Madalena Cascais Tomé elected President of EMPSA
EMPSA (European Mobile Payment Systems Association) has elected SIBS CEO Madalena Cascais Tomé as President for a two-year term leading this association, which brings together 11 European payment systems operating in 14 countries, representing approximately 110 million users, hundreds of European payment service providers, and processing 8.2 billion transactions in 2024.
SIBS and MB WAY have been standing out in Europe for innovation, new solutions and features, reach, and the level of use of use cases, focusing on consumers and merchants. The election of Madalena Cascais Tomé as EMPSA President reinforces the recognition of SIBS’s experience, competence, and active presence in developing European-based solutions and technology.
The European payments landscape is experiencing a unique moment, with EMPSA playing a crucial role in boosting European payment sovereignty, raising awareness among various stakeholders, including European legislators and regulators, about the urgency of this issue and that this can only be achieved through cooperation and interoperability between existing and emerging private European solutions — developed by Europeans, for Europeans.
Looking ahead, EMPSA will focus its efforts on promoting private European-based solutions and innovation, proactive engagement with European Union institutions and regulators, and advancing common interoperability standards that respond to real market needs. EMPSA’s approach is firmly anchored in Europe’s strengths: a dynamic and diverse payments ecosystem, a solid innovation track record, and a recognized ability to adapt to the specific needs of consumers and merchants.
At EMPSA, Madalena Cascais Tomé, CEO of SIBS, will also be responsible, in coordination with other EMPSA members and representing the association, for strengthening dialogue with European co-legislators, the European Central Bank, and other relevant stakeholders, promoting a harmonized regulatory market and environment favorable to innovation, based on valuing existing infrastructures and private European solutions, encouraging investment, and contributing to the development of a more sovereign and competitive European payments landscape.
“It is with a deep sense of responsibility that I take on this role to lead EMPSA at this crucial moment we are currently living,” said Madalena Cascais Tomé, CEO of SIBS and President of EMPSA, adding, “I thank my colleagues for their trust and am fully committed to this shared mission. Together, we can be even stronger and more effective in promoting private solutions and innovation as drivers of digital payment development in Europe. Our goal is to have an active voice in dialogue with institutions, regulators, and European supervisors, and in shaping policies and frameworks that will define Europe’s leadership in retail payments — anchored in sovereignty, innovation, and resilience.”
With ongoing changes in the regulatory framework — including the implementation of the Instant Payments Regulation, preparation of the upcoming PSD3 directive, and the potential launch of the digital euro — EMPSA’s new leadership reinforces the association’s willingness to actively and constructively participate in defining the future of payments in Europe.