DUBAI, 13th October, 2024 (WAM) — Fintech Surge 2024, the largest fintech event in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), opened its doors today at the iconic Dubai Port.

The event brings together the brightest minds in fintech, banking and digital innovation from over 70 countries, with a day one program on the Future of Money stage in Hall 10 focused on investing in fintech.

The show kicked off with a visionary dialogue “2030, the Trillion Dollar Year,” focused on strategic steps investors can take to continue legitimizing the ever-growing fintech space.

Charlie Graham-Brown, CIO and co-founder of Seedstars (Switzerland), highlighted how the fintech market represents a huge opportunity, but financial companies are only capturing a small percentage of it. He commented: “This indicates significant growth potential as we approach 2030, particularly in emerging markets where financial inclusion is growing rapidly. The integration of embedded finance and innovative technologies such as generative AI will be key drivers of the evolution of this sector.

The first day also featured an informative multi-dimensional conversation between policymakers and innovators on the theme “Becoming IPO Ready,” addressing the challenges that don’t always make the headlines.

Dr. Sabah al-Binali, Head of Capital Markets at Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), said: “The entrepreneurial mindset often clashes with regulations and regulators. The ideal time for an IPO is when you need significant funds to continue growing at a steady pace. that private markets cannot support. An IPO offers an exit strategy that is less of a headache, allowing founders to reap the rewards directly, rather than navigating complex investment contracts filled with legal intricacies.

With the global fintech market reaching approximately US$226.71 billion in 2023 and expected to reach approximately US$917.17 billion by 2032, the session “In Dialogue: Digital Money According to Global Investors on Emerging Markets” shared insights from leading companies from around the world: UK, UAE, Nigeria and UAE – on regional trends, startup investment strategies , the evolution of digital banking and emerging technologies like blockchain and AI.

Alisha Golden, Investment Director at TechStars (Nigeria), said: “I think the future of fintech is embedded, where companies that we don’t initially consider fintech will have a fintech component, similar to corporates. like Apple with Apple Pay. , and also Starbucks. And it’s going to get even more exciting. Any business that has amassed a large customer base and serves them well will ultimately need to build in a layer of financing to support them in the value chain.

Fintech Surge 2024 will host over 100 exhibitors, 120 speakers and over 1,200 investors across the four days. As an integral part of Expand North Star, powered by GITEX GLOBAL, tomorrow’s agenda will be filled with cutting-edge discussions on topics related to digital banking and finance.