The three-day event welcomed more than 1,450 participants and 67 speakers, highlighting artificial intelligence, digital payments, embedded finance, digital banking, and tokenization.
Istanbul Fintech Week (IFW) 2026 brought together leading figures from Türkiye’s and the international financial technology ecosystem at Hilton Istanbul Maslak from October 5–7, 2026. Held under the theme “Smart, Embedded and Tokenized,” the event attracted more than 1,450 participants and 67 speakers to discuss the technologies reshaping financial services.
Supported by BEX Digital Wallet, the conference featured five thematic summits covering sustainable finance, payments, artificial intelligence in finance, digital banking, and digital assets. The program also included executive roundtable discussions, an exclusive Leadership Forum, and the Pioneers of Digital Finance 2026 awards.
Central Bank Highlights the Future of Intelligent Payments
The main summit program opened with an address by Prof. Dr. Hatice Karahan, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT), who emphasized the growing importance of intelligent payment systems.
Karahan highlighted how payment infrastructures are evolving beyond speed and security toward more automated and intelligent capabilities. She discussed the potential of AI-powered and agent-based payments while emphasizing the importance of reliable infrastructure, clear authorization mechanisms, and secure settlement processes.
Her remarks reflected the conference’s broader focus on the integration of artificial intelligence into financial transactions and the development of next-generation payment ecosystems.
Nobel Laureate Daron Acemoğlu Discusses AI and Economic Transformation
One of the event’s prominent speakers was Prof. Dr. Daron Acemoğlu, the 2024 Nobel Prize-winning economist, who addressed the economic implications of artificial intelligence.
Speaking on October 6, Acemoğlu examined the sustainability of large-scale AI investments and the technology’s potential impact on employment and income distribution.
He emphasized opportunities for AI applications that complement human capabilities rather than simply replacing workers. Acemoğlu also highlighted the potential for emerging economies such as Türkiye to develop innovative AI applications instead of focusing exclusively on building foundational AI models.
The economist additionally participated in the invitation-only IFW Leadership Forum, where he joined a discussion titled “The Next 50 Years of Finance,” moderated by Mustafa Baltacı.
Global Industry Leaders Explore Payments, AI, and Digital Banking
The Payments Summit featured Ozan Deniz, General Manager of the Interbank Card Center (BKM), who addressed the future of payments in his keynote, “Beyond Cash: Shaping the Future of Payments.”
Kerem Orbay, General Manager of Garanti BBVA Payment Systems, discussed the growing role of embedded payments in commerce.
The AI in Finance Summit explored fraud prevention, generative AI, and autonomous financial services. Clara Durodié, CEO of Cognitive Finance Group, examined AI-powered fraud prevention, while Remitly CEO Sebastian J. Gunningham participated virtually in a discussion on artificial intelligence in global money transfers.
Digital banking was another major focus, with Anna Maj, CEO of BRIDGE API, discussing composable banking and open architectures. Representatives from Akbank and bunq also explored how artificial intelligence could transform traditional banking models.
Meanwhile, Ripple’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa, Reece Merrick, participated in discussions on cross-border finance and emerging digital asset infrastructure.
Pioneers of Digital Finance 2026 Recognizes Innovation
The event also hosted the fourth edition of the Pioneers of Digital Finance Awards, organized in collaboration with KPMG Türkiye.
A total of nine projects received recognition across fintech and banking categories, including initiatives from Tam Finans, ArkSigner, Cropto, Inveo Kripto, Ziraat Bankası, Kuveyt Türk, Türkiye İş Bankası, Halkbank, and Yapı Kredi.
The awards highlighted developments in financial inclusion, artificial intelligence, open finance, digital banking, and real-world asset tokenization.
Strengthening Istanbul’s Position in Global Fintech
Organized with strategic partnerships involving Invest in Türkiye and the Payment and Electronic Money Institutions Association of Türkiye (TÖDEB), Istanbul Fintech Week 2026 provided a platform for dialogue between financial institutions, technology companies, regulators, investors, and entrepreneurs.
Since its launch in 2019, Istanbul Fintech Week has brought together more than 17,000 participants from over 60 countries, reflecting its growing international reach.
The 2026 edition reinforced Istanbul’s role as a meeting point for financial technology innovation and cross-border collaboration, with intelligent payments, AI-driven finance, and tokenized assets emerging as central themes shaping the industry’s next phase
