Fintech Without Borders Forum 2025

Open Banking initiatives are reshaping financial services globally, promising greater transparency, interoperability, and innovative solutions. This panel will explore the potential of Open Banking frameworks to revolutionize cross-border payments, remittances, and broader financial services.

We will examine the progress of Open Banking adoption in different regions, the challenges of international standardization, and the opportunities for fintechs and traditional institutions to collaborate in creating truly borderless financial experiences.

Focus Discussion Areas;

• Harmonizing Open Banking standards and APls across different jurisdictions to facilitate seamless cross-border data sharing and transactions.
• Addressing data privacy, security, and consent management challenges in a global Open Banking environment.
• The role of Open Banking in fostering competition and innovation in cross-border payments and remittances.
• Exploring use cases for Open Banking in enabling new cross-border financial products and services for individuals and businesses.
• The potential impact of Open Banking on traditional correspondent banking relationships

Cross-border remittances are a vital lifeline for many economies, yet they often suffer from high costs, slow speeds, and lack of transparency. This panel will delve into the innovative fintech solutions transforming the remittances landscape, focusing on leveraging technology to drive greater financial inclusion, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency.

We will explore the role of mobile money, digital wallets, and other fintech innovations in making remittances faster, safer, and more accessible for senders and recipients worldwide.

Focus Discussion Areas;

• The role of mobile money and digital wallets in expanding access to formal remittance channels, particularly in underserved regions.
• Leveraging blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) to improve the speed, transparency, and cost-effectiveness of remittances.
• Addressing the challenges of interoperability between different remittance platforms and payment systems across borders.
• The impact of regulatory frameworks and AML/CFT requirements on the cost and efficiency of remittance flows.
• Exploring innovative solutions for last-mile delivery of remittances in diverse geographical contexts.

Cryptocurrencies and stablecoins have emerged as potential disruptors in the cross-border payments space, offering the promise of faster, cheaper, and more accessible transactions. However, their adoption faces significant regulatory hurdles and concerns around volatility and security.

This panel will bring together experts to discuss the evolving regulatory landscape for crypto and stablecoins globally, the challenges and opportunities for their use in cross-border payments and remittances, and the potential implications for traditional financial institutions.

Focus Discussion Areas;

• The current state of crypto and stablecoin regulation across different countries and the challenges of achieving international harmonization.
• Exploring the potential of stablecoins for facilitating faster and cheaper cross-border payments and remittances.
• Addressing concerns around volatility, security, and illicit finance in the context of cross-border crypto transactions.
• The role of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) in the future of cross-border payments and their potential interaction with private stablecoins.
• The implications of the evolving regulatory landscape for fintech innovation in the crypto and stablecoin space.

Cross-border B2B payments often involve complex processes, high costs, and lack of transparency, hindering global trade and supply chains. This panel will examine the emerging fintech solutions and evolving trends that are transforming the future of B2B payments across borders.

We will discuss the role of digital platforms, virtual cards, and other innovative technologies in streamlining workflows, reducing costs, improving transparency, and facilitating faster and more secure international business transactions.

Focus Discussion Areas;

• The key pain points and inefficiencies in traditional cross-border B2B payment processes.
• The impact of digital platforms and virtual cards on streamlining international business transactions.
• Leveraging APls and data integration to improve the transparency and efficiency of cross-border B2B payments.
• Addressing the challenges of compliance, fraud prevention, and regulatory complexities in the context of global B2B commerce.
• The role of emerging technologies like blockchain and Al in further revolutionizing the future of cross-border B2B payments.

The interconnected nature of global fintech presents unprecedented opportunities for innovation and financial inclusion, but it also creates fertile ground for sophisticated fraud and financial crime. This panel will delve deep into the evolving landscape of illicit activities targeting borderless financial services, examining the latest typologies, the challenges of cross-jurisdictional investigation and prosecution, and the cutting-edge technologies and collaborative strategies required to effectively detect, prevent, and ultimately disrupt these threats.

Experts will discuss the critical balance between security and user experience, the role of regulation and compliance in a global context, and the imperative for proactive measures to safeguard the integrity and trust in the borderless fintech ecosystem.

Focus Discussion Areas;

• The evolving typologies of cross-border fraud.
• The complexities of tracking and prosecuting financial criminals operating across multiple borders, including legal differences, data sharing limitations, and jurisdictional challenges.
• Exploring the role of artificial intelligence (Al), machine learning (ML), behavioral biometrics, and other cutting-edge technologies in identifying and preventing fraudulent activities in real-time across global fintech platforms.
• Examining the challenges of implementing robust security measures without creating friction or hindering the user experience in cross-border financial services.
• Discussing the complexities of adhering to diverse and sometimes conflicting AML/CFT regulations across different jurisdictions and the need for greater international cooperation and standardization.
• Exploring strategies for building security by design into borderless fintech platforms, promoting user education and awareness, and fostering a culture of shared responsibility in preventing financial crime.
• Examining the importance of collaboration and information sharing between fintech companies, financial institutions, regulatory bodies, and law enforcement agencies in effectively tackling global financial crime.