Fintech Forward Newsletter - Issue 34
15 October 2026
Miami played host to some 10,000 Sibos delegates this year. Centred around the theme of Digital finance for AI-driven economies, attendees gathered to share their perspectives on how the industry is evolving – from the future of payment infrastructure, securities processing and trade finance, to tokenization, fintech partnerships and the growing importance of trust and resilience in a world being reshaped by AI. In this month’s newsletter we share just a few highlights from media and analysts attending the show.
Exploring the future of payments, Finextra spoke to industry experts from Commerzbank, SMBC and The Clearing House, highlighting the need for 24/7 availability, speed, transparency, secure infrastructure and resilience across all payment rails.
The Fintech Times examined the importance of trust as money moves to tokenized deposits and AI changes how things are done, noting a shift in emphasis away from autonomous payment agents towards AI improving operations with strong governance and human oversight.
Datos Insights considered how banks are moving beyond technology experimentation and looking for fintech partners that can work with existing infrastructure, simplify complexity, provide strategic guidance and demonstrate value in production.
Global Finance explored the broader direction of the industry, with tokenization and programmable payments gaining momentum and AI needing to deliver measurable ROI. Trust, legacy integration and interoperability are among the key challenges to overcome.
There remains lots for the industry to tackle in the year ahead, before the global financial community reconvenes in Singapore for Sibos 2027.
Resilience in global cross border payments
The need for resilience, 24/7 availability, speed, transparency, and secure payment infrastructure amid the rise of AI and new technologies was a key theme at Sibos this year. Industry leaders expect multiple payment rails to coexist – including tokenized deposits, stablecoins, RTP and traditional rails – with customer needs, usability, liquidity and settlement determining which rail is used.
Tokenization and AI, underpinned by trust
Tokenized deposits are emerging as a strong focus for banks, alongside the continued use of stablecoins and instant-payment rails. In parallel, the rise of agentic AI continues. But who carries the trust if something goes wrong? Many AI discussions have shifted from “agents making payments” to “agents improving operations”, with strong emphasis on governance, accountability and human oversight.
What banks want from their fintech partners
Rather than discussing technology’s potential, conversations at Sibos shifted towards practical steps for adoption. Banks want fintech solutions that work with existing infrastructure, reduce operational complexity and deliver a clear business case. Winning fintechs will act as complementary partners, simplify payment-rail choices, support multiple technologies, provide strategic guidance and prove value in live production.
Sibos from the backseat
AI is shifting from hype to real-world ROI, while tokenization and programmable payments gain momentum. The key challenges are interoperability, trust, and integrating new technology with existing financial infrastructure.
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Sibos in the coming years
Sibos 2027 heads to Singapore next September, bringing the global financial community together at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, in the heart of this thriving financial hub.
AR: The quality of the briefing matters more than you think
The idea for this blog came from a conversation with an analyst friend who made a simple but powerful observation: the quality of a vendor briefing is often what separates a productive analyst relationship from a missed opportunity. I couldn't agree more.
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