Qatar Development Bank (QDB), through its Qatar FinTech Hub (QFTH), has formalized a strategic partnership with the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), an initiative led by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The agreement was announced during the Singapore FinTech Festival, one of the world’s premier gatherings dedicated to financial innovation and emerging technologies.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by Abdulrahman bin Hesham Al Sowaidi, Chief Executive Officer of QDB and Chairman of QFTH, alongside Sopnendu Mohanty, Group Chief Executive Officer of GFTN. The agreement establishes a long-term collaborative framework focusing on policy innovation, ecosystem development, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building initiatives in the financial technology sector.

As part of this collaboration, a Center of Excellence and Support for FinTech will be established in Doha. This center is envisioned as a dynamic platform to energize the regional FinTech community, delivering cutting-edge research, strategic insights, and thought leadership on transformative financial technologies and their market implications, spanning Africa, Central Asia, and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration among regulators, financial institutions, and innovators, facilitating the creation of inclusive, forward-looking policy frameworks that promote innovation in emerging markets. Additionally, the center will advance human capital development through targeted training programs, workshops, and structured knowledge transfer within the financial sector.

Looking ahead, the agreement also outlines the creation of a Qatar FinTech Forum, which will serve as an annual international event complementing the Singapore FinTech Festival. Doha has been chosen as the permanent host for this forum due to its rapidly growing FinTech ecosystem and strategic role as a bridge connecting the Middle East with the global digital economy. The forum will provide a platform for policymakers, regulators, entrepreneurs, investors, financial institutions, and academics to exchange expertise, share insights, and explore future opportunities in financial innovation.

Commenting on the partnership, Abdulrahman Hesham Al Sowaidi highlighted, “This collaboration with GFTN reflects Qatar’s unwavering commitment to becoming a global hub for financial innovation. It aligns seamlessly with the Third Financial Sector Strategic Plan and the Qatar FinTech Strategy spearheaded by Qatar Central Bank.”

He added, “At QDB, we are dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs, fostering investments, and cultivating integrated ecosystems that turn visionary ideas into high-impact ventures. Leveraging GFTN’s global experience in policy innovation and digital transformation, we aim to accelerate the development of Qatar’s FinTech capabilities, attract world-class innovators, and strengthen the financial ecosystem, creating a bridge between local talent and global opportunities. Qatar’s robust digital infrastructure and favorable business environment provide an ideal foundation for this initiative, which will contribute to sustainable sector growth, economic diversification, and the realization of Qatar National Vision 2030.”

Sopnendu Mohanty, GFTN Group CEO, noted, “Qatar’s ambitious innovation agenda offers fertile ground for international collaboration. Through this partnership, GFTN brings the collective expertise of our global network—spanning over 130 markets, regulators, investors, and innovators—to design scalable solutions for Qatar and the wider MENA region. Combined with QDB’s commitment to entrepreneurship, innovation, and national capacity building, this initiative will connect capital, policy, technology, and talent, acting as a catalyst for inclusive digital growth across the region.”

The partnership also reinforces growing Qatar–Singapore collaboration, merging the FinTech expertise of both nations to facilitate cross-border innovation, investment, and knowledge sharing. It positions Qatar as a leading regional FinTech hub and underscores the nation’s strategic vision for sustainable, technology-driven economic development.