As global financial leaders assemble for the FinTech Week Awards & Expo Singapore 2026 (16th–17th September 2026 at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport), financial technology has crossed a historic threshold. Technology is no longer an adjunct to finance; all finance is becoming fintech. However, as digital infrastructure becomes mainstream, the defining question of our era shifts from how fast can we digitise? to who is being included in this future?

In an exclusive interview, Farah Jaafar—Global Advisor to Straits Investment Bank, Independent Non-Executive Director at Webull Malaysia, and former CEO of Labuan IBFC Inc.—shares why fintech is transitioning from disruption to infrastructure, how digital literacy protects against new financial divides, and why the next wave of growth will be won through bank-fintech collaboration.

1. Professional Journey: Moving Capital, Creating Access, and Solving Problems

With nearly three decades at the intersection of capital markets, regulation, digital assets, and corporate communications, Farah Jaafar’s career reflects the evolution of modern fintech. Having served as CEO of Labuan IBFC Inc., Managing Director and Chief Communications Officer of Asia’s first digital asset exchange, and part of the team that executed the world’s first digital Sukuk, her focus centers on what sits between technology and the market:

"For me, fintech has never been about technology for technology’s sake. It is about using technology to move capital, create access and solve problems better... I truly believe that moving forward, there is no difference between finance and fintech. All finance is fintech." — Farah Jaafar

Because all finance is becoming fintech, digital inclusion must go hand-in-hand with digital literacy. True financial inclusion requires ensuring that young people entering the system, women scaling businesses, and older generations navigating a cashless world possess the knowledge, confidence, and security to participate effectively.

2. Trends Shaping the Industry: From Disruption to Core Infrastructure

Over the next few years, the fintech ecosystem will transition into its next chapter, shifting focus from market disruption to building long-term financial infrastructure:

 

  • Intelligent AI Integration: AI will serve as a major operational catalyst, delivering its greatest value when intelligently embedded across risk management, compliance, portfolio decisions, customer engagement, and operational workflows.
  • Real-Time Settlement & Tokenisation: Real-time payment rails, cross-border digital identity, and tokenisation are fundamentally transforming ownership, asset liquidity, and settlement speed.
  • Trust as a Core Differentiator: Trust is directly tied to understanding. Winning fintechs will not simply be those that move fastest, but those that innovate rapidly without compromising accessibility, security, or public confidence. Digital literacy must expand to help youth make informed choices and shield older demographics from digital fraud.

3. The Next Phase of Growth: Ecosystem Collaboration Over Competition

The future of financial services will not be won by fintechs competing against traditional banks; it will be built through collaborative ecosystems:

 

  • Combining Institutional Strengths: Traditional banks bring scale, balance sheet capital, regulatory infrastructure, and institutional trust. Fintechs contribute agility, modern tech stacks, and user-centric design. Real market opportunities lie at the intersection of these capabilities.
  • Inclusive System Design: Ecosystems must be built inclusively from inception. Designers must continuously ask whether a product can be easily understood and safely used across diverse demographics.
  • Women at the Decision-Making Table: Women must hold active leadership roles as founders, investors, technologists, executives, and regulators. Diversity produces superior financial solutions because financial systems are ultimately designed for people.
  • Proactive Governance: Progressive regulators create environments where responsible innovation can scale safely without stalling progress.

4. Strategic Guidance for Professionals, Women, and Entrepreneurs

For professionals and founders navigating the rapidly evolving financial landscape, key principles apply:

 

  • Chase Problems, Not Tools: Breakthrough technologies eventually become basic infrastructure. Long-term value comes from identifying genuine market friction and building solutions that deliver measurable utility.
  • Act as a Multidisciplinary Bridge: Young professionals should cultivate expertise across finance, technology, regulation, and economics. The most valuable career opportunities emerge for leaders who bridge communication gaps between different disciplines.
  • Advice for Women: Do not wait to feel completely ready before stepping into leadership. Claim your seat at the table and actively ensure diverse perspectives shape final strategic outcomes.
  • Foundational Life Skills: Financial literacy—understanding credit, digital payments, investments, and fraud protection—is a fundamental life skill that must be cultivated early.
  • Distribution & Trust for Founders: A great product alone is insufficient. Founders require distribution channels, institutional credibility, regulatory clarity, and trusted long-term relationships.

5. Participating in FinTech Week Singapore 2026

Singapore stands as a premier global hub for financial technology. At the FinTech Week Awards & Expo Singapore 2026, Farah Jaafar looks forward to engaging in high-impact discussions that extend beyond formal presentations.

True industry success must be measured by broader metrics: not just venture funding or valuation multiples, but how many individuals are brought into the formal financial system and how confidently they can participate.

6. Key Message for Industry Leaders and Innovators

Ahead of the summit, Farah Jaafar calls on global delegates to arrive with active curiosity: