Trends Day
2026
November 13
Casino Maltese, Valletta | Malta
Markets in the Next Market Cycle
How exchanges, regulators and market operators stay credible, competitive and resilient
Join AFM Trends Day on 13 November in Malta for a select forum of exchange leaders, regulators and market infrastructure experts. From one of the world’s ancient trading crossroads comes a modern conversation on the future of markets, decoding the forces reshaping exchanges large and small, from digital regulation, AI and clearing resilience to commodities, tokenised workflows and new market development. Hosted by Patrick L Young, fintech pioneer and author who coined the phrase “Capital Market Revolution,” this conference will turn the issues that matter for markets worldwide into practical insight for emerging and developed exchanges alike.
Register for AFM Trends Day and stay ahead of the forces shaping the future of markets:
- How small and emerging markets build credibility
- Building resilient market structures for stronger liquidity, clearing and risk control
- AI, DLT, tokenisation and digital market workflows
- Commodity innovation, receipts, collateral and trade finance
- New markets, new contracts and derivatives infrastructure
Agenda
Venue: Casino Maltese | Valletta
09:00
Conference Welcoming Remarks
- Pat Kenny, Chairman, Association of Futures Markets
- Patrick L Young, Chairman & Publisher, Exchange Invest
09:30
Ministerial Keynote Speech
-
Speaker to be announced
09:50
Keynote Presentation
- William Spiteri Bailey, President, Chamber of Commerce
10:10
Panel 1: Malta: Success in a Small Country
How does a small jurisdiction earn serious financial credibility? This discussion examines Malta’s exchange, regulatory, banking and advisory ecosystem, showing how trust, institutional discipline and cross-border connectivity can turn scale into strategic advantage. It will explore credible supervision, capital formation, resilience and digital discipline as practical lessons for emerging markets.
Chairman:
Kenneth Farrugia, CEO, Bank of Valletta
Panelists:
- Simon Zammit, CEO, Malta Stock Exchange
- Christopher Buttigieg, Chief Officer Supervision, MFSA
11:20
Panel 2: The Digital Economy
How can market infrastructure, regulators and financial-services firms modernise without losing control? This discussion examines the practical role of AI, DLT, tokenised workflows and quantum risk in reshaping financial operations. It will focus on implementation, governance, resilience and regulation, showing how credible digital economies are built in practice.
Chairman:
Daniel Davis, CRO, Connamara Technologies
Panelists:
- Ian Gauci, Managing Partner, GTG Legal
14:20
Panel 3: Commodities: Risk, Renaissance and Receipts
How can technology strengthen the existing warehouse receipt model and unlock new approaches to collateral, clearing and risk management? This panel will examine how tokenisation, digital workflows and improved settlement infrastructure can help exchanges connect physical commodities, trade finance and market infrastructure more effectively. The discussion will focus on practical routes for niche and emerging exchanges to build trusted, scalable systems locally, regionally and globally.
Chairman:
Chris Sturgess, President, AFM
Panelists:
- Senior Representative, Johannesburg Stock Exchange
- Spike Keizer, Head of Product, Sinara
15:05
Panel 4: New Markets, New Contracts
Across growth markets, new commodity, futures and cleared derivatives venues are moving from ambition to execution. This panel examines the practical foundations of credible market launches, from product design, legal and regulatory architecture and CCP readiness to member admission, liquidity development, investor education and long-term market confidence.
Chairman:
Leonard Bonello, Partner, Ganado Advocates
Panelists:
- Rajeeva Bandaranaike, Chief Executive Officer, Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE)
16:00
Lightning Talk
16:20
Closing Reflections: From Trends to Market Action
Pat Kenny, Chairman, Association of Futures Market
Speakers
Pat Kenny
Senior Vice President of client relations for CQG, AFM Chairman
Chris Sturgess
President, Association of Futures Markets (AFM)
Patrick L Young
Market-structure expert, exchange veteran and author
William Spiteri Bailey
President, The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry
Kenneth Farrugia
CEO, Bank of Valletta
Simon Zammit
CEO, Malta Stock Exchange
Christopher Buttigieg
Chief Officer Supervision, Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA)
Dan Davis
CRO, Connamara Technologies
Register for AFM Trends Day
Join AFM Trends Day on 13 November in Malta for a select forum of exchange leaders, regulators and market infrastructure experts. From one of the world’s ancient trading crossroads comes a modern conversation on the future of markets, decoding the forces reshaping exchanges large and small, from digital regulation, AI and clearing resilience to commodities, tokenised workflows and new market development. Hosted by Patrick L Young, fintech pioneer and author who coined the phrase “Capital Market Revolution,” this conference will turn the issues that matter for markets worldwide into practical insight for emerging and developed exchanges alike.
The conference agenda provides an opportunity for comparing perspectives and practical experience on the following topics:
- Malta: Success in a Small Country
- Small-market credibility, trust and financial-centre development
- Digital regulation, AI-enabled operations and market infrastructure modernisation
- Clearing resilience, cyber risk, operational discipline and third-party risk
- Commodities, warehouse receipts, collateral and trade finance
- Tokenised workflows and the convergence of traditional and digital markets
- New markets, new contracts and the launch of credible derivatives venues
- Market structure, liquidity development and long-term institutional confidence
Participation is limited to a select group of 80 in-person delegates. The event will also be livestreamed to AFM members who are not attending in person.
Venue & Accommodation
EVENT VENUE
Venue & Accommodation
AFM Trends Day 2026 will take place at Casino Maltese in Valletta, a historic private members’ club and one of Malta’s most elegant civic venues, located in the heart of the capital.
Delegates are encouraged to stay in Valletta, where a range of boutique hotels, apartments and guest accommodation are available within walking distance of the conference venue.
We recommend The Embassy Valletta Hotel, located approximately 2 minutes’ walk from Casino Maltese and in the same building as the post-conference private cinema screening and rooftop cocktail reception.
Special preferred rates have been secured for the AFM Trends Day delegation, subject to availability and while rooms last. To book, please visit The Embassy Valletta Hotel and enter the promo code AFMTRENDSDAY.
For any questions regarding accommodation, please contact sales@embassy.com.mt.
About
The Association of Futures Markets (AFM) is a not-for-profit association formally established in 1998 in Buenos Aires, Argentina by 10 founder / members: Budapest Commodity Exchange, the Central Clearing House and Depository Ltd. of Budapest, the Romanian Commodities Exchange, the Buenos Aires Futures Exchange, the Amsterdam Commodity Exchange, South African Futures Exchange, the Warsaw Commodity Exchange, and the Malaysian Derivatives Exchange.
The prime objectives of the Association were to promote and encourage the establishment of new derivative and related markets and to organize international conferences to promote communication among members enabling them to strengthen their relationship and to transfer and share information and experience. This has since become the underlying ethos of the AFM which has become increasingly important in today’s fast moving markets.
