GFTN Select - Gulf Series Agenda

8 October 2025 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Curated industry dialogue where leaders converge to shape financial innovation 

 


Global Network


Global Knowledge Centre


Access to Digital Tools


Investment in FinTech

Agenda

Knowledge Partner

GFTN Select - Gulf Series. Knowledge Partner: Arthur D Little
Time Details
9:00 - 10:00am

Welcome Breakfast Reception and Registration
Brought to you by: Binance 

10:00 - 11:30am

Roundtable 1 - Digital Asset Ecosystem: The Gulf's Strategic Advantage

The Middle East has emerged as a dynamic epicentre for digital assets, from tokenized securities and stablecoins to sovereign digital currencies. While jurisdictions like the UAE craft bespoke regulatory frameworks that have successfully attracted global asset managers and exchanges, the region faces the critical challenge of building investor trust, ensuring compliance with international standards, and establishing institutional-grade custody infrastructure.

This strategic dialogue will focus on how the Gulf can leverage its regulatory agility and deep capital markets to build a digital asset ecosystem with privacy, interoperability, and sophisticated risk management at its core.

10:00 - 11:30am

Roundtable 2: Legacy & Innovation: Gulf Family Offices Reimagining Wealth

Family offices across the Gulf, stewards of generational wealth and cultural heritage, are increasingly integrating digital assets, impact investment strategies, and alternative investments into their sophisticated portfolios. As traditional wealth management converges with digital innovation, these influential capital allocators are navigating market volatility, succession planning, and alignment with both regional values and global ESG priorities.

This exclusive conversation will highlight how Gulf family offices are pioneering new investment approaches, explore the unique challenges of wealth preservation in a rapidly evolving financial landscape, and address how public-private partnerships can support education, governance, and innovation.

11:30 - 12:00pm

Coffee Break 
Powered by: Axelar Foundation & Nucleus Software

12:00 - 1:30pm

Roundtable 3 - Beyond Boundaries: TradFi and DeFi Collaboration in the Gulf 

The Gulf region is witnessing a strategic metamorphosis as established financial institutions experiment with decentralised protocols and tokenization models. Sovereign wealth funds, commercial banks, and fintech innovators are pioneering blockchain-enabled settlement systems, real-world asset tokenization, and programmable finance, while regulators craft frameworks that balance innovation with stability.

This dialogue will explore how hybrid financial models are evolving within the unique regulatory sandboxes of ADGM and DIFC, examine successful case studies of traditional-decentralized collaboration, and identify pathways for harmonization between public policy and industry-led innovation in the Middle East's distinctive financial landscape.

12:00 - 1:30pm

Roundtable 4 - AI Oasis: Building the Gulf's Intelligent Financial Future

Artificial intelligence stands at the heart of the next financial paradigm in the Middle East, powering sophisticated real-time analytics, algorithmic trading, compliance automation, and fraud detection systems tailored to the region's unique needs. For Gulf regulators, AI presents both an opportunity to supervise increasingly complex financial ecosystems and a challenge to ensure ethical standards, data sovereignty, and algorithmic transparency.

This forward-looking session brings together regulators, technology providers, and financial leaders to explore how AI is enabling Middle Eastern markets to leapfrog legacy systems, build resilient infrastructure, and create inclusive financial services that reflect the region's distinctive demographic and economic characteristics.

1:30 - 3:00pm

Networking Lunch 
Powered by ByBit & Digit9

9:00 - 10:00am

Welcome Breakfast Reception and Registration
Brought to you by: Binance 

10:00 - 11:30am

Roundtable 1 - Digital Asset Ecosystem: The Gulf's Strategic Advantage

The Middle East has emerged as a dynamic epicentre for digital assets, from tokenized securities and stablecoins to sovereign digital currencies. While jurisdictions like the UAE craft bespoke regulatory frameworks that have successfully attracted global asset managers and exchanges, the region faces the critical challenge of building investor trust, ensuring compliance with international standards, and establishing institutional-grade custody infrastructure.

This strategic dialogue will focus on how the Gulf can leverage its regulatory agility and deep capital markets to build a digital asset ecosystem with privacy, interoperability, and sophisticated risk management at its core.

10:00 - 11:30am

Roundtable 2: Legacy & Innovation: Gulf Family Offices Reimagining Wealth

Family offices across the Gulf, stewards of generational wealth and cultural heritage, are increasingly integrating digital assets, impact investment strategies, and alternative investments into their sophisticated portfolios. As traditional wealth management converges with digital innovation, these influential capital allocators are navigating market volatility, succession planning, and alignment with both regional values and global ESG priorities.

This exclusive conversation will highlight how Gulf family offices are pioneering new investment approaches, explore the unique challenges of wealth preservation in a rapidly evolving financial landscape, and address how public-private partnerships can support education, governance, and innovation.

11:30 - 12:00pm

Coffee Break 
Powered by: Axelar Foundation & Nucleus Software

12:00 - 1:30pm

Roundtable 3 - Beyond Boundaries: TradFi and DeFi Collaboration in the Gulf 

The Gulf region is witnessing a strategic metamorphosis as established financial institutions experiment with decentralised protocols and tokenization models. Sovereign wealth funds, commercial banks, and fintech innovators are pioneering blockchain-enabled settlement systems, real-world asset tokenization, and programmable finance, while regulators craft frameworks that balance innovation with stability.

This dialogue will explore how hybrid financial models are evolving within the unique regulatory sandboxes of ADGM and DIFC, examine successful case studies of traditional-decentralized collaboration, and identify pathways for harmonization between public policy and industry-led innovation in the Middle East's distinctive financial landscape.

12:00 - 1:30pm

Roundtable 4 - AI Oasis: Building the Gulf's Intelligent Financial Future

Artificial intelligence stands at the heart of the next financial paradigm in the Middle East, powering sophisticated real-time analytics, algorithmic trading, compliance automation, and fraud detection systems tailored to the region's unique needs. For Gulf regulators, AI presents both an opportunity to supervise increasingly complex financial ecosystems and a challenge to ensure ethical standards, data sovereignty, and algorithmic transparency.

This forward-looking session brings together regulators, technology providers, and financial leaders to explore how AI is enabling Middle Eastern markets to leapfrog legacy systems, build resilient infrastructure, and create inclusive financial services that reflect the region's distinctive demographic and economic characteristics.

1:30 - 3:00pm

Networking Lunch 
Powered by ByBit & Digit9

Agenda
GFTN Select - Gulf Series. Digital Asset Ecosystem: The Gulf's Strategic Advantage

Roundtable 1
Digital Asset Ecosystem: The Gulf's Strategic Advantage

The Middle East has emerged as a dynamic epicentre for digital assets, from tokenized securities and stablecoins to sovereign digital currencies. While jurisdictions like the UAE craft bespoke regulatory frameworks that have successfully attracted global asset managers and exchanges, the region faces the critical challenge of building investor trust, ensuring compliance with international standards, and establishing institutional-grade custody infrastructure.

This strategic dialogue will focus on how the Gulf can leverage its regulatory agility and deep capital markets to build a digital asset ecosystem with privacy, interoperability, and sophisticated risk management at its core.

GFTN Select - Gulf Series. Legacy & Innovation: Gulf Family Offices Reimagining Wealth

Roundtable 2
Legacy & Innovation: Gulf Family Offices Reimagining Wealth

Family offices across the Gulf, stewards of generational wealth and cultural heritage, are increasingly integrating digital assets, impact investment strategies, and alternative investments into their sophisticated portfolios. As traditional wealth management converges with digital innovation, these influential capital allocators are navigating market volatility, succession planning, and alignment with both regional values and global ESG priorities.

This exclusive conversation will highlight how Gulf family offices are pioneering new investment approaches, explore the unique challenges of wealth preservation in a rapidly evolving financial landscape, and address how public-private partnerships can support education, governance, and innovation.

GFTN Select - Gulf Series. Beyond Boundaries: TradFi and DeFi Collaboration in the Gulf

Roundtable 3
Beyond Boundaries: TradFi and DeFi Collaboration in the Gulf

The Gulf region is witnessing a strategic metamorphosis as established financial institutions experiment with decentralised protocols and tokenization models. Sovereign wealth funds, commercial banks, and fintech innovators are pioneering blockchain-enabled settlement systems, real-world asset tokenization, and programmable finance, while regulators craft frameworks that balance innovation with stability.

This dialogue will explore how hybrid financial models are evolving within the unique regulatory sandboxes of ADGM and DIFC, examine successful case studies of traditional-decentralized collaboration, and identify pathways for harmonization between public policy and industry-led innovation in the Middle East's distinctive financial landscape.

GFTN Select - Gulf Series. AI Oasis: Building the Gulf's Intelligent Financial Future

Roundtable 4
AI Oasis: Building the Gulf's Intelligent Financial Future

Artificial intelligence stands at the heart of the next financial paradigm in the Middle East, powering sophisticated real-time analytics, algorithmic trading, compliance automation, and fraud detection systems tailored to the region's unique needs. For Gulf regulators, AI presents both an opportunity to supervise increasingly complex financial ecosystems and a challenge to ensure ethical standards, data sovereignty, and algorithmic transparency.

This forward-looking session brings together regulators, technology providers, and financial leaders to explore how AI is enabling Middle Eastern markets to leapfrog legacy systems, build resilient infrastructure, and create inclusive financial services that reflect the region's distinctive demographic and economic characteristics.

Video Insights from our most recent Forums

GFTN Advisory - FutureMatters  

An insider's perspective from practitioners, policymakers and industry players.

Join the community
 

Watch impact makers as they share their remarkable
journeys and inspire you with their experiences. 

Singapore FinTech Festival

The Singapore FinTech Festival is a global nexus where policy, finance, and technology communities converge. Designed to foster impactful connections and collaborations. SFF is a platform to explore the intersections of cutting-edge financial solutions, evolving regulatory landscapes, and the latest technological innovations. 

About GFTN

The Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN) is a not-for-profit organisation established by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in 2024 to harness technology and foster innovation for more efficient, resilient, and inclusive financial ecosystems through global partnerships. GFTN organises convening forums, offers advisory services on innovation ecosystems, provides access to transformative digital platforms, and invests in technology startups with the potential for growth and positive social impact through its venture fund.

Nasdaq_GFTN_937x546 (2)

GFTN Advisory - Education