Event guide · Mumbai · 8–11 September 2026

Global Fintech Fest 2026 (GFF 2026), Mumbai: dates, venue, theme and highlights

Global Fintech Fest 2026 was the 7th edition of GFF, held from 8 to 11 September 2026 at Jio World Centre and Trident BKC in Mumbai. Its theme was "Potential to Impact: Agentic AI | Tokenisation | Quantum". This guide explains what GFF is, who organises it and what happened at the 2026 edition.

Written by the HoloBox911 team, who were on the exhibition floor at GFF 2026 · Updated 27 September 2026

GFF 2026 at a glance

Dates8–11 September 2026VIP opening day on 8 September; open to everyone 9–11 September
VenueJio World Centre and Trident BKCBandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai
Edition7th editionHeld every year since 2020
OrganisersPCI, NPCI and FCCPayments Council of India, National Payments Corporation of India, Fintech Convergence Council
ThemePotential to ImpactAgentic AI | Tokenisation | Quantum
Participation80+ countriesAccording to the organisers
Expected scale100,000+ attendeesand 350+ exhibitors, as reported in the news before the event
Official websiteglobalfintechfest.comRegistration and exhibitor enquiries
Next editionGFF 2027Dates not announced yet

What is Global Fintech Fest?

Global Fintech Fest (GFF) is a yearly event for fintech and the wider financial services industry. Its organisers describe it as the world's largest annual gathering dedicated to fintech, with participation from more than 80 countries.

GFF brings together policymakers, regulators, central bankers, banks and other financial institutions, technology leaders, fintech founders, investors and academics.

The event began in 2020 as a virtual platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. It then moved to a hybrid format, and since 2023 it has been a fully in-person event in Mumbai.

What happens at GFF

The official programme includes:

  • Plenaries, keynotes and thematic tracks
  • A startup showcase, and product launches and demonstrations
  • Hackathons and innovation challenges
  • Investment pitch sessions and market access programmes
  • Reports, networking, and the Global Fintech Awards

GFF 2026 dates and schedule

GFF 2026 ran for four days, from Tuesday 8 September to Friday 11 September 2026.

DateWhat happened
Tuesday 8 September 2026VIP opening day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the fest, and the venue was open to VIPs only.
Wednesday 9 – Friday 11 September 2026Open to all registered attendees, with conference sessions and the exhibition on all three days.

Where is GFF held?

GFF 2026 was held at Jio World Centre and Trident BKC, in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai. The event used both venues. GFF has been held in person in Mumbai since 2023.

Who organises Global Fintech Fest?

GFF is organised by three bodies:

Payments Council of India (PCI)

Started in 2008, and converted into a council with its own governing board in 2013.

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)

Incorporated in 2008 as an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India. NPCI runs UPI.

Fintech Convergence Council (FCC)

Established in 2018 as an industry body representing fintech companies in India.

Supporting bodies

GFF 2026 was supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Department of Financial Services (Ministry of Finance), the NEST Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, NITI Aayog, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), SEBI, IFSCA and PFRDA.

The GFF 2026 theme explained

The full theme was "Potential to Impact: Agentic AI | Tokenisation | Quantum: Trusted, Connected, Global Systems for Inclusive Finance". In plain words, it asked how three new technologies can make financial systems faster, safer and open to more people.

Agentic AI

AI that can sense, decide and act in real time, within strong governance rules. In finance, it can run workflows end to end, support regulatory oversight and improve fraud prevention.

Tokenisation

Turning assets into programmable digital units. This makes fractional ownership, instant settlement and interoperable money possible.

Quantum

A basic shift in computing and security. For finance, it points to quantum-safe cryptography and advanced risk optimisation, which strengthen the resilience of the whole system.

Highlights of GFF 2026

The Prime Minister opened GFF 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Global Fintech Fest 2026 in Mumbai on 8 September. His main points were:

  • UPI now works in 11 countries, and that is only the beginning. The next goal is linking UPI with other countries' payment systems.
  • Linked payment systems can cut the cost for Indians sending money home from abroad.
  • India can now set its own rules and standards for fintech, instead of adopting other countries'.
  • Fintech should grow beyond payments, into credit, insurance, savings, investments and pensions.

New UPI features unveiled by the RBI Governor

On 10 September, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra unveiled two new UPI capabilities at GFF 2026:

  • UPI Tap & Pay — pay by unlocking an NFC-enabled smartphone and tapping it on an NFC-enabled point-of-sale terminal.
  • MyUPI — AI-powered customer support within UPI Help, meant to make UPI safer and easier to use. It runs on FiMI, a small language model built by NPCI.

India's fintech in numbers

The Government of India released these figures for GFF 2026, in a Press Information Bureau (PIB) factsheet dated 8 September 2026. The charts show the main trends; the full figures are in the table below them.

741
banks live on UPI
11
countries where UPI operates
~50%
of the world’s real-time digital transaction volume runs on UPI
~12,000×
growth in UPI transactions since 2016–17

UPI transactions per month

Crore transactions. Scale 0 to 2,500 crore.

July 20262,365.8 crore
August 20262,450.9 crore

Financial Inclusion Index

Index score out of 100.

March 201743.4
March 202670.0

Up 26.6 points in nine years.

Digital public infrastructure reach

Crore. Scale 0 to 150 crore.

Aadhaar enrolments (by March 2026)144+ crore
DigiLocker registered users73.53+ crore
Jan Dhan accounts (26 August 2026)59.15 crore
ONDC buyers (by June 2026)20+ crore

The full figures

MeasureFigure
UPI transactions, July 20262,365.8 crore transactions worth ₹29.88 lakh crore
UPI transactions, August 20262,450.9 crore (24,509 million)
Banks live on UPI741
Jan Dhan accounts opened, as of 26 August 202659.15 crore
Aadhaar enrolments, by March 2026More than 144 crore
Financial Inclusion Index43.4 in March 2017 → 70.0 in March 2026
DigiLocker73.53 crore+ registered users; 936.03 crore documents issued
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), cumulative, as of September 2026₹53.26 lakh crore
ONDC, by June 202620 crore+ buyers and 5 lakh sellers across 1,000+ cities

The factsheet describes UPI as recognised by the IMF as the world's largest real-time payment system.

Our work at the event

HoloBox911 at GFF 2026

At GFF 2026, a HoloBox911 stood on a BFSI technology booth. A life-size, interactive AI presenter introduced the exhibitor's low-code and AI products to visitors walking the floor. See the project →

Visitor facing a life-size AI presenter on a HoloBox911 at Global Fintech Fest 2026
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Visitors at a booth with a HoloBox911 AI presenter, Global Fintech Fest 2026
02
Visitors stopping at a HoloBox911 on the exhibition floor
03
Booth team welcoming visitors next to a HoloBox911
04
HoloBox911 AI presenter showing product information to visitors
05
1 / 5‹›

Who attends GFF?

GFF is built for everyone who shapes financial services: policymakers and regulators, central bankers, banks and financial institutions, technology leaders, fintech founders, investors, academics and thought leaders. Before the 2026 edition, the organisers expected more than 100,000 attendees and more than 350 exhibitors.

For a company, that mix is the value: regulators, potential buyers and investors are all at the same event.

Questions

Global Fintech Fest 2026: questions and answers

Answers to the questions people most often search for about Global Fintech Fest (GFF) and GFF 2026, in four groups. Select a question to read the answer.

Group 1 of 4 · 7 questionsAbout Global Fintech Fest

What is Global Fintech Fest (GFF)?

Global Fintech Fest (GFF) is an annual conference and exhibition for fintech and the wider financial services industry, held in Mumbai, India. Its organisers describe it as the world’s largest annual gathering dedicated to fintech, with participation from more than 80 countries, and the Government of India’s PIB factsheet calls it the world’s largest fintech festival. GFF brings policymakers, regulators, central bankers, banks, payment companies, technology leaders, fintech founders, investors and academics together in one place to discuss where digital finance is heading, launch new products and do business. The organisers sum up its purpose as collaboration over competition, policy dialogue over fragmentation, and innovation with responsibility.

What is the full form of GFF?

GFF stands for Global Fintech Fest. Each edition is named after its year, so the 2026 edition is written as GFF 2026 or Global Fintech Fest 2026, and the next one will be GFF 2027. ‘Fintech’ is short for financial technology: the use of software and digital systems to deliver payments, lending, insurance, investments and other financial services. GFF 2026 was the 7th edition of the fest. It is organised jointly by the Payments Council of India (PCI), the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Fintech Convergence Council (FCC).

Is Global Fintech Fest held every year?

Yes, GFF is held every year. It started in 2020 as a virtual platform during the COVID-19 pandemic, when large gatherings were not possible, and then moved to a hybrid format that mixed online and in-person participation. Since 2023 it has been a fully in-person event in Mumbai, and the organisers say it has grown significantly in scale, international participation and institutional engagement since then. The 2026 edition, held from 8 to 11 September, was the 7th. The official website, globalfintechfest.com, is where the dates of each new edition are announced.

Where is Global Fintech Fest held?

GFF is held in Mumbai, where it has been an in-person event since 2023. The 2026 edition used two venues in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC): Jio World Centre and Trident BKC. BKC is Mumbai’s main business district, so both venues are close to the offices of many of the banks, financial institutions and companies that take part. If you are planning to attend or exhibit at a future edition, check the official website for the confirmed venue and floor plan, as these are published with each year’s details.

Who organises Global Fintech Fest?

GFF is organised jointly by three bodies. The Payments Council of India (PCI), started in 2008, is a non-profit industry association for India’s digital payment providers, from payment networks and aggregators to prepaid instrument issuers and payments banks. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), also set up in 2008, is the umbrella organisation that operates India’s retail payment systems, including UPI, RuPay, IMPS, BHIM and Bharat BillPay. The Fintech Convergence Council (FCC), established in 2018, is an industry body representing more than 200 fintech companies across digital lending, wealth, insurance, RegTech and credit bureaus.

What happens at Global Fintech Fest?

GFF combines a conference, an exhibition and a business meeting place. The official 2026 programme included plenaries and keynotes, thematic tracks, a startup showcase, product launches and live demonstrations, hackathons and innovation challenges, investment pitch sessions, market access programmes, the release of industry reports, networking, and the Global Fintech Awards. Before the 2026 edition, news reports said around 450 sessions and 200 product launches were expected. For a visitor, that means hearing regulators and industry leaders, seeing new products first-hand and meeting potential partners, customers and investors, all in the same few days.

Who attends Global Fintech Fest?

GFF is built for everyone who shapes financial services: policymakers and regulators, central bankers, banks and other financial institutions, payment companies, technology leaders, fintech founders, investors, academics and thought leaders. Before the 2026 edition, news reports said more than 100,000 attendees were expected from around 8,000 institutions, along with 5,000 startups and 500 investors, with participation from more than 80 countries. For a company, this mix is the main value of GFF: regulators, potential buyers, partners and investors are all under one roof at the same time.

Group 2 of 4 · 7 questionsGFF 2026

When was Global Fintech Fest 2026?

GFF 2026 ran for four days, from Tuesday 8 September to Friday 11 September 2026, at Jio World Centre and Trident BKC in Mumbai. The first day, 8 September, was the VIP opening day, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the fest. From Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 September, the fest was open to all registered attendees, with conference sessions and the exhibition running on all three days. It was the 7th edition of Global Fintech Fest, and its theme was “Potential to Impact: Agentic AI | Tokenisation | Quantum”.

Was GFF 2026 open to everyone on all four days?

No. Tuesday 8 September 2026 was the VIP opening day: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the fest, and the venue was open to VIPs only. The fest was open to all registered attendees from Wednesday 9 to Friday 11 September, with conference sessions and the exhibition running on all three days. If you are planning a visit or a stand at a future edition, check the official schedule early, because an opening day with a VIP inauguration can change access, security and set-up times for everyone else.

Which edition of Global Fintech Fest was 2026?

GFF 2026 was the 7th edition of Global Fintech Fest. The fest started in 2020 as a virtual event during the pandemic, moved to a hybrid format, and has been held fully in person in Mumbai since 2023. The theme of the 7th edition was “Potential to Impact: Agentic AI | Tokenisation | Quantum: Trusted, Connected, Global Systems for Inclusive Finance”. Being an annual event, the next edition, GFF 2027, will be the 8th; its dates and venue have not been announced yet.

How big was GFF 2026?

Before the fest, news reports (EVENTFAQS and Elets BFSI) said more than 100,000 attendees were expected, along with around 8,000 participating institutions, 5,000 startups, 500 investors, 450 sessions, 350 exhibitors and 200 product launches. The organisers say GFF draws participation from more than 80 countries, and the Government of India’s PIB factsheet describes it as the world’s largest fintech festival. Keep in mind that these were the expected figures shared before the event, not final attendance numbers.

Who inaugurated Global Fintech Fest 2026?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated GFF 2026 in Mumbai on Tuesday 8 September 2026, the fest’s VIP opening day. In his inaugural address he spoke about taking UPI global, cutting the cost of sending money home for Indians abroad, India setting its own fintech standards, and fintech growing beyond payments. He also noted that 2026 marks ten years of UPI. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra was among the other senior speakers at the fest, and on 10 September he unveiled two new UPI features, UPI Tap & Pay and MyUPI.

What did PM Modi say at Global Fintech Fest 2026?

The Prime Minister said UPI now works in 11 countries and that this is only the beginning. The next goal, he said, is linking UPI with other countries’ payment systems, especially where India has strong trade links and a large Indian diaspora, and he pointed to the link with Singapore as a model. Linked systems can cut the cost for Indians sending money home from abroad. He said India can now set its own rules and standards for fintech instead of adopting other countries’, and that payments should not be the final destination: fintech should grow into credit, insurance, savings, investments and pensions. He also said UPI recorded more than 2,400 crore transactions in August 2026 alone.

Which government bodies supported GFF 2026?

According to the Government of India’s PIB factsheet, GFF 2026 was supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Department of Financial Services in the Ministry of Finance, the NEST Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, and NITI Aayog. India’s financial regulators were also supporting institutions: the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). Before the fest, news reports said around 120 regulators were expected to take part.

Group 3 of 4 · 8 questionsTheme and launches

What was the theme of GFF 2026?

The full theme was “Potential to Impact: Agentic AI | Tokenisation | Quantum: Trusted, Connected, Global Systems for Inclusive Finance”. In plain words, it asked how three new technologies can move from promise to real impact, making financial systems faster, safer and open to more people. Agentic AI is software that can act on its own within strict rules; tokenisation turns assets into programmable digital units; and quantum is the next shift in computing and security. The second half of the theme, trusted, connected and global systems for inclusive finance, describes the goal: technology that people can trust, that works across borders, and that reaches more people.

What is agentic AI in finance?

Agentic AI is artificial intelligence that can sense, decide and act in real time, rather than only answer questions. The Government of India’s PIB factsheet for GFF 2026 says it must work within strong governance frameworks. In finance, it can run workflows end to end, taking a process from start to finish without a person handling every step. It can also support regulatory oversight, strengthen fraud prevention and offer more personalised services to customers. The emphasis at GFF 2026 was on governance: AI that can act on its own needs clear rules and accountability, especially where money and customer data are involved.

What is tokenisation in finance?

Tokenisation means turning an asset, such as money, a bond or property, into a programmable digital unit, or token, that can be recorded and moved on a digital platform. The PIB factsheet for GFF 2026 says this enables fractional ownership, instant settlement and interoperable money. Fractional ownership means an expensive asset can be split into small pieces that more people can afford to own. Instant settlement means a trade is completed in moments rather than days. Interoperable money means value can move smoothly between different systems. Together, these can make financial markets faster and open to more people.

Why was quantum a GFF 2026 theme?

The PIB factsheet describes quantum as a foundational shift in computation and security. Quantum computers work in a very different way from today’s computers, and in future they could break some of the encryption that protects bank accounts, payments and financial data. That is why the financial sector is preparing quantum-safe cryptography: new methods of encryption designed to stay secure even against quantum computers. Quantum computing may also help with advanced risk optimisation, such as analysing complex portfolios. Both, the factsheet says, strengthen the resilience of the whole financial system.

What was launched at GFF 2026?

On 10 September 2026, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra unveiled two new UPI capabilities at GFF 2026. The first, UPI Tap & Pay, lets people pay by tapping an NFC-enabled smartphone on an NFC-enabled card machine, without needing mobile internet on the phone. The second, MyUPI, is an AI-powered help and support service within UPI, built on FiMI, a small language model developed by NPCI. Both are designed to make everyday UPI payments faster, safer and easier. Before the fest, news reports said around 200 product launches were expected across the event.

What is UPI Tap & Pay?

UPI Tap & Pay is a new way to make a UPI payment: you unlock an NFC-enabled smartphone and tap it on an NFC-enabled point-of-sale terminal, the card machine at a shop counter. It does not rely on the phone’s mobile internet, because the payment can go through using the terminal’s internet connection. Payments up to ₹5,000 can be made without entering a UPI PIN; for higher amounts, the PIN is entered on the terminal. It supports several account types, including RuPay credit cards on UPI. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra unveiled it at GFF 2026 on 10 September.

What is MyUPI?

MyUPI, also described as UPI Help 2.0, is an AI-powered help and support service for UPI users, unveiled at GFF 2026 by the RBI Governor. It runs on FiMI, a small language model built by NPCI. It gives users a single view of their UPI transactions and AutoPay mandates across banks, and includes a Safety Switch to decline transactions if they suspect their account is compromised, an option to delink a UPI number, information about the person being paid, automated chargeback processing and transaction replay. It is planned to offer 24x7 multilingual support through a simple self-service interface.

How many UPI transactions happen in India?

According to the Government of India’s PIB factsheet released for GFF 2026, UPI handled 2,365.8 crore transactions worth ₹29.88 lakh crore in July 2026, and 2,450.9 crore (24,509 million) transactions in August 2026, with 741 banks live on the platform. The factsheet says UPI transactions have grown nearly 12,000-fold since 2016–17, that UPI handles nearly half of the world’s real-time digital transaction volume, and that the IMF recognises it as the world’s largest real-time payment system. UPI also operates in 11 countries.

Group 4 of 4 · 3 questionsAttending GFF

How do I attend or exhibit at Global Fintech Fest?

Registration and exhibitor enquiries are handled by the organisers through the official website, globalfintechfest.com. Check there for pass types, stand options and deadlines for the next edition. If you plan to exhibit, start early: GFF 2026 was expected to host around 350 exhibitors across two venues. Before you commit, decide who you most want to meet, whether regulators, banks, fintech companies or investors, because that should shape your stand, the team you send and the meetings you book before the fest.

When is GFF 2027?

The dates for GFF 2027 have not been announced yet. GFF has been held in person in Mumbai every year since 2023, and the 2026 edition ran from 8 to 11 September, but neither the dates nor the venue for 2027 have been confirmed. The official website, globalfintechfest.com, is registering interest, and that is where the dates, venue and theme will be announced first. If you plan to exhibit, registering interest early means you hear as soon as stand bookings open.

Can I hire a hologram display for my GFF booth?

Yes. HoloBox911 is available on hire for exhibitions and conferences, including fintech and BFSI events in Mumbai such as GFF. The 7-ft HoloBox911 unit is set up and run by our team, so your stand staff can focus on visitors. It can run a life-size, interactive AI presenter or a product presentation with your own content. At GFF 2026, a HoloBox911 on a BFSI technology booth introduced the exhibitor’s low-code and AI products to visitors walking the floor. To check availability for your next event, use the enquiry form on this page.

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