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Bloomberg Audio Studios Podcasts Radio News Verena Ross, Chair
Interviewer
of the European securities and Markets Authority thank you very much for speaking to us. First of all, I want to talk about some of the big issues that are happening at the moment in financial markets. We had these comments yesterday from Valdosta Dombrovskas talking about the EU being in talksanthropic to get access to Mythos. This is something that's been a big concern for big banks and lenders in the U.S. can you bring us up to date on where ESMA is in this process and what concerns you might have about this technology given all of the talk around it?
Verena Ross
From an ESMA perspective, we are very much monitoring and looking at the developments. AI is speeding up some of the cyber environment significantly and that means that we need to be conscious that financial entities are also stepping up their cyber protections in this environment. And so esma, as a financial regulator under the Digital Operational Resilience act, clearly working with the national authorities and with our sister authorities on banking and insurance to make sure that we watch very carefully how these new AI developments are changing the cyber landscape, what financial entities need to do to, in a much speedier way, be able to patch and protect themselves. And so that is one key focus point for us to share that experience, to work together. At the same time, we are also together with our EU sister authorities, the oversight body for certain critical third party party providers that are providing critical third party services to EU entities. And so we are also through that lens, talking directly to them and trying to understand how they themselves are helping financial entities in the eu.
Interviewer
And do you get the impression that these companies that are operating in the financial services space are prepared for the potential risks from this technology?
Verena Ross
Financial services entities have always over the last few years, been a key target for some of the cyber attacks and scams and so on. So this is something which I think a lot of entities have focused on. But what the recent AI developments are clearly bringing is a speed of new possibilities that is accelerating massively and that is presenting a risk which I think many of them still have to adapt to.
Interviewer
I want to turn to some of the upcoming regulatory changes that are being discussed as well. This is part of the reason that has you in Brussels. The market integration and supervision package, part of the drive towards Capital Markets Union, now known as Savings and Investments Union. There's a debate over a lot of these changes that's happening among European countries as well. What is your sense of where that debate is and how advanced the conversations are being had and moving towards these big changes for your organization and other regulators as well as the Commission put
Verena Ross
forward a very complete and ambitious proposal at the end of last year. And now it is down to the co legislators in the Parliament and in the Council to actually look at those proposals and decide what they believe should go into an ultimate package on market integration and supervision. That is the debate that is currently going on. My impression is that there is strong support for making a real step change in this area to creating more integrated capital markets that are basically less fragmented, reducing some of the complexity and potential for divergent outcomes, interlinking market infrastructure and in creating a more innovative environment where also market infrastructure and new types of technology can be used and can actually help Europe to create more efficient, more interlinked liquidity pools and a more effective supervisory regime.
Interviewer
Do you feel there's more impetus now towards that change? Because this is in a very long process and we've heard for a long time from the Draghi Report and others that Capital Markets Union is needed to improve Europe's economic outcomes. Do you think that things are moving faster now than they have been before?
Verena Ross
I think if I look over the last year, I can certainly see an acceleration and a step up in admission. In particular, if you look at the demands for making sure that the capital markets can support some of the funding needs that Europe has given more fiscal constraints. Given the wish to also have more diversified funding sources beyond the traditional lending from the banking sector, Member states and members of the European Parliament are clearly looking at how can we make a real step change here. And that is partly through policy changes at the EU level, but also partly by member states looking at their own pension systems, incentives for investors to engage in capital markets, financial literacy and areas such as that. So there's a really complex package of measures that needs to be considered to make a step change. And clearly market integration and supervision package is one part of that broader picture.
Interviewer
Do you think part of the change or the acceleration of that effort is coming from the impetus from the White House and the degrading relationship with the United States?
Verena Ross
The key driver is that we need stronger European capital markets. And that is really something where we still have too many barriers within the single market that currently are holding back European companies from being able to raise and scale themselves with European investors money. There are issues about investors being able to really benefit from the capital markets in the eu, and so there's a whole set of different incentives and drivers that are really pushing us ahead to try to say we need to make a difference here. Europe remains part of a global financial system, that is clear. But at the same time we need to have a capital market system in the EU that is able to provide the funding opportunities for companies and the investment opportunities for citizens.
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Date: May 6, 2026
Host: Bloomberg
Guest: Verena Ross, Chair, European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA)
This episode centers on Verena Ross, Chair of ESMA, discussing the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity risks, and the evolving regulatory landscape in European financial markets. Key topics include the impact of AI on cyber threats, how financial entities are adapting, and the progression towards the EU's Capital Markets Union (now Savings and Investments Union). Ross also addresses impetus for change within EU markets and the role of international dynamics.
Monitoring AI Developments:
Ross emphasizes ESMA’s proactive monitoring of how AI is rapidly changing the cyber environment within the financial sector.
"AI is speeding up some of the cyber environment significantly and that means that we need to be conscious that financial entities are also stepping up their cyber protections in this environment."
— Verena Ross [00:55]
Regulatory Collaboration and DORA:
ESMA works under the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), coordinating with national authorities and other financial regulators (banking, insurance) to oversee cyber resilience.
"...working with the national authorities and with our sister authorities on banking and insurance to make sure that we watch very carefully how these new AI developments are changing the cyber landscape, what financial entities need to do to, in a much speedier way, be able to patch and protect themselves."
— Verena Ross [01:14]
Oversight of Critical Third-Party Providers:
ESMA is involved in direct oversight of providers crucial to EU financial infrastructure, ensuring these third parties also support cybersecurity and resilience measures.
"...the oversight body for certain critical third party party providers that are providing critical third party services to EU entities. And so we are also through that lens, talking directly to them..."
— Verena Ross [01:30]
Long-standing Exposure to Cyber Threats:
Ross notes that financial services have been targets of cyberattacks for years, but AI introduces new, faster-moving risks.
"Financial services entities have always over the last few years, been a key target for some of the cyber attacks and scams... But what the recent AI developments are clearly bringing is a speed of new possibilities that is accelerating massively..."
— Verena Ross [02:24]
Need for Rapid Adaptation:
Many financial entities must increase their pace of adaptation to keep up with AI-accelerated threats.
"...that is presenting a risk which I think many of them still have to adapt to."
— Verena Ross [02:44]
Regulatory Evolution:
The conversation shifts to major upcoming regulatory proposals aimed at further integrating European capital markets—the market integration and supervision package, as part of the transition from Capital Markets Union to Savings and Investments Union.
"The Commission put forward a very complete and ambitious proposal at the end of last year... there is strong support for making a real step change in this area to creating more integrated capital markets that are basically less fragmented..."
— Verena Ross [03:22–03:41]
Harmonization and Efficiency:
The changes aim to reduce market fragmentation, lower complexity, and foster innovation, particularly through the adoption of new technology and better interlinked market infrastructure.
"...reducing some of the complexity and potential for divergent outcomes, interlinking market infrastructure and in creating a more innovative environment where also market infrastructure and new types of technology can be used..."
— Verena Ross [03:37]
Acceleration in Policy and Ambition:
Ross highlights a notable acceleration in the drive for market integration, influenced by Europe’s funding needs, fiscal constraints, and the desire for diverse financing beyond traditional banking.
"I can certainly see an acceleration and a step up in admission... making sure that the capital markets can support some of the funding needs that Europe has given more fiscal constraints."
— Verena Ross [04:41]
"...there's a really complex package of measures that needs to be considered to make a step change."
— Verena Ross [05:25]
Broader Strategic Considerations:
When asked about international factors (e.g., US-EU relations), Ross firmly grounds the impetus for change in the needs of European markets rather than external influences.
"The key driver is that we need stronger European capital markets... But at the same time we need to have a capital market system in the EU that is able to provide the funding opportunities for companies and the investment opportunities for citizens."
— Verena Ross [05:51–06:34]
On AI's Impact:
"AI is speeding up some of the cyber environment significantly..."
— Verena Ross [00:55]
On EU's Approach:
"Europe remains part of a global financial system, that is clear. But at the same time we need to have a capital market system in the EU that is able to provide the funding opportunities for companies and the investment opportunities for citizens."
— Verena Ross [06:16]
On the Complexity of Reform:
"...there's a really complex package of measures that needs to be considered to make a step change."
— Verena Ross [05:25]
The conversation maintains a professional, informative tone, with Verena Ross offering clear, structured insights while advocating for coordinated, strategic adaptation within European financial markets. The language is precise, policy-forward, and grounded in the realities of regulatory work.