Media Releases
Published Date: 15 November 2026

Singapore FinTech Festival 2026 Explores Rewiring of Global Finance

MAS GFTN logos

Singapore, 15 November 2026… The Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) will kick off at the Singapore EXPO this week. From 18 to 20 November, SFF 2026 will bring together global leaders in policy, finance and technology to examine the changing architecture of global finance. Organised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), in collaboration with the Association of Banks in Singapore, the 11th edition of the SFF builds on SFF 2025, which drew more than 70,000 attendees from 142 countries and approximately 1,000 speakers.

2. Under the theme "The Coming Rewiring of the Financial System: New Risks. New Rules. New Growth", SFF 2026 will examine how five interconnected forces – technology, geoeconomics, capital, talent and policy – are transforming finance.

Festival Highlights

3. The programme will feature keynote addresses, policy dialogues, industry discussions and technology demonstrations covering:

  • Technology: How agentic AI, tokenisation, digital money and quantum technologies are reshaping financial services and transactions.
  • Geoeconomics: How shifts in trade, capital flows and international cooperation are reshaping the financial landscape.
  • Capital: How capital is being mobilised to support innovation, infrastructure and economic growth.
  • Talent: The implications of AI for jobs, skills, and entrepreneurship.
  • Policy: How regulatory approaches are evolving to support financial innovation while safeguarding trust, resilience, and financial stability.

For the list of headline and notable speakers, please refer to the conference programme .

4. SFF will host over 600 sponsors and exhibitors and more than 40 international pavilions across five exhibition halls. The exhibition will showcase developments in agentic commerce and AI-enabled payments, digital assets, cross-border payments and programmable financial infrastructure. Beyond the exhibition, the Festival will provide a platform for startups to showcase their innovations and connect with potential investors and partners, while featuring talent and capacity-building programmes that support workforce development. The international pavilions will also provide opportunities for businesses, investors and technology providers from different markets to connect and explore potential partnerships.

New Features and Initiatives

5. SFF 2026 will feature new initiatives focused on SME financing, international collaboration and emerging technologies:

  • The 12th Global SME Finance Forum will be held in conjunction with SFF 2026 under the theme “Transforming Access to Impact: Market, Capital & Technology”. Organised by the SME Finance Forum, which is managed by the World Bank Group, in partnership with GFTN, the event will bring together C-level leaders from more than 80 countries to advance SME financing. Highlights include the annual Global SME Finance Awards, an Experience Centre showcasing innovations, and a dedicated Learning Day.
  • International collaboration initiatives will include the India Pavilion, presented by the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation of Ministry of Commerce and Industry, bringing together leading Indian startups, financial institutions, regulators and policy makers. The pavilion aims to deepen India-Singapore economic ties by connecting Indian FinTechs with Singapore's capital and financial institutions, facilitating access to ASEAN and global markets. The GFTN & SEGA (Smart Economy Globalisation Acceleration) Go-Global Pavilion will feature 30 technology companies from Shanghai and Shenzhen, connecting Chinese innovators with international investors and financial institutions, building on GFTN’s partnership with Shanghai’s Huangpu District.

SFF Signature Programmes

6. The Festival will also feature its established programmes connecting innovation with investment, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration:

  • SFF MeetUp: Asia's largest FinTech meetings programme, expected to facilitate more than 20,000 pre-scheduled meetings, connecting attendees with potential business partners, investors and industry leaders.
  • Investor Hours: Bringing together founders, general partners and limited partners to explore investment opportunities and forge new partnerships.
  • The Founders Peak™: TED-inspired sessions featuring global entrepreneurs sharing their personal journeys, hard-earned lessons and insights on building and scaling successful businesses.

7. The Festival will also feature the launch of STUBBORN: Decoding the Unreasonable Mindset of Founders Who Build Against All Odds. Drawing on four years of deep and patient fieldwork analysing 350 founder journeys across more than 40 countries, the book shifts attention from the venture to the builder, the person carrying the doubt, holding conviction, and choosing to continue without any guarantee of success.

Ahead of the Festival: Insights2040 Annual Meetings

8. The invitation-only Insights2040 Annual Meetings, expanded this year to a dedicated space on Level 5 of Sands Expo & Convention Centre, will convene senior public- and private-sector leaders from 16 to 17 November. Discussions will examine ways to establish accountability and liability in agentic systems, address challenges in scaling tokenised markets, further develop global frameworks and shared best practices in payment chains, and take stock of sovereignty and resilience in a rewired financial system. Discussions will be conducted under the Chatham House Rule.

9. Mr Kenneth Gay, Chief FinTech Officer, MAS, said, “The decisions we make today about technology, regulation and financial infrastructure will shape how finance serves businesses and individuals for years to come. As AI, digital money and other innovations transform the financial system, we need to make sure that innovation goes hand in hand with trust and resilience. SFF 2026 brings together leaders from across finance, technology and policy to exchange ideas, tackle common challenges and shape the next chapter of global finance.”

10. Mr Sopnendu Mohanty, Group Chief Executive Officer, GFTN, said, “Global finance is undergoing a structural transformation driven by five interconnected forces: technology, geoeconomics, capital, talent and policy. Together, they are reshaping financial markets, redirecting capital flows, and redefining both jobs and the institutions that underpin economic growth. SFF’s critical role is to bring together global leaders in Singapore to translate these shifts into coherent policy, trusted financial infrastructure and new opportunities for employment and growth across borders.”

11. For more information and registration, visit www.fintechfestival.sg .



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