DUBAI: Dubai is preparing to host more than 850 speakers from across the global financial industry as the inaugural Dubai Future Finance Week brings banking, investment, fintech, policy and emerging financial technologies into a five-day programme in November.
The event will run from November 2 to 6, 2026, under the theme “Finance Reimagined: Where Innovation Meets Policy and Purpose.” It is being organised by the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) under the patronage and directives of Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE, and President of DIFC.
The programme will feature more than 85 high-level events, including 12 signature forums spread across 14 stages around Dubai. Organisers say the week is designed to bring different parts of the financial ecosystem together rather than treating developments in banking, investment, technology and regulation separately.
Six themes shaping the programme
The week will focus on six major areas: fintech, tokenisation, Islamic finance, family wealth, sustainable finance and private capital.
The programme reflects some of the biggest changes affecting financial markets, including the growing use of digital assets and artificial intelligence, changing approaches to investment and the increasing importance of sustainable finance.
The Dubai FinTech Summit will serve as the anchor event on November 2 and 3. The summit is expected to bring together senior figures from banking, capital markets and financial technology to discuss the future structure of financial services.
The event’s current speaker lineup includes Nicolas Moreau, CEO of HSBC Asset Management; Noel Quinn, Chairman of Julius Baer; Dr Shanu S.P. Hinduja, Chair of S.P. Hinduja Banque Privée; and Fatih Karahan, Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye.
From fintech to family wealth
The wider programme moves beyond technology.
On November 3, the Future Sustainability Forum will focus on sustainable finance and the mobilisation of green capital. The same day will also feature the MENA Banking Excellence Awards and IPEM Future 2026, which will bring private-capital leaders and allocators together.
November 4 will turn attention to Islamic finance and fixed-income alternatives. The Future Islamic Finance Forum will examine Sharia-compliant finance and Islamic capital markets, while the Deal Catalyst Fixed Income Alternatives Conference will focus on private and structured credit strategies.
The Dubai Family Wealth Summit is scheduled for November 5, bringing together family principals and advisers to discuss succession, governance and long-term allocation. An Investment Leaders Exchange will also provide a platform for senior institutional investment figures.
Why the gathering matters for Dubai
The event comes as Dubai continues to strengthen its position as an international financial centre and as the UAE seeks to expand the role of innovation, investment and technology in economic growth.
DIFC said the programme supports the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which includes the ambition of positioning Dubai among the world’s top four global financial centres.
The five-day format also allows participants to move between specialised areas of finance. A fintech executive, for example, can engage with discussions on regulation and digital assets, while investors can examine private capital, sustainability and emerging technologies within the same citywide programme.
The approach is intended to create connections between areas that increasingly overlap.
A global financial audience
Dubai FinTech Summit, the centrepiece of the week, is expected to draw a large international audience. The 2026 summit is scheduled for November 2–3 at Madinat Jumeirah and is designed to connect financial institutions, regulators, investors, technology companies and fintech businesses.
The broader Dubai Future Finance Week will extend that conversation across multiple forums, giving the event a wider remit than a conventional financial conference.
For Dubai, the gathering offers another opportunity to put its financial infrastructure, regulatory environment and growing technology ecosystem in front of international decision-makers.
For the global finance industry, the programme provides a single platform to examine how technology, regulation, capital and changing investor priorities are reshaping financial markets.
With more than 850 speakers already confirmed, the inaugural Dubai Future Finance Week is set to make the emirate a major meeting point for conversations about the next phase of global finance.
When is Dubai Future Finance Week 2026?
Dubai Future Finance Week will take place from November 2 to 6, 2026.
How many speakers are expected?
More than 850 speakers have been confirmed for the programme.
Where will Dubai Future Finance Week take place?
The programme will take place across multiple venues and stages around Dubai.
What is the theme of Dubai Future Finance Week?
The theme is “Finance Reimagined: Where Innovation Meets Policy and Purpose.”
What topics will the event cover?
Key areas include fintech, tokenisation, Islamic finance, family wealth, sustainable finance and private capital.
What is the main event during the week?
The Dubai FinTech Summit, scheduled for November 2–3, will serve as the anchor event.
Who is organising Dubai Future Finance Week?
The programme is being organised by the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
