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Why The Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) Is A Must-Go Experience For Anyone In The Finance Industry

Timothy Ho
·6-min read

Singapore has always been an ideal destination for event organisers. Our connectivity to the world (Changi Airport has more than 100 airlines operating out of its airport), extensive amenities that cater to leisure and business travelers, as well as the safety and diversity that Singapore offers make us a great venue to hold large-scale international events. These include concerts by mega-superstars such as Taylor Swift and Coldplay and sports events like the F1 – Singapore Grand Prix.

In the finance and technology front, the Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) has built itself up in the past few years to be the global leader when it comes to organising a global dialogue for policy, finance and technology.

Introducing The Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF), The Largest FinTech Festival In The World

Organised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Elevandi and Constellar, and in collaboration with The Association of Banks in Singapore, the Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) has grown significantly since its inception in 2016.

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According to information on the SFF 2023 website, SFF 2023, which will be happening at the Singapore Expo from 15 to 17 November 2023, will expect about 62,000 attendees and 10,000 organisations from 134 countries.

Also represented are 70 central banks from 51 jurisdictions. Just look at the list of central banks and regulators who will be present at this year’s SFF.

At last year’s SFF 2022, I had the privilege of speaking at one of the panels alongside Reuben Lai (Grab), Toh Ting Feng (GetGo) and Samuel Rhee (Endowus).

One of the perks of being a speaker is that I got to experience most of what the Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) offers. I attended the three event days, was invited to the networking dinner for speakers, and went to the SFF After Hours networking event at Club Street.

All of the events were valuable in allowing me to meet other like-minded folks in the finance industry and to absorb insights from people with different specialisations.

I have attended many finance and business events because of the nature of my work at DollarsAndSense. In my view, it’s not an overstatement to say that SFF is one of the best and most well-organised event that I have gone to. Here are a few impressive things about the SFF that really strike out to me.

Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) is huge, yet everything ran smoothly. In terms of the crowd, the comparable experience is similar to going to the National Stadium to watch a sold-out concert, football game, or the National Day Parade. Once you reach Expo MRT, you don’t need to worry about finding your way to the right halls. Just follow the crowd because everyone is walking in the same direction anyway.

Despite the crowd, it was very well-organised. There were no bottleneck queues during registration or frustrating waits when dining at one of the complimentary F&B venues. Everything ran smoothly, which is exceptionally impressive for such a massive event.

You catch up with lots of people. Though there are thousands of attendees, it’s easy to bump into people that you know. While I was registrating at the beginning, walking around the booths, dining at the F&B stations or waiting for a presentation to begin, I caught up with lots of friends, partners and clients in the industry.

The best part is that because most people will come with someone else, you get to be introduced to new acquaintances as well.

It’s easy to strike up a conversation. Even if you don’t know anyone, it’s easy to strike up a conversation with a stranger during the SFF if you want to. Since most people share a common interest in finance and technology and are also keen to network, you will find it easy to meet new people.

Just remember to bring enough business name cards or have your LinkedIn QR code ready so that you can make new connections.

Read Also: 4 Ways To Connect With Someone Else At A Networking Event Professionally Without Name Cards

The quality of the speakers at the SFF are exceptional. Last year SFF keynote speakers included Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Lawrence Wong, Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, Coinbase Co-Founder Brian Armstrong and Ravi Menon, Managing Director at MAS.

For SFF 2023, we can look forward to hearing from Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and IMF’s Managing Director and Chairwoman Kristalina Georgieva.

Agenda For Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) 2023

The theme for the Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) 2023 is “The Application of AI in Financial Services”. For those who are keen to find out how AI can and has already impacted the finance industry, you will be in the right place to learn more about this fast-developing area.

With more than 800 speakers across 7 stages at SFF spread across three days, it’s going to be a festival packed with content, likely more than anyone person can realistically absorb.

This is why media partners including DollarsAndSense will be there to support the SFF in covering different themes and perspectives that will be shared during the 3-day event. For SFF 2023, DollarsAndSense is proud to be a supporting media partner for the SFF and our writers and multimedia teams will focus on topics that would matter to consumers and business owners.

One advice I have for attendees is to plan for the talks and discussions that you want to attend as the Singapore Expo is pretty big, and you will easily get lost if you do not pre-identify the talks that you are interested in.

However, don’t pack your schedule too much as well. Leave some free time to walk around the booths and soak in the atmosphere of the festival.

Mealtimes are an excellent way to catch up with old friends or to meet new ones – so don’t let those opportunities go to waste.

Another strategy is to consider the ‘zones’ that you might be interested in. This year’s SFF will have 5 zones – Technology Zone, Founders Zone, ESG Zone, Regulation Zone & Talent Zone. If you are interested in the topics in any of these zones, consider spending more time visiting the stages and booths in the area.

Whether you are a finance professional, fintech founder, policymaker, media journalist or a student aspiring to enter FinTech, my view is that the SFF is a must-go experience for anyone who is in finance. Attending the SFF will not only allow you to meet likeminded people in the industry but will also widen your perspective on how the future of finance is going to be, both in Singapore and around the world.

SFF 2023 will be happening from 15 to 17 November 2023. You can sign up for your pass here.

Read Also: Personal Finance Webinars and Events In Singapore You Should Attend In 2023

All photos and screenshots from SFF

The post Why The Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) Is A Must-Go Experience For Anyone In The Finance Industry appeared first on DollarsAndSense.sg.