Ant Group, an innovative technology provider, officially launched its inaugural INCLUSION Fintech Conference, welcoming prominent speakers from all corners of the world, including representatives from the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund, as well as Nobel Prize-winning scholars, to participate in a wide-ranging conversation on how digital technology can help build a more inclusive, green, and sustainable world.
“Since our inception over 16 years ago, digital technology has been part and parcel of everything we do, continuously driving the evolution of our strategy, operations, and value proposition.”
Taking place both online and onsite in Shanghai from September 24-26, 2020, the conference brings together thought leaders from across the globe to envision the digital economy of the future. The first day of the conference began with a morning plenary session, followed by 17 forums in the afternoon and a nature-themed music festival along Shanghai’s iconic Huangpu River in the evening.
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An offline 13,000sqm exhibition area showcased the latest fintech innovations and technology solutions from Ant Group and Alipay, as well as a variety of other major companies from the technology and financial communities, including Kenyan telecommunications provider Safaricom, Swiss-Thai fintech company Ascend Money, and US financial services company Mastercard.
Key highlights from the first day of the INCLUSION Fintech Conference include:
- Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), provided a comprehensive overview of the global economic outlook, highlighting the pivotal role financial inclusion can play in building a better and more resilient world, especially as economies and businesses continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva delivers keynote speech at inaugural INCLUSION Fintech Conference
“Fintech is already playing an important part in slowing the spread of COVID-19,” emphasized Ms. Georgieva. “It has made contactless and cashless transactions very popular and very useful. Digital financial services also enable governments to quickly expand social safety nets and help facilitate direct payments between people, in turn accelerating economic recovery.”