The two-day summit focused on digital payments, AI, cybersecurity, and the future of India’s fintech ecosystem.
Bengaluru, May 6: The second edition of the Word Fintech Summit 2026 was held in Bengaluru on May 5–6, bringing together policymakers, fintech founders, banking leaders, technology companies, regulators, and digital innovation experts to discuss the future of financial services in India. Presented by Sinch, the summit was organised in collaboration with the Department of Electronics, IT, Biotechnology & Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka as the Host Partner, and Karnataka Digital Economy Mission as the Strategic Partner.
The summit focused on digital payments, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, financial inclusion, and the next phase of India’s fintech growth. The event witnessed participation from more than 100 industry leaders, fintech startups, BFSI CIOs, CTOs, CXOs, and policymakers. It served as a perfect platform for dialogue between the financial sector and the technology ecosystem, with discussions centred on strengthening India’s digital finance infrastructure and enabling innovation across banking and financial services.
Delivering the welcome address, Dr. Ravi Gupta, Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Editor-in-Chief, Elets Technomedia Pvt. Ltd., said the decision to organise the summit in Bengaluru was driven by the city’s position as a leading fintech and startup hub.
“The idea of holding this summit in Bengaluru was because the leading fintech startups are based here. So, there was a need for a platform to connect the finance industry and fintech startups in Bengaluru. The summit included over 100 key industry leaders, fintech startups, BFSI CIOs, CTOs, and CXOs, creating a powerful forum to discuss the future of digital finance,” he said.
One of the key sessions at the summit focused on Karnataka’s role in advancing India’s fintech ecosystem. Speaking at the event, Kris Gopalakrishnan, Co-Founder, Infosys, highlighted the state government’s support for innovation-led growth.
“The Government of Karnataka has been a strong supporter of the fintech ecosystem through strategic and forward-thinking policies. Initiatives such as the Elevate program, Centres of Excellence, the Aerospace Cluster, and Airport City reflect a clear vision for growth beyond Bengaluru,” he said.
Referring to India’s digital public infrastructure, he added, “India has also emerged as a global fintech leader, with UPI processing over 17 billion transactions monthly and Aadhaar providing every Indian with a trusted digital identity.”
The summit also featured discussions on emerging opportunities in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and quantum technologies for the BFSI sector. Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, EO, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), stressed the importance of strengthening technological capabilities alongside the growth of digital payments.
“Being at the centre of UPI payments, we must seize opportunities in cybersecurity and AI across BFSI and fintech, while building a quantum centre of excellence,” he said.
He further noted that India’s leadership in digital payments provides a strong base for future innovation. “India’s leadership in UPI creates a strong foundation to expand into critical areas like cybersecurity and AI within BFSI and fintech. Investing in advanced capabilities such as a quantum centre of excellence can further strengthen innovation, resilience, and global competitiveness,” he added.
Artificial intelligence and customer engagement technologies remained major themes during the summit. Aneet Mohanty, Senior Vice President – Growth and Innovation, Sinch India, spoke about the evolution of AI-led systems in the Indian banking and financial ecosystem.
“India is developing its own operating model for agentic AI, shaped by the unique realities of the Indian BFSI sector. These realities are defined by the massive volumes the BFSI industry manages, whether through inbound or outbound operations,” he said.
The role of digital identity in transforming financial services was another important area of discussion. Abhishek Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General, UIDAI, highlighted the contribution of Aadhaar and the broader digital identity framework in driving inclusion and financial access.
“The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is not only transforming India but is also helping create a blueprint for inclusive, secure, and scalable financial solutions. Over the past decade, it has driven a significant transformation in the Indian economy by redefining the country’s identity and payment ecosystem,” he said.
The World Fintech Summit 2026 also featured a dedicated expo and networking platform showcasing technologies and solutions shaping the future of the financial services sector. The exhibition brought together fintech companies, technology providers, startups, and enterprise solution firms presenting innovations across AI, cybersecurity, payments, lending, customer engagement, data intelligence, and cloud technologies.
Attendees explored solutions designed to improve banking operations, digital payments, fraud prevention, customer communication, and AI-driven financial services. The summit also hosted networking sessions and a closed-door CXO Dinner, enabling discussions among banking leaders, fintech founders, policymakers, investors, and technology experts.
The event was supported by a wide range of industry partners including Neo4J, NSRCEL, TiE Bangalore, Equifax India, VuNet Systems, Check Point, Snowflake, Scienaptic AI and several other fintech, AI, cybersecurity, and enterprise technology companies participating as partners and exhibitors.
Over two days, the summit featured insightful keynote sessions, engaging panel discussions, high-level networking meetings, and advanced technology showcases covering embedded finance, AI-driven banking, fraud prevention, digital lending, customer engagement, compliance technologies, and fintech collaboration models.
Also Read: Bengaluru to Host the 2nd World Fintech Summit 2026, Presented by Sinch on May 5–6, 2026
The World Fintech Summit 2026 concluded with a strong emphasis on collaboration between government bodies, financial institutions, fintech startups, and technology providers to strengthen India’s digital financial ecosystem. Discussions throughout the event reflected the growing role of AI, cybersecurity, digital identity, and payment innovation in shaping the future of banking and financial services. With participation from key stakeholders across the fintech and BFSI sectors, the World Fintech Summit 2026 reinforced Bengaluru’s position as a major hub for fintech innovation and industry dialogue in India.
