On 29 May 2026, the University of Economics – Varna hosted the second edition of the Black Sea Digital Finance Forum, attracting strong interest from the business community, academia and students. This year's forum focused on “Digital Banking and Insurance” and was organised by the Department of Finance at the University of Economics – Varna in partnership with the Association of Bulgarian Insurers (ABZ), the Association of Banks in Bulgaria, the Atanas Burov Foundation, the Prof. Dr. Veleslav Gavriyski Foundation and the Bulgarian Fintech Association.
The forum brought together representatives of the business sector, academia and students, combining expert discussions, academic exchange and practical initiatives focused on the future of digital finance. The event also coincided with the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the first Department of Financial Science at the Higher School of Commerce in Varna.
Nikolay Stanchev, Chair of ABZ, was among the official guests of the forum and delivered a congratulatory address on the occasion of the anniversary of the Department of Finance. He also participated in the panel discussion “Smart Ecosystems in Banking and Insurance” alongside representatives of the banking sector, technology companies and the insurance industry.
The discussion explored current developments related to the adoption of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in financial services, the future of digital banking and insurance, the development of financial ecosystems and changing customer expectations. Particular attention was paid to the impact of digitalisation on the insurance sector and the opportunities it creates for improving customer service, risk management, and the development of new products and services.
One of the highlights of the programme was a student hackathon dedicated to innovative solutions for the financial sector. Nikolay Stanchev chaired the expert jury, which evaluated the participating teams' projects and selected the competition winners.
Through its participation in the forum, ABZ once again demonstrated its commitment to strengthening cooperation between the business sector and academia, while promoting innovation and supporting the professional development of future specialists in the financial and insurance sectors.
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