Image courtesy: Tahaluf
Money20/20 Middle East began today at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre in Malham, marking a major step in the kingdom’s ambition to cement its role as a global fintech hub under Vision 2030. The event will run until September 17.
The event follows the success of 24 Fintech in September 2024, which drew 37,000 attendees, 300 exhibitors, and more than 350 investors. The new edition is nearly double in scale, with over 450 brands, 600 investors, and upwards of 45,000 participants.
Anchored by the theme “Where Money Does Business”, the three-day conference features a high-profile speaker line-up including US CFTC acting chair Caroline D Pham; Ant International president Douglas Feagin; Standard Chartered’s chief data officer Dr Mohammed Rahim; and SWIFT chief innovation officer Tom Zschach.
Sessions across seven stages will cover AI in finance, embedded finance, regulatory harmonisation, and inclusive innovation.
Highlights include Venturescape, a pre-event platform for venture capital deal-making, and the MoneySurge20/20 Pitch Competition, offering $400,000 in equity-free funding for startups.
What participants and attendees have to say about Money20/20
For many, Money20/20 is more than just another fintech gathering. Participants describe it as a rare forum where global players and regional leaders meet on equal footing. Founders view it as a chance to secure capital and partnerships, while banks and regulators see an opportunity to shape the future of finance at a time when policy and innovation are converging in the kingdom and wider Gulf.
We spoke to several attendees, including speakers, about the importance of the event and the opportunities it creates. Their perspectives highlight the different forces shaping the fintech ecosystem — from capital structures and regulation to inclusivity and savings culture — and why Riyadh has become the stage for these conversations. Here are excerpts from discussions.
Armineh Baghoomian, MD and head of EMEA, and co-head of Global Fintech at Partners for Growth, said: “At Money20/20 Middle East, the conversation around funding choices for fintechs is more critical than ever. In markets like Saudi Arabia, equity can be overly dilutive, and commercial banks often lack the flexibility to finance fast-evolving businesses effectively. Growth debt fills that gap, providing a flexible, founder-friendly alternative that enables companies to scale strategically into new markets, invest in talent, or accelerate product development, without giving away too much ownership too soon. At Partners for Growth, we’ve pioneered growth debt globally for over two decades and are proud to bring that expertise to the GCC. In Saudi Arabia, Vision 2030 and the Financial Sector Development Program are fueling fintech innovation at pace, and debt is an essential part of the funding landscape. Partners for Growth was one of the first to introduce structured facilities for fintech in the region, including Sharia-compliant structures, and we have already committed close to $400m to support innovative companies across the GCC.
“I look forward to speaking on the ‘Capital Crossroads: When Should Fintechs Choose Equity, Debt or Credit’ panel to dig into the funding choices fintech founders face. The right capital structure can be the difference between incremental progress and transformative growth, and growth debt is increasingly at the heart of that decision.”
Hisham Al-Falih, co-founder and CEO of Lean Technologies, said: “Money20/20 comes at a time when fintech in the Middle East is moving from the sidelines to the very centre of economic transformation. In Saudi Arabia, the support of Vision 2030 and forward-thinking regulators has created the conditions for this shift, where real-time payments, open financial access, and data-driven innovation are becoming the foundations of a modern economy.
“At Lean, we are building the infrastructure behind this change. It’s what allows the likes of Tabby to extend credit to thousands of consumers traditional lenders overlooked, and what will soon enable freelancers, long excluded from traditional banking, to access the capital they need to grow. Together, these developments signal a financial system being rebuilt for the realities of a digital, inclusive economy, and this is only the beginning of what’s possible for the next generation of financial innovation across MENA.”
Hasan Haider, managing partner, +VC, said: “Money 20/20 is a reminder of how fast fintech is evolving and how much momentum is flowing into the GCC, supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the Financial Sector Development Program. The conversations around open banking, embedded finance, AI, and regulation speak directly to the realities early-stage founders face. Open banking is unlocking new competition, embedded finance is reshaping customer journeys, AI is moving from hype to practical tools, and regulators are accelerating frameworks for growth. These shifts create opportunity, but for founders, raising capital at this stage remains one of the biggest pain points. Too often it is slow, complex, and lacking in meaningful support.
“At +VC, we exist to change that. We invest early, with transparent terms and rapid decisions, and then partner deeply with founders through mentorship, community, and capital access. This approach has already supported fintech innovators such as Capifly in Saudi Arabia with Sharia-compliant venture finance, Holo in the UAE digitising mortgages, and Mantas building parametric insurance for cloud outages. Our vision is clear: to be the partner of choice for high-growth founders who can execute in these fast-moving spaces. Saudi fintech is just beginning, and we are committed to helping build its category-defining companies.”
Naif AbuSaida, founder of Hakbah, shared, “The Middle East’s fintech sector is poised for significant innovation and growth, as the region strengthens its position as a global financial services hub. In H1 2025 alone, fintech funding tripled YoY to $596m, representing 39 per cent of total capital secured across MENA. Capitalising on this momentum, Money20/20 Middle East is showcasing what the next decade of fintech in the Middle East looks like; the positive impact of public-private partnerships and collaboration; and how innovation in financial services is poised to drive economic growth on a global scale and further contribute to the region’s economic diversification.
“We are delighted to be speaking at the event to illustrate the transformative impact of AI and technology on the region’s savings industry. With more than 1.3 million registered users – 70 per cent of whom are under the age of 30 – there is clear evidence of strong demand for digital solutions that help to transform people’s savings habits. This momentum is helping to build, enable, and empower a new, fully inclusive savings culture in Saudi Arabia, in line with the National Household Savings and Financial Literacy strategy.”
