Money20/20 Middle East sets 2026 Riyadh agenda with fintech and policy leaders

Money20/20 Middle East will return to Riyadh from Sept. 14-16, 2026, with more than 38,000 attendees expected and senior leaders from Tabby, Deutsche Bank, BlackRock, State Street, BNY, Visa and Lean Technologies on the agenda. The event aims to link global investors, regulators and fintech builders as Saudi Arabia pushes its financial-sector ambitions.

Why it matters: - Money20/20 Middle East is positioning Riyadh as a larger hub for fintech dealmaking, regulation and investment across Saudi Arabia and the wider region. - The 2026 event is expected to draw more than 38,000 attendees, more than 600 investors and 150 startups, making it a major meeting point for financial-services leaders. - The program is tied to Saudi Vision 2030 and the Financial Sector Development Program, underscoring the event’s role in the Kingdom’s broader economic push.

What happened: - Money20/20 Middle East announced its 2026 agenda for Sept. 14-16, 2026, at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre in Malham. - The event will bring together fintech leaders, investors, policymakers and innovators for three days of content, networking and business opportunities. - Hosted by the Financial Sector Development Program, Saudi Central Bank, Capital Market Authority and Insurance Authority, the event is co-organized by Fintech Saudi and Tahaluf. - Senior leaders from Tabby, Deutsche Bank, BlackRock, State Street, BNY, Visa and Lean Technologies will take part in the program.

The details: - The event expects more than 350 exhibiting brands and more than 350 speakers. - The agenda will cover artificial intelligence, autonomous finance, open banking, embedded finance, payments, regulation, access to capital and cross-border financial infrastructure. - Sessions will run across the Executive Summit, NextGen Money, The Bridge, The Capital Stage, The Boardroom and Off The Record. - The Next-Gen Money track will feature Godfrey Sullivan, senior vice president and head of products and solutions, CEMEA at Visa, in a live demo session titled “Trust in the Age of Agentic Commerce.” - The session will examine how AI agents can complete transactions for customers, including merchant selection, payments and authorization, plus refunds, disputes and liability. - Joy Adams, chief operating officer, digital assets transformation, corporate bank at Deutsche Bank, will join a discussion on building intelligent financial institutions. - Tony Ashraf, managing director at BlackRock, will join a session on what comes after payments as instant payment networks and programmable financial infrastructure converge. - Nora M. Albakr, deputy governor for financial innovation at the Saudi Central Bank, will deliver an opening keynote. - Other sessions will look at how Saudi-built companies can expand internationally, why global investors are increasing their focus on Saudi Arabia, and how regulation, capital and infrastructure can support sector growth. - Confirmed speakers also include Mostapha Tahiri of State Street, Hani Kablawi of BNY, Ali Bailoun of Visa and Hisham Al-Falih of Lean Technologies. - Registration for Money20/20 Middle East 2026 is now open, and more information is available here.

Between the lines: - The agenda reflects how quickly financial services are shifting toward AI-enabled transactions, faster payments and more programmable infrastructure. - The strong policy and regulator presence signals that Saudi Arabia wants the event to function as both a business conference and a policy forum. - The mix of global institutions and local fintech leaders suggests Riyadh is being used to connect international capital with the Kingdom’s emerging financial ecosystem.

What's next: - Money20/20 Middle East will release more programming details as the September 2026 event approaches. - The event will likely serve as a venue for new partnerships, investment discussions and policy dialogue around financial innovation in the region. - Organizers will use the gathering to showcase Saudi Arabia’s role in global fintech and highlight momentum in the local market.

The bottom line: - Money20/20 Middle East is betting that Riyadh can become one of the world’s key stages for fintech, capital and regulation.