Last week in Budapest, EuroFinance 2025 brought together treasury leaders from around the world to discuss how finance teams can stay ahead in a market defined by volatility and rapid change.
The conversations centered around how treasury has entered a new era defined by data intelligence, AI-driven agility, and the evolving role of treasury leaders as enterprise catalysts, proactively driving operational efficiency and growth through smarter capital allocation. These are the key takeaways the CRX Markets team found most relevant and thought-provoking from this year’s discussions:
After years of proof-of-concepts, AI is now live in treasury. Attendees shared how forecasting and real-time reporting are the first areas seeing measurable impact. The shift marks a turning point as AI moves from an experimental technology to an operational capability that delivers tangible value.
Survey data reinforced this momentum:
Legacy systems remain a major barrier to progress. Multiple ERPs, fragmented banking relationships, and siloed data continue to slow digital transformation. Treasurers agreed that simplification and stronger connectivity are now essential. Many organizations are already consolidating systems and redefining their banking setups to create a foundation for more integrated finance operations
Several corporates shared examples of transformation cycles that once took years but are now completed in a matter of months. This acceleration is driven by closer collaboration among treasury, IT, fintech companies, and banking partners. Fintechs bring the speed and integration capabilities that often set the pace for innovation, helping both corporates and banks adopt technology faster and more effectively. Their ability to bridge operational and technical gaps has made short transformation cycles increasingly achievable.
Cash management has taken on a new strategic dimension. Treasurers are moving from static cash holdings to active management approaches that rely on real-time visibility. According to a live survey, 40% of respondents listed real-time visibility of cash as their top liquidity management priority for the next year.
As one speaker aptly summarized: “You can’t manage what you don’t see.”
Digital tools are reshaping how treasury functions operate. Technologies that enable pooling across jurisdictions, automated netting, and real-time data access are allowing teams to manage capital more proactively. Treasury is steadily moving from a back-office function to a forward-looking partner that contributes directly to strategic outcomes.
Throughout the conference, participants discussed how the expectations placed on treasury are evolving. Treasurers are now seen as catalysts for enterprise efficiency and growth. The role has expanded beyond liquidity and forecasting to include cross-functional collaboration and strategic influence. As one attendee noted, thriving amid uncertainty is now the standard, not the exception.
Among the many insightful discussions at EuroFinance 2025, several sessions particularly resonated with our team for their depth and relevance to today’s treasury challenges:
“Geopolitical Uncertainty in a Divided World”
José Manuel Barroso, former President of the European Commission, explored how global trade tensions and regional conflicts are reshaping corporate strategy. His call for pragmatic cooperation and strategic resilience struck a strong chord with attendees.
“Optimizing SCF for Efficient Working Capital Ratios”
Speakers emphasized that the global supply chain finance (SCF) market has grown by 21 percent year-on-year to USD 2.18 trillion, with funds in use rising 20 percent to USD 858 billion. Supply chain finance is evolving from an efficiency tool to a strategic lever for liquidity optimization and supplier strength. Advanced SCF technologies are giving treasurers greater visibility, faster cash cycles, and stronger supplier relationships, reflecting a broader shift toward sustainable financial ecosystems.
“Embedded Finance: Real-Time Flows Become Reality”
As adoption accelerates, embedded finance is transforming AR and AP processes, creating faster, more transparent cash flows. Its growing relevance underscores the shift toward fully digitized liquidity management.
“Weathering the Storm”
In this session, speakers discuss practical strategies for managing volatility and protecting liquidity. The key takeaway was that technology-enabled working capital programs are now fundamental to financial resilience.
In today’s environment of disruption, working capital management has become an anchor of financial strategy. Treasury teams are using data to align procurement, supply chain, and finance functions around a unified objective: improved liquidity and stronger trade relationships.
Discussions with treasurers highlighted the growing relevance of post-maturity financing models, such as the Supplier Payment Solution (SPS). These structures enable companies to extend payment terms and unlock liquidity without involving suppliers, maintaining stability while supporting operational and strategic objectives. The SPS model is gaining strong traction as a flexible solution that combines transparency, ease of use, and multi-bank connectivity to help treasurers strengthen financial resilience and advance growth and sustainability goals.
This year’s EuroFinance was a largely successful event for CRX Markets. The CRX Markets booth attracted treasurers eager to explore innovative working capital financing solutions, multi-bank flexibility, and ESG-linked funding. The Oktoberfest event the team hosted quickly became a favorite gathering spot, sparking valuable discussions that continued well into the following day.
CRX Markets was also proud to co-sponsor the Tradeweb and ICD party, which offered a welcome break from the busy conference agenda. It was a night of good music, dancing, and great company, providing space to unwind and enjoy time together with peers from across the treasury community.
Treasury teams must focus on simplification, collaboration, and data-driven liquidity strategies that fuel growth.
CRX Markets supports enterprises on this journey through independent, technology-enabled access to global liquidity through a marketplace model designed for transparency and efficiency across the working capital ecosystem.
Get in touch with our team to shape the future of treasury together.
