SINGAPORE, November 4, 2024 — The Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) 2024 is set to launch its ninth edition on November 6, establishing itself once again as a pioneering event in the fintech world. Organised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the festival’s focal points this year include Artificial Intelligence (AI) and quantum technology, reflecting a growing shift towards advanced digital solutions in financial services.
Platform for Innovation and Collaboration
Running from November 6 to 8, the SFF will serve as a dynamic platform where policymakers, tech innovators, and industry leaders converge to explore AI and quantum advancements. By addressing regulatory, technological, and operational aspects, this year’s festival aims to foster collaborations that can accelerate innovation, resilience, and inclusivity in the financial sector. The agenda will also cover pivotal topics like digital assets, cross-border payments, decarbonisation, and financial inclusion.
The festival’s lead-up includes an exclusive pre-conference Insights Forum™ (November 4-5), structured to provide invited guests with early access to in-depth discussions on crucial themes, including the inaugural Layer One Summit, which will address the role of public-private partnerships in shaping the future of financial infrastructure. Another key event is the Green Circle Climate Forum, where corporate leaders and NGOs will debate the development of carbon markets and sustainable finance.
Focus on Emerging Technology and Industry Collaboration
SFF 2024 will feature over 900 speakers, each exploring significant technological developments and strategic themes:
- Roadmap for AI and Quantum: Sessions will explore how AI and quantum technology can be responsibly deployed to enhance financial services, alongside an analysis of risks related to their adoption.
- Blueprint for Digital Assets: Discussions will focus on scaling digital assets usage, achieving interoperability, and ensuring regulatory alignment for widespread adoption.
- Next-Gen Transactions: With a focus on global payment infrastructure, this theme will cover strategies to address current cross-border payment inefficiencies and foster tech-driven solutions.
- Sustainability in Action: Emphasising innovation in ClimateTech and ESG ratings, these sessions will delve into financing mechanisms essential for global decarbonisation efforts.
- Bridging the Financial Inclusion Gap: This track will explore technological and policy-based strategies to improve financial accessibility for underserved communities.
- Talent of Tomorrow: Panels will discuss the evolving skill demands in fintech, especially as generative AI reshapes career trajectories within the industry.
Attendees will also be able to explore thematic zones at the SFF Exhibition, which will host more than 600 exhibitors and 41 international pavilions. The zones—Technology, Founders and Investors, ESG, Regulation, and Talent—are each dedicated to cutting-edge financial technology, highlighting developments that could reshape the industry.
Elevating Fintech Education with New Programmes
SFF 2024 will debut six certificate programmes as part of a professional development initiative led by Elevandi Education (soon to be rebranded as Global Finance & Technology Network Education in 2025). One standout programme, Leadership in the Future of Finance, is tailored for senior executives to gain insights into AI, digital assets, and sustainability—three key pillars identified as transformative for the future of finance.
Global Finance and Technology Network
This year’s event also marks the launch of the Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN), an initiative by MAS to unify fintech innovation across borders. GFTN aims to address barriers stemming from fragmented regulatory standards and technical constraints. Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief FinTech Officer at MAS and the Group CEO-Designate of GFTN, noted that the festival will facilitate “thoughtful planning, strong partnerships, and sustained investments” essential to constructing a digital economy that is both resilient and inclusive.
Showcase of Emerging Financial Innovation
As the festival unfolds, attendees will witness AI’s growing integration into fintech, with double the number of AI showcases compared to last year, spanning products and services aimed at enhancing business resilience. Industry leaders such as Leong Sing Chiong (MAS), Naveen Mallela (J.P. Morgan), and Shun Kobayashi (Bank of Japan) will lead dialogues on themes such as quantum technology, digital assets, and Asia’s influence on the global financial ecosystem.
Each day of SFF 2024 will address pressing topics through targeted sessions. Notable sessions include:
- Asia’s Influence: Past, Present, and Future – This panel will examine Asia’s shifting role in global finance, from regulatory frameworks to tech innovations.
- Building Digital Financial Infrastructure for Tomorrow – Experts will outline the critical components required for creating robust, scalable, and compliant digital infrastructure.
- Greenprint Solutions: Fostering Sustainable Financial Practices – In line with MAS’s Greenprint initiative, this session will encourage sustainable finance practices to help organisations adapt to climate-related challenges.
With a record-setting lineup of speakers, sessions, and exhibitions, SFF 2024 will act as a launchpad for financial innovation, offering a global platform for discussions, learning, and future-forward strategies. As the festival opens its doors, Singapore continues to fortify its role as a leading hub for fintech, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to a secure, inclusive, and technologically advanced financial future.