Arab Fintech Forum concludes successfully with great feedback

The first edition of the Arab Fintech Forum 2021 has concluded successfully with great feedback from participants, speakers, partners and sponsors.The event was organised by Mangusteen, the leading conferences and event’s organiser, under the sponsorship of major international and regional companies such as VISA, HyperPay and Equiti, and in partnership with many supporting partners, led by the Qatar Fintech Hub, in addition to the media sponsorship by Al-Raya and Gulf Times.“The numbers are quite staggering both in terms of the challenge and the size of the potential reward. Around the world there are 2bn unbanked individuals without access to formal financial services," said Malik Shishtawi, president of the forum.There are as many as 200mn micro, small and mid-size businesses in growth markets that lack access to savings and credit, while those that do have access often pay high fees for a limited range of products. Fintech can help in expanding access to finance and equalise the opportunities."We support modern technology and the Qatari financial sector and encourage events that support a sustainable economy. Our engagement comes in line with supporting Qatar's vision to build a modern platform for a new thinking," said Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka, Editor-in-Chief of Gulf Times.Around 20 speakers from across the globe shared their knowledge and insights with around 150 participants from the financial and technical domains.With the event generating great interest from public and private sectors, it is expected to be the foundation for more series of meetings and forums to push the development wheel of the fintech industry on a local and regional level.The event saw interactive discussions around specific areas under various panels such as 'The Pandemic Impact on Fintech Industry', 'Shaping the Future of Fintech Sector in Qatar', 'Fintech Startups: Challenges and Success Stories', 'Global Fintech Insights' and other important topics.In today’s world, the demand for innovative and secure digital commerce solutions has accelerated, requiring fintechs to evolve and grow faster than ever due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, said the organisers.Working alongside startups, financial companies and leading payments technology companies such as sponsors and partners would ensure that the challenges can be addressed and new solutions could be innovated to drive the financial inclusion across the Gulf Co-operation Council region.