The first edition of the international conference specializing in the fintech sector kicks off today Fintech 24, as part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to become a major hub for financial technology. The three-day event takes place at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center (RECC), hosted by the Financial Sector Development Program, the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), the Capital Market Authority, and the Insurance Authority, and is jointly organized by “Fintech Saudi,” “Tahaluf”—a joint venture between the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones—Informa Global, and the Investment Events Fund.
The Fintech 24 an annual conference and one of the largest fintech gatherings in Asia, Europe, and North Africa, offering 175 hours of specialized content curated by a group of experts, making it a prominent contender among the world’s top fintech conferences. The conference also aims to attract more than 26,000 attendees, 300 exhibitors, and 350 investors.
and hosts Fintech 24 brings together a group of leading regulatory bodies, policymakers, investors, technology experts, and academics, and provides an exceptional platform enabling global stakeholders in the sector to collaborate on establishing and advancing shared transformation within the fintech sector.
His Excellency Ayman Al-Sayari, Governor of the Saudi Central Bank, emphasized that enabling financial innovation and fintech is essential to the current transformation of the Saudi economy. The Saudi Central Bank’s (SAMA) participation in hosting the international fintech conference "Fintech 24, reaffirms the Central Bank’s commitment to adopting the most innovative and advanced solutions to contribute to creating added economic value and fostering a spirit of competition in the Saudi financial market, while maintaining the stability and resilience of the financial sector, which is the foundation of any successful economic transformation.
For his part, His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Qweiz, Chairman of the Capital Market Authority, explained that the fintech sector is a key driver for enhancing and developing the efficiency of financial products and services, in line with the current technological revolution, and aligns with the Kingdom’s development and economic goals. Therefore, the Capital Market Authority’s hosting of the international fintech conference "24FinTech," which brings together key stakeholders to promote innovation and development and create diverse financing and investment opportunities, reaffirms our commitment to establishing a dynamic, transparent, and robust financial system that meets the highest international standards."
In turn, His Excellency Abdulaziz Al-Bouq, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Insurance Authority, said, “The Insurance Authority’s hosting of the ”24FinTech“ conference stems from our belief in the importance of digital transformation in driving the development and growth of the insurance sector, as the summit will facilitate the integration of technology and innovation to enhance insurance digitization, improve the quality of insurance services provided, and make them accessible to all segments of society across the Kingdom, thereby contributing to the protection of policyholders and the sustainable growth of the sector through the empowerment of technology and the achievement of targets in line with Saudi Vision 2030.”
For his part, Mr. Faisal Al-Khamisi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones, and a partner at Tahalf, emphasized the important role of the 24 Fintech Conference in supporting entrepreneurs and startup founders in the fintech sector, which supports the development of national professional capabilities based on best practices and global standards; to elevate the Kingdom to the ranks of advanced nations in the financial technology knowledge industry, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030 to support innovation and entrepreneurship and develop the financial sector, empowering our creative youth and ambitious professionals to contribute to shaping the future of the financial system.“
The Fintech Trends platform highlights the most prominent trends and technologies shaping the financial sector, while the ”Future Horizons” hosts academic panel discussions and talent development sessions, while the “Investing in Innovation“ platform allows founders and investors to exchange experiences and explore available opportunities.
The ”24FinTech” conference attracts the world’s leading financial sector leaders to the Kingdom, with governors and central bank governors among the speakers, alongside leaders from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, regulatory bodies across the Middle East, major global banking and financial institutions, and fintech pioneers.
The conference is designed to enhance the experience of investors, emerging entrepreneurs, and academic institutions within the sector, The conference features a dedicated space for startups and investors called the “Fintech Innovation Hub,” bringing together the top 80 cutting-edge and innovative startups, alongside more than 350 investors. Selected companies collaborate with investors on an innovative agenda through the “Investing in Innovation” platform, leveraging artificial intelligence technologies, business networking, and guidance from leading experts.
It is worth noting that FinTech 24 serves as an influential platform in the fintech sector to discuss the future of the industry, featuring a select group of experts and speakers, as well as major companies in the field.
