Dubai FinTech Summit 2025 puts spotlight on Sri Lanka

During the Dubai FinTech Summit 2025, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority Chairman, Dubai Airports Chairman, and Emirates Airline and Group Chairman and Chief Executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum met with leading global finance executives including Kotak Mahindra Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ashok Vaswani, Ripple President Monica Long, Bolt President Justin Grooms. He was joined by key figures from Dubai’s financial sector: Dubai International Financial Centre Governor Essa Kazim, Emirates NBD Group Vice Chairman and Managing Director Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim, and DIFC Authority Chief Executive Officer Arif Amiri

The recently concluded Dubai FinTech Summit 2025, held on 12-13 May at Madinat Jumeirah under the patronage of Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, convened some of the world’s most disruptive minds in finance and technology. 

Hosted by the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and organised by Trescon, the summit attracted over 9,000 participants from more than 120 countries, including 1,000 investors, 300 speakers, and 200 exhibitors.

From real-time payments and digital identity to tokenisation and decentralised finance, the summit served as a global laboratory for cutting-edge innovations shaping the future of banking and finance. Attendees participated in over 20 workshops led by the DIFC Innovation Hub, heard visionary keynotes from central bankers and fintech founders, and witnessed major announcements such as the launch of Dubai Future Finance Week 2026 and the DIFC’s ‘1 Million Learners’ Initiative, aimed at equipping youth worldwide with digital finance skills.

Yet, among the blockchain trailblazers, digital asset pioneers, and neobank innovators, a compelling narrative from Sri Lanka stood out.

At the centre of this year’s summit was the FinTech World Cup (FWC) Grand Finale—a premier global startup competition spotlighting the most promising fintech ventures. A pivotal highlight was the emergence of Port City Colombo and the Fintech Association of Sri Lanka (FASL) as hosts of the FWC Regional Competition—a defining moment for the country’s rising fintech sector.

The regional finals, held on 23 April in the futuristic precinct of Port City Colombo—a next-generation financial and innovation hub envisioned as South Asia’s new offshore capital—featured four pioneering Sri Lankan startups: AnybanQ.lk, Yenasys, NanoSoft Global, and NextDrive.lk.

AnybanQ.lk represented Sri Lanka at the global finals in Dubai, drawing international attention to the country’s fintech potential. AnybanQ.lk’s participation was more than symbolic—it signalled Sri Lanka’s arrival on the global fintech stage. As the only Sri Lankan participant, the startup earned strong validation from industry leaders and investors, highlighting the country’s readiness to engage in international markets.

The FWC Regional Competition’s credibility was bolstered by an esteemed panel of judges spanning fintech policy, innovation, and ecosystem building. The panel included: Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN) Executive Director Pat Patel, World Alliance of International Financial Centres (WAIFC) Managing Director Jochen Biedermann, International Digital Economies Association iDEA Co-Founder Cristina Amor Maclang, Co-Founder and Deputy Secretary General Dr. Alexander Titov PhD, GFTN Japan Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Takeshi Kito, Hong Kong Fintech Industry Association (HKFIA) President Paul Li, FinStep Asia Founder and Managing Director Syed Musheer Ahmed, IBM Global Research Lead (formerly) Nicholas Drury, Global Fintech Institute Co-Founder Chia Hock Lai, and Fintech Galaxy Founder and CEO Mirna Sleiman.

Dubai’s ascent as a fintech hub is no accident. With forward-looking regulation, zero-tax zones, and world-class infrastructure, the city has strategically positioned itself as a launchpad for global fintech scale-ups. The DIFC’s continued backing of platforms like the FinTech World Cup underscores its commitment to bridging global talent, innovation, and capital.