Global finance is at the cusp of profound disruption: The advancement of blockchain technology and the rising popularity of cryptocurrency are transforming the future of money. Propelled by the pandemic’s digitizing influence on our lives, fintech innovations are rapidly reshaping the financial services industry. Changing consumer behavior coupled with pressures of inflation are generating more openness among civil society, as well as central banks, to the adoption of digital currency.

How will these snowballing effects revolutionize the world of finance, trade and investment? How will they redefine the very concept of money? And how might the Middle East region adapt to and advance the digitization of financial markets? 
This session will explore digital finance as an important tool in the region’s economic diversification. What are the big opportunities and possible hurdles as the UAE and the larger Arabian Gulf region appear to be pushing ahead with cryptocurrency and digital assets. What are the main strategies to capitalize on the potential value to investors, traders and stakeholders? How can policy makers, investors and industry leaders help position MENA’s digital payments market for the future of global finance?