On 3 November 2024, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced the ninth annual Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF), scheduled to take place from 6 to 8 November 2024. Organised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore in collaboration with the Global Finance & Technology Network and Constellar, this year’s event will place a special emphasis on artificial intelligence and quantum technology, underlining their growing importance in transforming the financial sector. The festival aims to serve as a collaborative platform where industry leaders, policymakers, and technology experts can come together to explore the possibilities these technologies offer, as well as their implications for areas such as decarbonisation, digital asset adoption, efficient cross-border payments, and financial inclusion.
The festival’s main events will be preceded by the Insights Forum, an invitation-only event held on 4 and 5 November. This forum will feature the Layer One Summit, focused on fostering dialogue between the public and private sectors about the future of financial infrastructure. Alongside, the Green Circle Climate Forum will bring together corporate leaders, non-governmental organisations, and financial experts to discuss the development of high-quality carbon markets. Additional roundtable discussions involving both public and private sector leaders will be held to generate actionable outcomes for critical issues impacting the financial sector.
The Innovation Lab Crawl, also scheduled for 4 and 5 November, will offer festival participants an exclusive look at cutting-edge fintech innovations from 16 leading organisations such as the Visa Innovation Centre, Bank Julius Baer Launchpad, and the National University of Singapore FinTech Lab. This event will allow attendees to observe emerging fintech projects and explore the technologies set to reshape financial services in the coming years.
The main conference of SFF 2024 will feature an extensive programme, including over 900 speakers across more than 400 sessions, each focusing on one of six key themes. First among these is the Roadmap for Artificial Intelligence and Quantum, which will explore how artificial intelligence and quantum technology can be used responsibly within financial services, with discussions addressing both their potential benefits and associated risks.
The Blueprint for Digital Assets theme will focus on the growth and regulation of digital assets, discussing strategies for interoperability and secure industry adoption. Another focus area, Next-Generation Transactions, will highlight solutions to current global payment challenges, promoting innovation in cross-border payments and alignment across jurisdictions. In Sustainability in Action, experts will discuss advances in ClimateTech, climate data, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics, examining how these innovations can support global decarbonisation goals.
The festival will also address Bridging the Financial Inclusion Gap, where discussions will focus on leveraging technology and collaborative policies to improve financial access for underserved communities. Finally, Talent of Tomorrow will delve into the impact of generative artificial intelligence on skills, career paths, and workforce needs within the financial sector, with insights on how industry leaders can navigate the evolving tech talent landscape.
This year’s festival will also feature a large-scale exhibition, bringing together over 600 exhibitors and 41 international pavilions across five themed zones: Technology, Founders and Investors, ESG, Regulation, and Talent. Each zone will showcase pioneering financial services innovations relevant to the future of the industry, with an emphasis on addressing pressing challenges within these thematic areas.
Moreover, SFF 2024 will introduce six new certification programmes through Elevandi Education and other professional development partners, aimed at enhancing participants’ learning experiences. Notably, the Leadership in the Future of Finance programme, developed in partnership with BondbloX, Elevandi Education, and the Singapore FinTech Association, is designed for senior executives to deepen their understanding of artificial intelligence, digital assets, and sustainability as the primary pillars shaping the future of finance.
Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief FinTech Officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore and Group Chief Executive Officer Designate of the Global Finance & Technology Network, spoke on the importance of strategic planning and partnership in the digital transformation of finance. “Architecting the next transformation for our digital future requires thoughtful planning, strong partnerships, and sustained investments,” he stated, highlighting the role of SFF 2024 as a unifying platform for innovators, leaders, and regulators to shape a resilient and inclusive digital economy.
Paul Lee, Chief Executive of Markets at Constellar, shared similar sentiments, emphasising the urgency of adapting to emerging technologies as they continue to reshape global financial services. Lee noted that this year’s festival would feature a substantial increase in artificial intelligence showcases, offering participants a comprehensive look at the latest products designed to build business resilience.
With its wide-ranging agenda that emphasises artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and the digital transformation of financial services, SFF 2024 reflects Singapore’s ambition to be at the forefront of fintech innovation. By fostering dialogue between industry stakeholders and regulatory bodies, the festival aims to promote advances in regulatory standards, enhance operational efficiency, and prepare the sector for future challenges. Through these initiatives, SFF 2024 aims to build a robust and sustainable digital economy that serves as a model for the international financial community. Through a series of events and initiatives, SFF 2024 will foster industry collaboration, providing insights into best practices and global trends that can shape the future of Singapore’s fintech landscape.
(Source: https://www.mas.gov.sg/news/media-releases/2024/singapore-fintech-festival-2024-kicks-off-with-ai-and-quantum-technology-in-focus, https://www.mas.gov.sg/-/media/mas/news/media-releases/2024/annex-a–list-of-headline-and-notable-speakers-at-the-singapore-fintech-festival-2024.pdf)
