit is broadening—and fast.

1) Risks are on the rise

Treasurers are skilled at managing risks, yet the current global landscape presents new challenges, particularly from geopolitical conflicts and rising market tensions.

While the movement of currencies and commodities can be priced and hedged effectively in uncertain markets, and treasurers generally have a good handle on these immediate risks well, the deep currents of conflict are increasingly divisive. Tariffs are the tip of the geoeconomic iceberg, and given the bifurcation of global powers—aligned with the US or China—corporations must realign supply chains across the global south and north.

For treasurers, rapid realignment of business is now common. The keynote discussion with former European Commission President José Manuel Barroso highlighted but did not alleviate these global risks.

Also read: EuroFinance Deep dive: Tariffs

2) Strategic treasury is the goal

The goal, many treasurers say, is to create a strategic treasury function that provides information to different business heads and the executive on cash and liquidity positions.

This information is crucial for making business-critical decisions. It requires treasurers to closely monitor cash and liquidity—often easier said than done, given the complexity of markets, systems, and operations of large organisations. Treasury Management Systems and API solutions can make it easier to achieve company-wide cash visibility. For treasurers who have achieved enterprise wide visibility, the conference highlighted some great examples, strategic treasury is within reach.

APIs are increasingly regarded as key drivers of efficiency, enabling seamless connectivity, reducing manual work, and improving the flow of data across systems.

Even so, adoption remains uneven. Nearly half of respondents in a live poll pointed to limited time and resources as the main obstacle to implementation, while a quarter said internal support is still hard to secure. Inconsistent standards and compatibility issues continue to pose challenges, with even fully integrated ERP and TMS platforms often leaving gaps that must be bridged manually.

3) Automation with AI is the priority

Treasurers demonstrated through several case studies and  automation is essential to creating a strategic treasury function. When systems and processes run smoothly and efficiently, eliminating manual errors and providing near-perfect information in real time, with connectivity throughout the organisation and with external partners—then treasury has truly reached a strategic level.

At the push of a button, automated treasury reports can be produced for business intelligence. How far artificial intelligence (AI) can help in this process was a major topic at the conference.

With emerging use cases, it is already possible to see how treasurers are using AI applications in activities such as cash forecasting and FX management, with more innovations expected. Comments on AI bubbles and cyber dystopia aside.

A poll on the most promising use cases for AI put cash-flow forecasting as the leader, cited by 38% of respondents, followed by process automation at 32%.

For all the enthusiasm, most firms are still feeling their way. Over half said their organisations have yet to use AI for cash forecasting, while nearly a third are only in the discovery phase.

4) Working capital fuels growth

Liquidity featured prominently in treasury discussions, with a focus on working capital a source for growth. As rates gradually decline, even though inflation persists in the Eurozone and many global markets, treasurers are increasingly focused on leveraging balance sheet assets, including payables and receivables financing, inventory, real estate, and other holdings, to maximise working capital efficiency across the business.

This capital is being used for growth—a strategic move to help the business navigate rate uncertainty. “Working capital is the best source of cash,” remarked one treasurer.

Also read:  Working capital optimisation in times of disruption

 5 ) The treasury ‘technoverse’ is expanding rapidly

Walking around the vast expo floor, the range of treasury solutions was impressive. From AI-powered tools that assist with investment management, cash concentration, and multi-currency notional pooling to liquidity optimisation, KYC and compliance, and foreign exchange controls—the list goes on.

Treasurers have never been in a better position to innovate, transform, and enhance treasury efficiency and strategic value for the companies they serve.

Also read: EuroFinance Deep Dive: Resilience in liquidity planning

6) Stablecoins are coming

Whilst corporate treasurers are yet to fully embrace stablecoins, the proliferation of coins issued by banks and private entities is likely to drive an upward trend. Some innovative, early-adopter stablecoin use cases were unveiled on the new“Inspiration Stage,” and whilst still very much at the edge or fringe of treasury activity, stablecoins and digital currencies are likely to become more widely adopted in the years ahead, particularly in cross-border payments and where trapped cash remains inaccessible.

Will they significantly impact corporate payments? Some recent major acquisitions creating ripples in the treasury market suggest they might.

Also read: Are stablecoins really reducing friction in payments?

Next stop: Barcelona! See you in 2026.