* * *  1 Introduction Ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues, Good afternoon, and a very warm welcome from the Deutsche Bundesbank. I am delighted to be taking part in the Plug and Play “Fintech Europe Expo” today. As a central banker, this event offers me a unique opportunity to liaise with you and is certainly my first highlight of 2021.
I look forward to a pleasant afternoon and an inspiring conference! An innovative spirit has made financial technology the driving force transforming the world of finance. This technology has now become an essential part of banking, and therefore also central banking. Looking at our virtual audience today, I see start-ups, venture capitalists, and consultants.