Day two of Money20/20 Middle East in Riyadh brought together global leaders in fintech, banking, and financial services to discuss the future of money and finance in the region. 

The agenda focused on transformative themes such as artificial intelligence in finance, regulatory developments, inclusive innovation, and strategic capital. High-profile speakers included Hon. Caroline D. Pham, Acting Chairman of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Mario Nobile, Director General of the Agency for Digital Italy, and Colin Payne, Head of Innovation at the UK Financial Conduct Authority. Sessions explored digital transformation, data governance, cybersecurity, and the evolving landscape of payments and treasury services, with insights from industry leaders at Standard Chartered Bank, JP Morgan Payments, Revolut, Wio Bank, Abdul Latif Jameel Finance, Citi Group, Mastercard and Swift.

Visa announced a groundbreaking acceptance capability being launched locally in Saudi Arabia - a first-of-its-kind deployment for the company. This initiative is closely aligned with national infrastructure and regulatory frameworks, aiming to accelerate digital commerce enablement for merchants across the Kingdom. Visa’s announcement also highlighted new product features that enhance how merchants accept and manage payments, with a strong focus on flexibility, compliance, and interoperability. These developments reflect Saudi Arabia’s rapid progress as a global fintech hub, where digital payments and innovative financial solutions are transforming the market landscape.

Annabelle Mander, Executive Vice President, Tahaluf, commented: “Money20/20 Middle East has witnessed unprecedented momentum over the past two days in Riyadh. With more than 1,000 investors attending - split evenly between local and global - a surge of international interest has increased in Saudi and the wider region. Our international audience has grown by 63%, with major VCs and angel investors eager to enter Saudi Arabia. Money20/20 remains the only platform that brings the entire ecosystem under one roof - a true one-stop shop for innovation, capital, and opportunity.” 

SILQFi announced the launch of Omni, a new platform designed to embed finance directly into the everyday operations of small and medium-sized businesses, following its acquisition of OXO, a key player in the Saudi POS market. The platform integrates point-of-sale, procurement, payments, and real-time credit access into a single interface. It aims to streamline merchant workflows, from sourcing inventory to managing cash flow, while improving access to capital through embedded financial tools.

The Lending Hub has launched its revolutionary mobile app, transforming how individuals access funding and investment opportunities. The company provides a seamless connection between finance applicants and investors in a fast, secure, and transparent way. It aims to empower individuals with easy access to the funding they need to achieve their goals while offering diverse and innovative investment opportunities for individuals to grow their wealth. 

Limitless Payments is being launched as a next-generation global fintech investment vehicle designed to transform how businesses manage payments, foreign exchange, and financial operations across high-growth and underserved markets. Headquartered in Riyadh, Limitless will be established as a joint stock company with an initial fund of $100 million and more than $15 billion in existing gross transaction volume. This strategic initiative brings together three pioneering fintech businesses: Xpence, a strategic partner of Visa and the GCC’s leading B2B spend management platform; GC Partners, a UK, UAE, and Hong Kong regulated financial services firm specializing in international payments, foreign exchange, and treasury solutions; and Numito, a multi-bank FX trading platform designed to streamline order execution and payment processing.

Australian futurist and author Brett King announced the launch of a new book during the event. Co-authored by Jim Marous, Efi Pylarinou, Paolo Sironi and Richard Turrin, ‘Branch Tomorrow’ is a data-driven exploration into one of the biggest cultural and structural shifts in modern finance: the decline and redefinition of the bank branch. The book dissects how technology, customer behavior, and fintech innovation have reshaped banking.

During day two, Jayesh Patel, CEO of Wio Bank, highlighted the pivotal role digital banks play in enabling the growth of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the region. He highlighted how Wio Bank is redefining banking by offering a digital-first platform that integrates business banking, personal finance, and investment tools - all designed to help customers manage, grow, and build wealth more efficiently. 

With more than 450 global and regional fintech brands, and 1,050+ investors from around the globe, Money20/20 Middle East is the largest and most influential fintech gathering ever held in the region. The major event is hosted under the patronage of H.E. Mohammed Aljadaan, KSA’s Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Financial Sector Development Program Committee. 

AlRajhi Bank, Riyad Bank, STC Bank, Saudi National Bank, Tamara, Visa and Vision Bank are founding partners of Money20/20 Middle East, demonstrating their commitment to advancing financial innovation across the region. In addition to its founding partners, Money20/20 Middle East is backed by a strong network of strategic sponsors and partners driving innovation across the financial sector. Key names include Abdul Latif Jameel, Barq, Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF), BIM Ventures, Elm, Ejada, Enjaz, MasterCard, Neo Leap, Saudi Tadawul Group (STG), SCCC by STC, SIMAH, Tamam and Tiqmo.

Anchored around the theme “Where Money Does Business,” Money20/20 Middle East features dedicated partnership pavilions, executive networking lounges, and curated meeting programs to maximise ROI for sponsors and exhibitors. 

For more information about partnership opportunities, visit www.money2020middleeast.com