H.E. Mohammed AlJadaan Saudi Arabias Minister of Finance Opens Money2020 Middle East in Riyadh
Money20/20 Middle East officially opened in Riyadh on Monday, bringing together government officials, financial leaders, and technology firms at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre in Malham. The three-day event serves as a platform for public and private sector leaders to discuss fintech infrastructure, investments, and regulatory developments.
Expansion of Financial Infrastructure
Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Financial Sector Development Program Committee, inaugurated the event and delivered the opening keynote. He noted that Saudi Vision 2030 has broadened investment channels and supported a flexible legislative framework for financial technology.
“Saudi Vision 2030 has helped expand financing and investment channels, and enabled a more flexible legislative environment for the fintech sector. As the Vision enters its third phase, the focus shifts to sustaining the impact of economic transformation and building on the gains of this new growth.”
Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Minister of Finance
Major Funding Deals at Money20/20 Middle East
The opening day featured several major commercial announcements across the financial services sector. Regional payments app Tabby announced a Series F funding round at a valuation of 6.5 billion dollars to expand consumer financing operations.
In addition, financing platform Silq formed a 500 million Saudi riyal partnership with Joa Capital. This agreement aims to provide working capital access to small and medium enterprises, expanding Silq’s existing client base of over 50,000 businesses.
Regulatory Frameworks and Innovation
Regulators and technology executives addressed the balance between rapid growth and system security during panel discussions. Turky A. Kabarah, Director of Fintech Enablement at the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), explained that regulatory testing environments help companies scale safely.
Balaji Rajagopalan, CTO at the State Bank of India, added that institutions must embed protection into operations from the beginning, especially as artificial intelligence integrates further into financial platforms.
The Role of Sovereign Digital Currencies
Panels also examined the implementation of central bank digital currencies in markets that still rely heavily on cash. Speakers discussed how automated systems and bots increasingly conduct digital asset transactions across international networks.
The 2026 edition of Money20/20 Middle East is projected to host more than 38,000 attendees, 350 exhibiting brands, 390 speakers, and 600 investors through September 16.
