Global Fintech Fest 2023 concludes with a footfall of 65,000 from over 100 countries, investment talks of USD 2 billion

Emerging as the world’s largest thought leadership platform, the Global Fintech Fest 2023 (GFF 2023) concluded here on Thursday, September 7 with a promise to return in the 5th edition October 8 – 10, 2024, with an even bigger agenda. The three-day conference brought together policymakers, regulators, bankers, industry captains, academics and professionals from the fintech landscape from around the world on one platform.

Not only informative speaking sessions, but GFF 2023 was also packed with a plethora of other activities, including a large exhibition, numerous investment pitches, masterclasses and workshops. Numbers speak for themselves. Here’s the grand scale of the world’s largest fintech conference at a glance:

• 
  900 speakers, from 30+ countries

• 
  Regulatory dignitaries from over 100 countries

• 
  300+ exhibitors

• 
  300+ investors – VCs, angels, PE funds

• 
  $2 Billion Investment Talks

• 
  100+ product launches

• 
  80+ white papers released

• 
  22 thought leadership report launched

• 
  3 hackathons (SEBI, NABARD and SBI)

• 
  65,000 steps from 100+ countries

GFF 2023 was supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MietY), the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and the International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA) and was organized by the Payments Council of India (PCI), Fintech Convergence Council (FCC) and (National Payments Corporation of India).

Among the leading international agencies that have collaborated with GFF 2023 are the World Bank, the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD), the Consultative Group to Assist the Arm (CGAP), and Women’s World Banking. Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany and Israel were the country partners of GFF 2023.

Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, ChairmanGFF 2023 Advisory Board, Chairman, Axilor Ventures and Co-Founder, Infosys, in his welcome speech set the context of the conference and said that the “Mmission of the GFF is clear: to provide a unifying platform for fintech visionaries to gather, collaborate and chart the course of the future of our industry.“

GFF 2023 was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Government of India, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman. In her opening speech, she praised the Global Fintech Fest for “a very powerful network of experts, both financial and also technological.“

Among other dignitaries who addressed the conference were Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India; Dr. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad, Minister of State for Finance, Government of India Smt. Madhabi Puri Buch, Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI); Shri Debasish Panda, Chairman, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI); Shri K Rajaraman, Chairman, International Financial Services Center Authority (IFSCA), and Shri Dinesh Kumar Khara, Chairman, State Bank of India.

GFF 2023 was also characterized by a significant global presence. Among international stalwarts who spoke at the conference were Mr. Maha Prasad Adhikari, Governor, Nepal Rastra Bank; Mrs. Soraya M Hakuziyaremye Vice Chairman and Deputy Governor, National Bank of Rwanda; Mr. Aleksi Grym, Head of Fintech, Bank of Finland; Mr. Eduardo Enrique Torres Llosa Villacorta, General Manager, Central Bank of Peru; HE Khaled Al Basias, Director Financial Sector Development, Saudi Central Bank; Ms Doris Dietze, Head of Division, Federal Ministry of Finance, Germany; Mr. Masaki Bessho, Head of FinTech Center, Payment and Settlement Systems Department, Bank of Japan; Mr. Andy White, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Payments Network (AusPayNet) and Mr. Thomas Kurian, Chief Executive Officer, Google Cloud.

Introduced under GFF, the Global Fintech Awards 2023 recognized and celebrated outstanding achievements of individuals and entities in the fintech ecosystem around the world. The awards were presented at a gala ceremony on 5 September in three categories, divided into 15 sub-categories.

To sum it up, GFF 2023 has arrived on the international map of fintech conferences with a bang, reflecting India’s leadership in the global fintech ecosystem.