GFF 2026 concludes with focus on AI-led fintech growth, secure digital payments and global adoption

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 11 (ANI): The next phase of fintech growth will depend on transforming advances in artificial intelligence, digital payments and emerging technologies into secure, scalable and inclusive financial solutions, industry leaders said at the conclusion of the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026 in Mumbai.

The four-day event highlighted technologies expected to shape the future of financial services, with discussions centred around trusted AI, secure payment ecosystems, cybersecurity and the global expansion of India’s digital finance capabilities.

During the inaugural session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the fintech sector to convert technological possibilities into real-world impact while stressing the need for cybersecurity, ethical data protection and consumer safeguards. He also emphasised taking India’s digital payment infrastructure, including UPI, to global markets.

Echoing the focus on global expansion of digital payments, Sanjiv Patankar, Head - Fintech Product Unit, Comviva, said that taking UPI global reflects a broader shift in how payment infrastructure is being developed and scaled.

"Interoperable digital payment platforms can reduce friction, improve access and bring more people and businesses into the formal financial system, especially across emerging markets," Patankar said.

He added that the next phase of fintech innovation would require greater intelligence and automation across payment systems, including real-time intelligence, smarter transaction orchestration, agentic AI-driven decision-making and personalised financial services.

At GFF 2026, Gnani.ai announced the expansion of its Artha Sovereign AI platform for BFSI enterprises, offering more than 200 pre-built workflows across areas including underwriting, reconciliation, lending, risk management, payments and compliance.

Ganesh Gopalan, Co-founder and CEO, Gnani.ai, said the next opportunity for AI lies in bringing intelligence into the workflows that run financial institutions, beyond customer interaction applications.

Security also remained a key theme as financial systems become increasingly intelligent and interconnected. Romain Zanolo, Senior Vice President - Payment Services, APAC & India, IDEMIA Secure Transactions, said the convergence of Agentic AI, tokenisation and quantum technologies underlined the need for stronger security frameworks.

"As financial systems get smarter and more connected, security has to keep pace," Zanolo said, adding that the industry must build crypto-agility into systems to ensure a smooth transition for users.

As GFF 2026 concluded, discussions across the fintech ecosystem moved beyond the potential of emerging technologies towards their responsible, secure and scalable deployment, with India’s digital payment ecosystem increasingly positioned for global adoption. (ANI)

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