Shannon Bellringer
As open finance gains momentum across the Middle East and North Africa, 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for the region. The MENA fintech ecosystem is experiencing unprecedented growth, with open banking UAE leading adoption and Saudi Vision 2030 driving massive investment in financial services innovation. From Saudi Arabia’s ambitious financial sector transformation to Kuwait’s recent open banking framework announcement and Egypt’s digital banking revolution, MENA is rapidly becoming a global hub for open banking innovation.
Whether you’re a bank looking to meet regulatory requirements, a regulator shaping the future of open finance, or a fintech partner exploring new opportunities, being at the right event means access to the expertise, connections, and insights that matter.
Not sure which fintech events in the Middle East should be on your radar? We’ve done the legwork and identified the 10 must-attend open banking and fintech events across the MENA region in 2026:
Web Summit is bringing its renowned global tech and innovation event to the Middle East for the first time. Doha Web Summit brings together over 15,000 attendees from the global tech community, including financial services leaders, fintech founders, and policymakers shaping the region’s digital transformation. With Qatar’s push for a diversified digital economy, this event offers a unique opportunity to see how open banking and fintech fit into the broader technology landscape. Explore Doha Web Summit event.
Bahrain has positioned itself as the fintech hub of the Gulf, and this summit focuses on the regulatory frameworks, technologies, and partnerships driving financial innovation across the GCC region. Expect discussions on open banking implementation, digital payment systems, and how regulatory sandboxes are accelerating fintech adoption in MENA markets. Explore Fintech Revolution Summit event.
Jordan’s fintech sector has been growing rapidly, supported by progressive regulation and a vibrant startup ecosystem. This summit brings together banks, regulators, and fintech companies to discuss the practical challenges and opportunities of open banking implementation in emerging markets. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn from regional case studies and meet partners working across multiple MENA jurisdictions. Explore Fintech Summit Middle East event.
Dubai has established itself as the financial capital of the Middle East, and its Fintech Summit reflects that ambition. As the region’s leading financial services hub, the Dubai Fintech Summit covers the full spectrum of financial technology, from open banking APIs and embedded finance to digital currencies and blockchain. With the UAE’s adoption of open banking standards and its focus on becoming a global fintech leader, this summit is essential for anyone serious about open banking UAE and the broader MENA fintech ecosystem. Explore Dubai Fintech Summit event.
Seamless North Africa brings together the payments, fintech, banking, e-commerce, and retail sectors to discuss how open banking and digital finance can drive financial inclusion Africa. With Egypt’s Central Bank actively working on open banking Egypt frameworks, this event offers crucial insights into North African markets and the unique opportunities for digital banking transformation across the continent. Explore Seamless North Africa event.
Money 20/20 is the world’s largest fintech event, and its Middle East edition reflects the region’s growing importance in global finance. With Saudi Vision 2030 driving massive investment in financial services transformation and fintech Saudi Arabia becoming a strategic priority, this three-day event brings together the biggest names in banking, payments, and fintech across the GCC. Expect high-level discussions on open banking regulation, cross-border payments, and the future of financial services in the Kingdom. Explore Money 20/20 Middle East event.
Hosted by Bahrain’s Central Bank and the Bahrain FinTech Bay, Fintech Forward is one of the region’s most important regulatory and industry gatherings. The event focuses on how regulators and financial institutions can work together to build sustainable open banking ecosystems across the GCC and wider MENA region. With senior representation from central banks across the Gulf and beyond, this is the place to understand regulatory thinking and influence policy development. Explore Fintech Forward event.
The Connected Banking Summit focuses on digital transformation in banking, with a strong emphasis on open banking, API strategies, and customer experience innovation. Saudi Arabia’s banking sector is undergoing rapid modernisation driven by Vision 2030, and this summit addresses the practical challenges banks face when implementing open banking technology. Keep an eye out for confirmed dates and speakers as they’re announced. Explore Connected Banking Summit event.
Presented by Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), ADFW features multiple specialised tracks including Fintech Abu Dhabi, now in its 9th edition and the region’s largest fintech festival. With Abu Dhabi positioning itself as a global financial centre and open finance hub, ADFW offers unmatched access to regulators, institutional investors, global banks, and fintech leaders shaping the future of digital finance across the Gulf and beyond. This is where strategic partnerships are forged and the region’s financial innovation agenda is set. Explore Abu Dhabi Finance Week.
GITEX has evolved beyond traditional tech to become a critical platform for open banking, embedded finance, AI-powered financial services, and digital payments innovation. For fintech companies and banks looking to connect with the region’s most ambitious tech ecosystem, explore partnerships with global players, and understand how emerging technologies are reshaping financial services, GITEX Global is unmissable. Explore GITEX Global.
The MENA region is moving quickly on open banking and open finance. From open banking UAE and Saudi Arabia to digital banking transformation in Egypt, countries across the region are at different stages of developing their frameworks, creating opportunities for banks, technology providers, and regulators to learn from each other and build cross-border solutions.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan are all developing their open banking Middle East strategies, with the GCC leading in regulatory innovation and financial services transformation. These fintech events in the Middle East offer more than just networking — they’re where partnerships are formed, regulations are shaped, and the future of financial services in one of the world’s fastest-growing regions is being built.
We’ll see you there.
Want to learn more about open banking implementation in the Middle East? Get in touch with our team to discuss how Ozone API can support your open banking journey.
If you've ever tried to explain how open banking works in Brazil to a regulator in Saudi Arabia, or map UK Open Banking terminology to Australia's CDR framework, you know the problem: every market speaks a different language. So we built a solution: a visual map of the global open finance ecosystem that captures participants, roles, regulations, and standards across six continents in one accessible reference tool.
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