Global Fintech Fest 2026: Agentic AI, Tokenisation, Quantum

The Global Fintech Fest 2026, held in Mumbai in September, put three technologies at the centre of its agenda: agentic AI, tokenisation and quantum computing. The event drew participation from banks, payment networks, regulators and startups, with India positioning itself as a testbed for next-generation financial infrastructure. According to analysts, the convergence of these three strands could reshape how money moves, how assets are held and how risk is managed over the next decade.

Agentic AI — systems that can plan and execute multi-step tasks with limited human intervention — was the most visible theme. In financial services, such systems are being explored for customer onboarding, fraud detection, credit underwriting and portfolio rebalancing. Unlike earlier chatbots, agentic tools are designed to act, not just advise. Industry observers note that this shift raises fresh questions around accountability, audit trails and consumer protection. Tokenisation, meanwhile, extends beyond crypto to represent real-world assets such as government securities, invoices and property on distributed ledgers. The Reserve Bank of India has already run pilot programmes in this space, and market participants say the focus is now on interoperability and settlement finality. Quantum computing, the third pillar, remains earlier in its journey but is being watched closely because of its potential to break current encryption standards and to accelerate complex risk modelling.

Analysts say the real test for agentic AI, tokenisation and quantum computing in finance will be whether they move from pilot projects to production systems that serve ordinary customers at scale.

The table below summarises the three focus areas as discussed at the event, based on the themes highlighted by participants.

Technology	Primary use case in finance	Maturity stage	Key challenge
Agentic AI	Autonomous workflows in onboarding, fraud detection, underwriting	Early commercial deployment	Accountability and auditability
Tokenisation	Representing real-world assets on distributed ledgers	Pilot to early production	Interoperability and settlement finality
Quantum computing	Risk modelling, cryptography, optimisation	Research and early experimentation	Hardware maturity and cost

For India, the stakes are high. The country already runs one of the world's largest real-time payment systems, and its digital public infrastructure has made financial inclusion a mainstream policy goal. Analysts say the next phase will depend on how well regulators and institutions balance innovation with stability. Tokenisation could deepen bond markets and make small-ticket investments more accessible. Agentic AI could lower the cost of serving customers in remote areas, provided safeguards are in place. Quantum computing, though distant, demands early attention because encryption standards take years to migrate. The Global Fintech Fest 2026 signalled that India intends to be a rule-shaper, not just a rule-taker, in these domains. Market participants left with a clear message: the technology is ready, but the governance frameworks must catch up.

For more insights on fintech, markets and policy, visit MarketToMoney.