The Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) is a global platform for policymakers, finance industry experts, and the cutting-edge technology community to converge each year. Over the past ten years, the SFF has transformed from a regional initiative into the world’s largest and most influential financial technology gathering.
Launched in 2016 by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the SFF was created to support Singapore’s goal of becoming a smart financial centre and a world-class fintech hub. The first edition, organised in partnership with the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS), attracted over 13,000 participants from 60 countries. The Festival featured conferences on FinTech, Technology Risk, and RegTech. It also hosted the inaugural editions of the Global FinTech Hackcelerator, the FinTech Awards, and the Innovation Lab Crawl. All three events would become staples of the Festival over the next ten years.
The first SFF in 2016 was also where the API Playbook, co-created by ABS and MAS, was launched. The Playbook guided industry stakeholders in implementing Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), recommending standards for data exchange and information security, and outlining high-level technical requirements for each API.
The Growth Of The Singapore FinTech Festival Since 2016
The festival expanded rapidly following the success of the inaugural SFF. Christine Lagarde, then the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), attended the second edition in 2017.
As early as 2018, after attracting close to 45,000 participants, decision makers, and investors from almost 130 countries, the SFF had earned the title “the largest FinTech event in the world”. 2018’s edition attracted world leaders, including Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, and Justin Trudeau, then the Prime Minister of Canada.
Lagarde would make her second SFF appearance in 2018, and in her speech, would describe “the true spirit of the FinTech Festival – opening doors to new digital futures; hoisting sails to the winds of change”. This would be a quote that would continue to define the event’s purpose.
In last year’s edition, the SFF hosted 65,000 participants from 134 countries and regions, including representatives from over 665 central banks, regulatory bodies, and government agencies. It had become an event where heads of state and top policymakers rubbed shoulders with the CEOs of major technology companies, financial institutions, and payment leaders.
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The event also facilitated over 10,000 1-to-1 meetings for 1,500 participants through its SFF MeetUp platform, with a 90% satisfaction rate. The 15-minute meeting format ensured networking is efficient, productive, and focused – necessary features for Asia’s largest FinTech meetings programme.
Innovation In Money And Payments Draws People To The Singapore FinTech Festival
What draws thousands to the SFF each year, is how it reflects the most pressing issues in finance of the day.
In the early years, from 2016 to 2018, discussions focused on blockchain, digital payments, and RegTech. By 2019, the issues had grown broader, with sustainability and climate change taking centre stage. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the SFF became a round-the-clock hybrid digital and physical event, with the theme of Web 3.0 and its impact on financial services in 2021 already a sign of things to come.
Read Also: Why The Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) Is A Must-Go Experience For Anyone In The Finance Industry
In 2025, the event’s focus continues to be on Artificial Intelligence, Tokenisation, and Quantum Computing. These are three areas that represent the next stage of financial architecture. The SFF’s ability to anticipate and spotlight emerging trends has made it a bellwether for the industry.
Key Features Of The Singapore FinTech Festival Return For The 10th Time
One notable aspect of the SFF is how programmes launched in its inaugural edition have stood the test of time.
For example, the Global FinTech Hackcelerator will be marking its 10th edition. This competition continues to spotlight innovative, market-ready solutions that address real industry challenges. Up to 20 startups will be selected from a global pool of applicants, and receive mentorship from senior industry leaders for three months. They will then pitch at the SFF for a $240,000 prize pool. Even if they don’t win, they will have had the chance to be under the spotlight of the SFF stage, in front of a global audience.
The SFF Innovation Lab Crawl also returns for the 10th time. This is a 2-day tour of the most cutting-edge FinTech innovation labs in Singapore. 8 partners have stepped up to host, including the Visa Singapore Innovation Center, Alibaba Cloud’s AI Frontier Innovation Lab, and Julius Baer’s Launchpad. There will also be opportunities to get a behind the scenes look at the innovation labs behind DBS, UOB, Standard Chartered, and Tyme Group.
A Global Innovation Showcase
Over the past ten years, the Singapore FinTech Festival has become a central meeting point for the global fintech community. Its unrivalled scale, diverse participant base, and focus on emerging technologies have positioned it as a key venue for shaping the future of financial services.
Attendees of the Singapore FinTech Festival will have opportunities to hear from hundreds of reputable speakers, gain insights into the latest fintech trends, and meet potential collaborators, clients, and partners. The conversations and innovations at the SFF will shape the future of the industry, and it’s what keeps attracting thousands every year from all over the world.
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