Dead Sea, Sept. 23 (Petra) -- The second Jordan FinTech Festival opened Wednesday at the Dead Sea, bringing together financial institutions, regulators, fintech companies, investors and industry experts from Jordan, the region and around the world to explore the future of digital financial services and investment.

Held at the King Hussein bin Talal Convention Centre under the theme "Where Regulation Meets Innovation," the two-day event focuses on the intersection of financial innovation and regulation as Jordan works to strengthen its fintech ecosystem and position itself as a regional hub for the industry.

The festival is organized by the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) in partnership with the Association of Banks in Jordan and in cooperation with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

Opening the festival, CBJ Governor Adel Sharkas said Jordan is steadily strengthening its position as a regional center for fintech and innovation, supported by an advanced payments infrastructure, a regulatory environment that accommodates innovation, a resilient financial sector and skilled human capital.

Jordan's geographic position and its ability to connect markets across the region provide further advantages for developing the sector, he added.

Sharkas said digital transformation and innovation have become key pillars of Jordan's broader modernization drive, reflecting the growing contribution of the digital economy to productivity, competitiveness, job creation, investment and entrepreneurship.

He pointed to the Economic Modernisation Vision 2023-2033, which places digital transformation and the development of promising sectors among its priorities as the Kingdom seeks to respond to rapid technological change and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

The festival's return for a second edition, Sharkas said, reflects Jordan's growing presence in fintech and its ambition to play an active role in shaping the future of the industry.

He said the event's theme captures the CBJ's approach to the sector, stressing that financial innovation does not require less regulation but "smarter regulation" capable of supporting new technologies while addressing their risks.

Jordan's expanding digital payments market illustrates the pace of change. More than 695 million electronic payment transactions were recorded in 2025 through CliQ, eFAWATEERcom and card purchases, with their combined value exceeding JD50 billion, equivalent to around 118 percent of gross domestic product, Sharkas said.

On the regulatory front, the CBJ has developed mechanisms to allow emerging technologies and business models to be tested within a defined supervisory framework.

These cover digital financial identity, electronic Know Your Customer verification, or eKYC, open finance, regulatory technology, or RegTech, and virtual assets.

The CBJ's regulatory sandbox, JO REGBOX, provides companies with an environment to test new models while regulators assess potential risks and impacts before determining appropriate regulatory responses.

Twelve innovative products from 12 companies have been tested through the sandbox in areas including financial and insurance services, open finance and virtual assets, Sharkas said.

He added that these developments are part of a broader digital transformation across Jordan encompassing digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, government digital services, digital identity, artificial intelligence and advanced computing.

Over its two days, the Jordan FinTech Festival brings together policymakers, banking and financial-sector executives, regulators, startups, investors and technology companies to exchange expertise and explore opportunities for investment, cooperation and partnerships.

The program covers digital payments and the digital transformation of banking and financial services, open finance, digital assets and blockchain, embedded finance, banking-as-a-platform models, entrepreneurship, investment and the development of the startup ecosystem.

It also features panel discussions and specialized workshops with Jordanian and international experts, an exhibition showcasing fintech solutions and products, startup pitch sessions and networking events connecting innovators with investors and industry executives.

A fintech hackathon is being held alongside the festival, providing young innovators with an opportunity to develop digital solutions to challenges facing the financial sector and present their projects to experts, investors and financial institutions.

The festival builds on its inaugural edition, which attracted more than 1,200 participants from over 31 countries and featured more than 40 speakers, according to organizers.

Participation in the 2026 edition is free for industry professionals, investors, representatives of financial institutions, startups and other interested participants.

Through the festival, Jordan aims to strengthen its presence in the international fintech dialogue and provide a platform connecting regulation, innovation and investment, while helping Jordanian and regional companies develop partnerships and reach new markets.

//Petra// RZ