Dubai brought together more than 10,000 business leaders, investors, speakers and exhibitors from over 120 countries for the fourth edition of the Dubai FinTech Summit.
Organized by the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) as part of Dubai Future Finance Week, the event explored how emerging technologies and new financial models are shaping the sector, under the theme “Connecting Markets – Transforming Economies.”
The event brought together financial institutions, technology companies, investors, regulators and policymakers to discuss developments shaping the financial services sector, with a focus on artificial intelligence, digital assets, tokenization, open finance, digital payments and financial inclusion.
The summit also provided a platform for new partnerships, product launches and other developments across the fintech sector. Here are some of the key announcements made during the event.
Cashless Strategy MoUs
Dubai’s Department of Finance (DOF) signed three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) at the Dubai FinTech Summit to advance the emirate’s Cashless Strategy.
The agreements cover collaboration with American Express to expand digital payment acceptance; with the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to support the development of regulated virtual assets; and with NEOPAY on the One Pay strategic project and a split-payment solution.
Launched in October 2024, the Dubai Cashless Strategy aims to achieve 90% cashless transactions across the public and private sectors by 2026. Led by DOF, the initiative seeks to expand the use of digital payments across government services, retail and everyday transactions.
“A cashless economy requires connected payment systems that serve government, businesses and individuals. We are working with our partners to explore solutions that improve financial efficiency, broaden payment choice and make transactions easier and more flexible,” said Ahmad Ali Meftah, executive director of the Central Accounts Sector at DOF.
He added that the summit provided an opportunity to demonstrate practical applications supporting the strategy, explore ways to improve government revenue collection and strengthen integration across payment channels.
Japanese Ecosystem
DIFC has signed a strategic partnership with Japan’s Mizuho Financial Group to support the international expansion of Japanese start-ups and strengthen economic ties between the UAE and Japan.
The agreement will give up to 6,000 Mizuho start-up clients access to DIFC’s innovation ecosystem, including market-entry and soft-landing support through the DIFC Innovation Hub. Eligible businesses will also be able to use Ignyte, DIFC’s digital platform, which connects start-ups with investors and corporate partners and provides access to mentorship and growth programs.
The partnership builds on DIFC’s existing Japanese business ecosystem, which includes 19 financial services and other companies employing around 560 people.
Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority, said the agreement would build on the center’s two-decade relationship with Japanese businesses and create further opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange and growth.
“This bond underpins wider bilateral economic relations between the two nations, further deepening our ties as the global economy navigates innovation, emerging technologies, and new paradigms of financial assets, leading to further knowledge exchange and cooperation,” he said.
DIFC Milestone and Research
DIFC now also hosts more than 2,000 companies operating across artificial intelligence, financial technology and innovation, according to an announcement made on the second day of the Dubai FinTech Summit 2026.
The milestone comes less than a decade after DIFC launched its vision to develop the region’s financial technology ecosystem, beginning with the establishment of FinTech Hive in 2017. The accelerator initially brought together 11 start-ups and has since developed into a broader ecosystem connecting technology businesses, financial institutions, investors and specialized talent.
DIFC also launched a report in partnership with the research organization Asia House, examining how artificial intelligence and other digital technologies are reshaping industries and creating new opportunities for economic growth. Titled Digital Economy 2.0: Charting New Opportunities, the report looks at the role of investment, skilled talent and regulatory frameworks in supporting the next phase of digital development.
The report forecasts that global technology spending will reach $5.6 trillion in 2026, while AI could contribute $22.3 trillion to the global economy by 2030. It also projects that the global fintech market will reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, as digital technologies become increasingly integrated into financial services.
Commercial Bank of Dubai Partnerships
Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD) announced a series of technology partnerships at the Dubai FinTech Summit 2026, covering artificial intelligence, compliance, digital wealth management, operational automation and legal technology.
The bank will work with Microsoft to support AI adoption and develop use cases across its business functions. It also signed an agreement with Silent Eight to explore AI-powered name-screening tools to strengthen compliance processes and risk management.
A separate agreement with Comarch AI Wealth will support the development of CBD’s digital wealth platform and investment services. The bank also partnered with Zamp to introduce intelligent automation and AI-driven solutions to streamline operations and improve efficiency.
In legal technology, CBD signed agreements with Harvey, Sirion and Flank to support legal operations, contract management and governance. The collaborations will involve tools for legal research, document drafting and contract lifecycle management.
Beyond the partnerships, CBD hosted a FinTech World Cup qualifier ahead of the summit, bringing together six fintech companies presenting solutions across payments, financial services and digital innovation. DeFa by InvoiceMate was selected as the winner and will advance to the competition’s Grand Final at the summit.
CBD executives also participated in discussions on the future of finance, financial inclusion and agentic AI, while the bank hosted industry meetings at its summit VIP Lounge. The agreements form part of its broader digital transformation strategy.
Dubai Finance AI and Digital Payment Solutions
Dubai’s Department of Finance presented a range of artificial intelligence and digital payment solutions at the Dubai FinTech Summit 2026, focusing on the use of technology in public finance, regulatory compliance and government transactions.
Among the initiatives was AIltizam, an AI-powered platform designed to identify compliance gaps, assess regulatory risks and provide recommendations to support financial decision-making.
DOF also showcased DP3, a digital platform for managing public-private partnership (PPP) projects, as part of efforts to improve the oversight and management of government projects.
The department also partnered with Network International to demonstrate applications spanning digital payments and commerce. These included agentic commerce, in which AI agents can search for products, compare options and initiate purchases on behalf of consumers within permissions set by the user.
Other solutions included Network Max, which helps small and medium-sized businesses manage and use their revenues, and Slice, a flexible payment solution.
The demonstrations also covered the integration of domestic payment methods, including Jaywan and Aani, with international payment networks such as Alipay, WeChat Pay and RuPay.
Network International and NEOPAY presented payment scenarios involving these systems, alongside the acceptance of payments using a UAE dirham-backed stablecoin and a practical demonstration of cryptocurrency being used to pay for a government service.
Pay10 Partnerships
UAE-regulated fintech company Pay10 announced a series of commercial agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) at the Dubai FinTech Summit 2026, covering the education, retail, food and beverage, and specialized commerce sectors.
The partnerships include GEMS Education and Jumbo Electronics, with plans to expand digital payment options and improve payment collection. Pay10 also named Bikanervala, Allday, Just Gold and Save In Gold among its commercial partners. Its payment solutions are already deployed at Bikanervala, Allday and Just Gold.
The company also signed an MoU with Yalla Financial Solutions, part of Fintra Holding, to explore bank-account-based wallet funding through Open Finance. A separate agreement with TotalPay will integrate Pay10’s merchant payment acceptance services into its technology platform, giving businesses access to additional digital payment options.
Pay10’s broader platform combines instant payments through Aani, Open Finance, digital accounts, Jaywan card issuance and merchant payment acceptance. Its services include point-of-sale terminals, QR payments, payment links and digital payouts.
The agreements form part of Pay10’s efforts to expand its payments ecosystem and support the UAE’s shift towards digital transactions under the Central Bank’s Financial Infrastructure Transformation Program.