QFEX 2026 Concludes in Doha, Bringing Together International Leaders Across Finance, AI and Technology
Doha, Qatar
The third edition of the Qatar Fintech, AI & Connectivity Summit – QFEX 2026 concluded in Doha following two days of discussions, networking and international participation across finance, artificial intelligence, technology, investment and digital transformation.
Organised by AFAQ Events Management on 29–30 September 2026 at Hilton Doha – West Bay, QFEX brought together executives, industry experts, financial and technology professionals, academics and representatives of international organisations around three forces increasingly shaping the global economy: Finance, Artificial Intelligence and Connectivity.
Across its two-day programme, QFEX explored the transformation of financial services, AI-powered finance, digital infrastructure, investment, payments, digital assets, blockchain and tokenization, regulation and trust, as well as the human and institutional implications of accelerating technological change.
Day One opened with “The Intelligence Economy: Finance, AI & the Next Global Transformation,” featuring Muamar Magam, Managing Partner at Quintus LTC, and Dr. Amir Ali Salemi Zadeh, Founder & CEO of JTA International Investment Holding.
The programme continued with “AI-Native Finance: Reinventing Banking, Payments & Financial Services,” bringing together Dr. Halmat Omer, CEO of Erbil Bank for Investment & Finance, and Rashid Al-Derham, Co-Founder & CEO of Madad, in a conversation moderated by Mert Dedebas of Frankfurt School of Finance & Management.
QFEX also brought an institutional and human dimension to the technology conversation through “Leadership in the Intelligent Economy: Technology, Institutions & Human Progress,” featuring Firas Budeiri, Chief of Mission of IOM Qatar, and Dr. Khaldoun Nusair, Chairman of AFAQ Group.
Infrastructure and the foundations of the AI-ready economy were explored by Dr. Khaled Harras, Senior Associate Dean and Professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, alongside Muamar Magam, while another session brought together Krystel Mahfoud, Dr. Marwa Salah and Dr. Jonah Tebaa to discuss AI, leadership, talent and the human future.
Startup World Cup Comes to QFEX
One of the major highlights of Day One was the Startup World Cup Qatar Regional Competition, held in partnership with Pegasus Tech Ventures. Selected startups pitched their ventures live before a judging panel with expertise spanning investment, technology, finance and entrepreneurship.
The regional competition offered its winner the opportunity to advance to the Startup World Cup Global Finale in Silicon Valley, where startups compete for an investment opportunity of up to USD 1 million. The competition added a strong entrepreneurship dimension to QFEX, connecting emerging ventures with investors, executives and the wider technology and financial ecosystem.
From Tokenization to Responsible AI
Day Two expanded the conversation into blockchain, Web3, tokenization and their real-world applications, alongside discussions on AI, digital assets and the next investment frontier.
The programme also featured XS.com Spotlight @ QFEX 2026, while “Trust & AI at Scale: Regulation, Responsible AI & the Autonomous Enterprise” examined regulation, responsible AI, trust and the evolution of intelligent organisations. Another session, “Finance with Purpose: Islamic Philanthropy, Financial Inclusion & Impact,” explored the intersection of technology, financial inclusion, Islamic philanthropy and sustainable impact.
QFEX Live Podcast Studio
QFEX also introduced a new live format on Day Two through the QFEX Live Podcast Studio, under the theme: “Step In. Take the Mic. Join the Conversation.”
Broadcast from the exhibition floor, the studio created a more spontaneous environment where speakers, executives, founders, exhibitors and attendees could move in and out of live conversations, taking QFEX beyond the traditional conference-stage format.
GFI Awards 2026
The third edition concluded with the GFI Awards 2026 – Qatar Edition, recognising organisations and individuals for achievement, leadership, innovation and contribution across financial markets, technology, customer experience, market analysis, education and digital transformation.
Through its third edition, QFEX continued to position itself as a platform connecting finance, technology, artificial intelligence, investment, institutions and decision-makers, with an emphasis on practical dialogue, partnerships and direct engagement between local, regional and international expertise.
Over two days in Doha, QFEX 2026 brought together a diverse community around a shared question: how finance, AI and connectivity will converge to shape the next generation of the global economy.
