Another busy month at the GFTN house. During a normally quiet time in most parts of the world, we've been diligently working away on a number of game-changers for our business and the industry. The markets seem to be bouncing back, which bodes well for the final quarter of the year.
This month, we have been given the honour of confirming three new superstars who have joined our International Advisory Board (IAB) – Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA), as Chair of the IAB, with Mr Agustín Carstens and Mr Sanjiv Bajaj joining as IAB members. Their visionary leadership, breadth of experience and steadfast commitment to advancing financial innovation and inclusion will be invaluable for GFTN as we build bridges across policy, technology, and finance to foster a more purposeful financial ecosystem worldwide.
We recently announced two new projects which will expand our partnerships with the National Bank of Georgia and Bank of Thailand respectively. The Tbilisi Finance Summit, in collaboration with the National Bank of Georgia and Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, will be co-located with the prestigious Silk Road Forum, focusing on exploring new capital corridors, cross-border transactions, and digital innovations. The Bangkok Digital Finance Conference, organised in collaboration with the Bank of Thailand, will focus on fostering a stable, sustainable, and inclusive macroeconomic and financial environment.
We're also launching an exciting new award, the Global Impact Champions Awards. This year's theme focuses on Financial Health, and we are proud to share that the awards are supported by the UNSGSA office as a thematic partner. Learn more below, and I’d encourage you to participate or spread the word to organisations you believe would be a great fit.
Opportunities, Challenges in Open Banking and Open Finance in APAC
This report is based on findings by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI). It covers how open banking and open finance is evolving across 14 APAC jurisdictions. Read the report.
State of Fintech Investments 2025 to Date
Singapore reported a total of US$599 million in fintech investments from 49 disclosed deals in 1H 2025, a decline of 42% year-on-year. Investments in China, Hong Kong, and Indonesia also faced reductions of 39%, 35%, and 79% respectively. In contrast, investments in major markets like the US, UK, and India saw an increase of 85%, 2%, and 25% respectively, over the same period. Read the report.
According to the United Nations Secretary General's Special Advocate, "Financial health or wellbeing is the extent to which a person or family can smoothly manage their current financial obligations and have confidence in their financial future." To spark the world's collective imagination and drive the mindset of achieving positive impact through technology and action, GFTN is launching the Global Impact Champions Awards with Financial Health as the theme for 2025. Apply here.
India-Singapore UPI-PayNow link is live
Remittances and retail payments between Singapore and India can now be made seamlessly, marking a milestone in global payments. The project, which was first announced in February 2022, has come to fruition with a complete infrastructure and is now onboarding more merchants. Read more.
Chart your course
Stay ahead of the curve through education
Blockchain Guardians Programme 2025 kicks off
Thank you to the 30 mentors and 30 participants who have been successfully onboarded to the Blockchain Guardians Programme this year. We look forward to your active participation and will see you at the upcoming event on 6 August. If you didn't make this year's selection, it's not too early to register your interest for the 2026 edition! Sign up here.
Keep these dates on your radar
Join the conversations shaping the future of finance
Coming up next is the Global SME Finance Forum, happening between 15-17 September, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The three-day event focusses on building SME resilience through discussions on global policy frameworks, private sector innovation, Africa's digital transformation, and breakthrough technology solutions including AI and stablecoins tackling real business challenges. Get the full agenda.
And if you haven't gotten your Singapore FinTech Festival Pass, here's your final chance to get the Delegate Pass at SGD 750, ending 31 July, 23:59 (GMT +8).Get it here.
The series of Forums continue throughout 2025 as follows: Global SME Finance Forum, 15 - 17 September | Johannesburg, South Africa
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