Fintech Week Dubai 2026 hosted a compelling panel discussion titled “Fintech x BigTech: Collaboration or Competition in Payments?” at Radisson Blu Dubai Deira Creek, bringing together influential leaders from capital markets, payment infrastructure, digital banking, and trading technology to examine one of the most pressing questions shaping the future of finance.

Moderated by Oliver von Wolff, Partner and Head of Capital Partnerships & Strategic Growth at Handle AE and Founder & CEO of Helion Capital, the session explored how capital strategy and institutional investment are redefining the fintech–BigTech dynamic. With over 25 years of experience spanning M&A, private equity, venture capital, and restructuring, von Wolff framed the discussion around capital deployment, strategic partnerships, and sustainable asset growth. He emphasized that the real differentiator in this evolving landscape is not size, but agility, regulatory alignment, and the intelligent allocation of capital.

Karim Zaitouni, Founder of Energity, offered insights from the perspective of infrastructure innovation. Drawing on his experience building scalable payment and IoT ecosystems across Africa and the GCC, he discussed how fintechs are transforming traditional industries such as petroleum retail by embedding payments, automation, and data intelligence into operational networks. His view highlighted how collaboration with larger platforms can accelerate adoption while preserving fintech innovation.

From a B2B payments lens, Jonathan Cumberlidge, Co-Founder & CEO of Sentvia, addressed the growing demand for secure, compliant, and scalable cross-border infrastructure. He underscored the importance of regulatory clarity and enterprise-grade architecture in enabling high-value transactions, noting that fintechs that prioritize trust and compliance are better positioned to partner with global institutions rather than compete directly.

Serkan Turan, CEO of Yolparam, brought deep expertise in digital transformation, mobile wallets, PayFac models, and wallet-as-a-service ecosystems. He emphasized that fintech innovation increasingly lies in vertical specialization — connecting finance with sectors such as logistics and transportation — creating opportunities for fintechs and BigTech players to coexist through ecosystem-driven models.

Rounding out the discussion, Sandeep Sigar, Founder & CEO of SetupFX, shared insights from the brokerage and trading infrastructure space, highlighting the growing demand for white-label solutions, regulatory readiness, and scalable technology stacks that empower new market entrants.

The panel concluded that while competition remains inevitable, collaboration between fintechs and BigTech is not only possible — it is essential. The future of payments will be shaped by strategic alliances, regulatory foresight, and capital discipline.

Fintech Week Dubai 2026 once again demonstrated its role as a platform for critical industry dialogue and forward-looking financial strategy.