FF News | Fintech Finance

Josh Goodbody from BasedAI explores the role of AI agents in handling concrete reasoning tasks within payments. He highlights the importance of human review and the growing need for a clear chain of responsibility as these agents tackle more complex conclusions. #Fintech #AI

Zarik Nabi from Tabby | تابي discusses how fintech has transformed customer expectations around speed and transparency. By demonstrating what is possible during onboarding and KYC, these features have moved from being special to becoming the expected standard. Tabby | تابي uses

Alessio Castelli of CBI S.c.p.a. Società Benefit explains how the IBAN Lookout service helps identify suspicious accounts. By leveraging data from across the financial community, the tool flags IBAN codes that have been highlighted as potential risks. #Fintech #Payments

Instant card issuance doesn't mean physical cards are on their way out. Customers still crave a tangible connection to their bank, making the physical card an essential piece of the modern customer experience. Are physical cards here to stay? #Fintech #Banking #Payments

Matthew Foyle from Fireblocks explores the complex question of responsibility in crypto wallet security. He highlights how enterprise businesses must prioritise trust above all else, as even minor failures can have a devastating impact on an organisation's reputation. #Fintech

Rohit Mathew from Publicis Sapient discusses the potential for Saudi Arabia to set a global benchmark in banking through the strategic deployment of GenAI. He explores why banks should focus on agentic architecture and structured AI platforms to move beyond simple POCs and

Suresh Ramamurthi from NetXD Inc. explains how banks can empower customers to use AI agents by providing a thicker, fatter data pipe. By mirroring banking data, customers can connect their financial information directly to their agent of choice. This shift allows banks to

As AI agents begin to move money independently, the industry faces a new set of challenges around liability and insurance. Josh Goodbody from BasedAI discusses the urgent need for guardrails and infrastructure to support these autonomous transactions. This is a pivotal moment

Nauman Hassan of Paymentology discusses why building everything from scratch is a thing of the past in the fast moving Middle Eastern market. He explains how banks should focus on core differentiators while partnering for other components to ensure speed to market. #Fintech

Mohammad Hashem from explains why better credit decisions are the primary opportunity for AI in SME lending. By leveraging alternative data like VAT filings and bank statements, lenders can move away from traditional collateral reliance and improve financial inclusion. #Fintech

Payment cards are getting a serious green makeover. From responsibly sourced wood and ocean plastics to 100% recycled PVC and even vegetable-based biomaterials, issuers now have a full spectrum of eco-friendly alternatives to traditional plastic. How green is your wallet?

With a digitally native, educated younger generation demanding superior experiences, the opportunity for financial services is enormous. Meeting those expectations comes down to leveraging flexible, cloud-based infrastructure—and as AI continues to accelerate, the horizon will

Cloud-native architecture and event-driven ledgers provide the ideal foundation for integrating AI agents directly into core financial workflows. From real-time SME transaction analysis to instant micro-loan approvals, modern platforms are bridging cutting-edge decisioning with

Trust between regulators, providers, and customers is paramount across the payments ecosystem, especially as fraud threats grow increasingly sophisticated. Compliance and security remain top priorities in Saudi Arabia and across the wider region. Leveraging AI is proving

End customers rarely dwell on the architecture behind a payment—what sticks is how seamless, safe, and positive the journey felt. Helping businesses deliver experiences that build lasting trust is the ultimate benchmark of great payment tech. How is your team balancing robust

When banks, regulators, fintechs, and market infrastructures gather under one roof, real collaboration happens. Industry forums offer an unparalleled chance to align on shared challenges and understand where customer demand is heading next. How essential are these global

Replicating what worked in Europe or the US won't guarantee success in unique, rapidly evolving regions. True progress happens when companies take the time to deeply understand the local ecosystem and build solutions tailored to its specific dynamics. In markets that lead

AI is moving beyond just sharing data to actively making decisions on behalf of users and institutions. This evolution is transforming customer journeys, automating processes, and rendering payments almost entirely invisible. How are banks and financial institutions adapting to

Saudi Arabia has built one of the most ambitious and rapidly advancing payment ecosystems in the world. As customer expectations rise and regulators push innovation forward, financial institutions need partners that can match their speed. What does it take to keep pace with the

How can financial institutions unlock the true value of customer data? By combining behavioural insights with agentic AI, banks can automate next-best actions and tailor real-time recommendations. The next five years will redefine what it means to be an intelligent bank.