These combined events provide a structured environment for cross-sectoral insight exchange and practical engagement in shaping future opportunities. By bringing these discussions together within one coordinated week, Dubai Future Finance Week solidifies the emirate's position as a unified platform connecting topics often discussed in isolation, enabling participants to explore the interconnection between developments across various domains and engage with priorities that transcend traditional industry boundaries. This enhances Dubai's role in leading the global dialogue on the future of financial services. "Dubai's vision is to contribute to shaping the future of the global economy, and the launch of Dubai Future Finance Week is a natural extension of this ambitious vision," said Isa Kazim, Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). "It highlights the emirate's role as a catalyst for ideas, collaboration, and foresight growth in international markets, and affirms our determination here at DIFC to contribute to setting the pace of global financial and economic progress." This week will strengthen this position by enabling effective participation in finance, technology, regulation, and investment-related areas, supporting the goals of Dubai's Economic Agenda D33. "Dubai Future Finance Week reflects our commitment to providing forums that enable the global financial community to exchange ideas, keep pace with change, and explore new opportunities," said Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC. "As the region's leading international financial centre, we are uniquely positioned to provide a single, focused platform for top decision-makers to interact on the most critical issues and topics." These additions build on the ongoing momentum of the summit and its key role in the regional financial innovation landscape, supported by DIFC's continued growth as a global hub for financial innovation. The week will feature specialized platforms to examine the systems and standards that form the foundation of the future of financial services, including the 'Seamless Middle East 2026' forum, which will discuss digital commerce, payments, and financial infrastructure, alongside the 'Reg 3' forum, which brings regulators, policymakers, and market participants together to explore supervisory innovation and the evolution of cross-border regulatory frameworks. In parallel, the 'Islamic Finance Forum' will spotlight developments in Sharia-compliant markets, reflecting Dubai's established standing as a global hub for Islamic finance. Additional platforms within the programme will provide a comprehensive view of sector performance, emerging economic models, and startup activity across the region. As global markets evolve, Dubai continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the financial sector by providing an integrated, internationally connected ecosystem that vital sector leaders rely on. The cornerstone of the programme is the Dubai FinTech Summit, returning to Jumeirah with an expanded agenda aimed at fostering international cooperation and extending growth horizons within the global financial innovation sector. The summit attracts over 10,000 participants from more than 150 countries, alongside over 1,000 investors, more than 300 regional and international speakers, and over 250 sponsors representing more than 25 specialized sectors. The 2026 edition will see the launch of a dedicated investor zone and a strategic deals centre, alongside new pavilions for participating countries to strengthen cross-border partnerships, and curated content streams addressing emerging trends in digital finance, AI-based technologies, and regulatory innovation. Collectively, these forums form a basis for addressing how to ensure the interconnectivity, efficiency, and future-readiness of global financial systems. A series of high-level meetings will also focus on long-term capital allocation and sustainable economic growth. Key events include the Banking Excellence Awards for the Middle East and North Africa region, which honour transformation in the banking sector; the Solana Economic Zone, which offers insights into decentralised technologies and digital economic models; the International Private Equity and Capital Markets Association (IPEM) conference meeting in Dubai, which brings together private market leaders to assess capital flows and investment trends; and the annual meeting of the Dubai Future Fund, which spotlights developments in the emirate's startup and innovation ecosystem. The programme represents the largest and most comprehensive gathering of financial and future-focused events in the region, providing institutions, innovators, and policymakers with a single platform to interact on shared priorities, explore new areas of opportunity, and contribute to the sector's long-term development. Institutions and partners wishing to participate in or contribute to Dubai Future Finance Week can register at www.dubaifuturefinanceweek.com. Amidst rapidly accelerating structural shifts in global financial markets, the inaugural Dubai Future Finance Week will be held from 11-15 May 2026, hosting an elite gathering of international leaders from across finance, business, politics, technology, and investment, under a comprehensive business agenda of high-level seminars and forums to be held at various locations across the emirate. The event is organised under the direction and patronage of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktouem, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, and Chairman of the Dubai International Financial Centre, embodying Dubai's pioneering role as a global platform for dialogue on the forces and trends reshaping capital markets, fostering innovation, supporting sustainability, and reinforcing governance principles. On this occasion, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktouem affirmed that the event's organisation stems from Dubai's desire to play a tangible role in building a smart and sustainable global economy, and that the objective of the dialogue bringing together this elite of influential financial services leaders, thought leaders, and innovators in Dubai is to achieve greater convergence and unify efforts to overcome common global challenges and open up to a prosperous future for the global financial sector. His Highness noted the value and impact of the event in opening new avenues for cooperation, driving innovation, exchanging constructive ideas and insights, and stimulating active participation to enable markets to achieve greater growth and prosperity, as well as supporting this global gathering's alignment with the goals of Dubai's Economic Agenda D33, particularly on making Dubai one of the top four global financial centres and building a smart, diversified economy that meets future requirements. The launch of Dubai Future Finance Week represents a comprehensive platform led by the Dubai International Financial Centre, bringing together many of the sector's main forums to unify the leading forums and events under an interconnected programme carrying the theme 'Rethinking Finance: Where Innovation Meets Policy and Purpose'. The Dubai FinTech Summit, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktouem, is the flagship and most impactful event within the week's agenda under the theme 'Connecting Markets… Enabling Economic Transformation', its presence fuelling the week's momentum as it gathers a global elite of leaders and affirms Dubai's status as a decisive force in shaping the future of the financial sector. Over five days, various locations across Dubai will host in-depth strategic dialogues covering key aspects of the modern financial sector – from capital markets and private wealth to institutional investments, digital assets, and sustainability-driven finance. Each event within the programme will explore a specific facet of financial services transformation, allowing participants to interact directly with international institutions, industry leaders, and policymakers through a series of integrated forums. The DIFC Family Office Forum will explore the priorities of family-owned enterprises and the growing role of private markets, while the 'Future of Sustainability Forum' will examine the increasing importance of sustainability-based finance and climate-aligned investment.
