The third day of Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025, the flagship global finance gathering hosted by ADGM, delivered a dynamic mix of innovation, strategic dialogue, and thought leadership as Fintech Abu Dhabi and RESOLVE took center stage. The event brought together many of the world’s most influential voices in finance, technology, law, and dispute resolution, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s growing status as a forward-thinking financial hub and legal powerhouse.
Financial Technology Insights: BNY Appoints Charles Lowrey as Independent Director
Guided by this year’s theme, “Designing the Capital of Capital,” the day explored how financial markets, digital technologies, and global policy frameworks are rapidly transforming—and how Abu Dhabi aims to be at the forefront of that evolution.
Opening the proceedings, His Excellency Hamad Sayah Al Mazrouei, Undersecretary of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Economic Development and President of the ADGM Academy, emphasized that the future of global finance will be shaped by human vision and leadership, not just automation.
“The future of finance will not be written solely by algorithms, but by people with vision, courage, and purpose,” he said. “Through platforms like Fintech Abu Dhabi, we are not only anticipating what comes next, but actively building it.”
A Defining Moment for Fintech Innovation
The ninth edition of Fintech Abu Dhabi, now the MENA region’s most influential fintech gathering, highlighted the deep technological shifts reshaping the financial services sector. Conversations focused on everything from tokenization and AI to digital banking, regulatory innovation, and the accelerating adoption of stablecoins.
A series of high-impact keynote discussions and fireside chats brought together some of the world’s most prominent fintech and financial market leaders. Among them were Brian Armstrong of Coinbase, Jeremy Allaire of Circle, Richard Teng of Binance, Jennifer Johnson of Franklin Templeton, Anthony Soohoo of MoneyGram, and Ambareen Musa of Revolut GCC, along with several other global innovators.
Across the day, these leaders unpacked the forces driving the next chapter of digital finance. Sessions explored the evolution of digital credit, the readiness of institutions to embrace digital assets, and the regulatory frameworks needed to support fintech at scale. A conversation with Richard Teng examined crypto market volatility and asked whether digital assets are finally progressing toward being trusted financial infrastructure.
Financial Technology Insights: Blockstream Capital Acquires Corbiere to Expand Strategies
Founders from Revolut, Capital.com, Erebor Group, and Lukka discussed how fintech innovators are navigating a new environment that demands both agility and transparency. They emphasized the importance of building with regulatory clarity, moving quickly, and maintaining customer trust as competition intensifies.
Senior banking executives from State Street, Al Hilal Bank, and Piraeus Group provided insight into how traditional financial institutions are modernizing—integrating AI, reengineering customer experience models, and preparing legacy systems for a digital-first future.
Meanwhile, early-stage investment leaders from FJ Labs and Standard Chartered Ventures offered a candid look at how they identify the next billion-dollar fintech startups. Their discussion covered emerging patterns in founder behavior, valuation discipline, and the increasing data sophistication behind “unicorn discovery.”
Financial Technology Insights: DTCC Gets SEC Approval to Tokenize U.S. Securities
Together, the discussions throughout the day painted a clear picture: Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a central force in shaping global finance—where innovation, regulation, and collaboration meet to build the future of the financial system.
To share your insights with the FinTech Newsroom, please write to us at info@intentamplify.com