Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday inaugurated the expo at the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026 in Mumbai and inspected various services, products and technologies showcased by companies operating in the fintech sector.
Addressing the seventh edition of the Global Fintech Fest, Fadnavis said India's fintech revolution was driven not merely by technological innovation but by the democratisation of payments and greater access to financial services. “The real Indian fintech story is the democratisation of payments,” Fadnavis said while speaking at the event.
He highlighted India's rapid adoption of digital payments and said the country's fintech ecosystem had demonstrated how emerging technologies could translate into tangible benefits for citizens.
Maharashtra Eyes Fintech Leadership
Fadnavis said Maharashtra was looking to position itself as one of the world's largest real-world testing grounds for fintech innovations. He invited technology companies and innovators to bring solutions to the state, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, tokenisation and blockchain.
“Maharashtra will become the largest real-world testbed for the largest fintech innovations. Bring us solutions and we will work with you,” he said. The Chief Minister also said the global financial ecosystem was evolving beyond traditional financial centres such as New York, London and Singapore, with India increasingly emerging as a major destination for developing and scaling new financial technologies.
According to Fadnavis, Mumbai's position as India's financial capital, combined with its established financial ecosystem and technology infrastructure, gives the city a strong foundation to become one of the world's leading fintech centres.
Referring to this year's GFF theme, ‘Potential to Impact’, Fadnavis said technologies such as agentic artificial intelligence, tokenisation and quantum technology could majorly reshape the financial sector. However, he stressed that the key challenge would be converting the potential of these technologies into meaningful outcomes for consumers and businesses.
Fadnavis particularly highlighted the potential of agentic AI in financial decision-making. He said Mumbai could emerge as a global testing ground for the next generation of financial technologies as artificial intelligence takes on a greater role in the sector. He emphasised the need to develop responsible financial AI that gives consumers greater control over their financial decisions while ensuring accountability, transparency and trust.
The Chief Minister reiterated Maharashtra's ambition to become a global hub for fintech innovation and said the state was prepared to provide a real-world environment for companies developing emerging financial technologies.
The Global Fintech Fest brings together stakeholders from the financial services, technology, policy and innovation sectors, with discussions centred on the future of finance and the impact of emerging technologies.
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