On Thursday, September 6, 2024, the inaugural 24 Fintech Conference concluded in Riyadh with over 37,000 people in attendance as against the 25,000 projected by Tahaluf.
Hosted by the Financial Sector Development Program, the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), the Capital Market Authority (CMA), and the Insurance Authority (IA). Co-organized by “Fintech Saudi” and “Tahaluf,” — a joint venture between Informa PLC, the Saudi Federation for Cyber Security, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP) and the Events Investment Fund (NDF) — the conference featured prominent members of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia finance community.
Among those in attendance, were the following: H.E Mohammed Aljadaan, Minister of Finance, Chairman of the Financial Sector Development Program Committee; H.E Ayman Al-Sayari, Governor Saudi Central Bank; H.E Dr. Khaled Al-Dhaher, Vice Governor for Supervision & Technology Saudi Central Bank; Abdulaziz Alturki, Head of Strategy and Business, Open Banking Saudi Central Bank (SAMA); Ashish Aggarwal, Partner PayPal Ventures; Humaid Mudhaffr, CEO Qarar; Ryosuke Ushida, Chief Fintech Officer Financial Services Agency – Japan; Dr. Christopher Brummer, Professor of Financial Technology Georgetown Law; Aimen Bedawi, CEO Tatami; and many others.
In his closing remarks, SAMA Vice Governor for Supervision and Technology, Dr. Khaled Al-Dhaher, underscored the conference’s significance as a platform for dialogue among policymakers, industry leaders, international talent, and regulators.He highlighted the Kingdom’s role as a regional financial technology (fintech) hub and the conference’s contribution to enhancing the fintech ecosystem.
Tahaluf Senior Vice President Annabelle Mander noted that the conference attracted more than 10,000 foreign registrants and featured 350 speakers, including 252 international experts. The event also hosted 500 investors as part of the Venturescape initiative aimed at empowering local startups in Saudi Arabia.
Several agreements were announced during the conference’s final day. Notably, the 1957 Ventures investment fund surpassed SAR800 million. Additionally, SAMA announced a partnership with Samsung to introduce the “Samsung Pay” service in the Kingdom during the fourth quarter of 2024, further bolstering the country’s digital payments infrastructure.
