DIFC's fintech event to discuss, debate future drivers of growth in financial services

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region, announced that it will host DIFC Fintech Week on June 28 and June 29, 2022. The event will bring together the region’s fintech market and will be held at the Ritz Carlton, DIFC.

DIFC fintech Week will provide key players in the fintech sector the opportunity to discuss and debate the future drivers of growth in financial services. More than 1,000 attendees, including visionary and trailblazing fintech innovators, leading investment firms, banks, policymakers, and service providers are expected to attend the event.

The event will include over 40 keynotes from multidisciplinary speakers, panel discussions, enterprise use-case presentations, and product showcases – all coming together to help accelerate the adoption of next-gen technology solutions in the industry.

DIFC fintech Week will focus on 10 key themes that we think are shaping the next phase of fintech, including Web 3.0, metaverse, NFTs, crypto, blockchain, payments, embedded finance, open banking, RegTech, and ESG.

Confirmed industry speakers include Changpeng Zhao, CEO of Binance; Arshad Ghafur, president of Bank of America Mena; Rene Michau, Global Head of Digital Assets at Standard Chartered; Dr Bernd Van Linder, CEO of Commercial Bank of Dubai; Henri Arslanian, managing partner at Nine Blocks Capital Management; and Navin Gupta, managing director, South Asia and Mena, at Ripple.

Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority, said: “We have been defining the region’s financial technology market for several years and hosting the DIFC fintech Week reflects our commitment to accelerate the next phase of its growth. DIFC fintech Week provides the ideal platform for influential contributors from the sector to come together and drive ideas forward to help accelerate growth and innovation. Clients in DIFC’s ecosystem have and will continue to lead digital innovation, ranging from the metaverse to embedded finance through to environment, sustainability and governance (ESG) initiatives. DIFC will continue to provide the best environment to help them shape the Future of Finance.”

The DIFC Innovation Hub is the region’s leading innovation ecosystem and the largest cluster of fintech in GCC, with nearly 600 innovation and tech firms, ranging from start-ups to unicorns, representing over 60 per cent of the regional market share. The Hub is also an integral part of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision for innovation-driven growth in Dubai, which is shaping the Future of Finance.

DIFC fintech Week is being supported by new and incumbent industry leaders, including Amazon Payment Services as presenting partner; Binance, Tamara and Yap as gold sponsors; and Baraka, Midchains and Yoshi Markets as silver sponsors.

The Middle East Venture Capital Association and World Alliance of International Financial Centers are Association Partners, while Crypto Oasis is an Ecosystem Partner. — business@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai