Digital, Innovation, Payments
Connecting two financial hubs: ABBL’s participation at Singapore FinTech Festival 2025
Published on 18 November 2025
Held from 12–14 November 2025, the Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) once again confirmed its position as one of the world’s leading platforms for digital finance. Preceding it, the Insights Forum (10–11 November), organised by the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), gathered global regulators for high-level discussions on the future of financial innovation. Representing the ABBL within the Luxembourg delegation coordinated by Luxembourg for Finance and the LHoFT, Andrey Martovoy, Senior Adviser – Innovation & Digital, took part in an intensive programme across both events. The mission created opportunities to engage in strategic conversations on tokenisation, digital assets and payments innovation, and to reinforce Luxembourg’s visibility through a series of bilateral meetings – including initial contacts with the Association of Banks in Singapore.
Summary
1. Why is it important for ABBL to participate in FinTech Singapore?
Andrey Martovoy: SFF brings together the world’s most influential policymakers, financial institutions and fintech innovators. For ABBL, being present ensures that Luxembourg’s banking sector remains visible and connected in global conversations that shape digital finance. Singapore and Luxembourg share similar characteristics: geographically small but highly international financial centres built on strong regulation and a culture of innovation.
Participating in SFF reinforces Luxembourg’s position as a trusted European hub and allows ABBL to build direct relationships with Asian financial institutions and innovative solution providers – ensuring our ecosystem remains aligned with global developments and emerging standards.
2. What activities were you involved in while you were there?
AM: The mission offered a diverse and intensive programme. I attended the Insights Forum, observed discussions on interoperability and tokenised money, and participated in the visit to APEX as well as a cross-border collaboration event organised by the Singapore FinTech Association and the LHoFT.
At the Luxembourg pavilion, I moderated a fireside chat on stablecoins with dtcpay. Across three days, I held face-to-face meetings with regulators, central banks, fintech founders and infrastructure providers, and established first contacts with the Association of Banks in Singapore. The mission also included a visit to DTCPay headquarters and participation in the SC Ventures Innovation Lab Crawl and the FinTech Horizons Summit by A&O Shearman Singapore, focusing on AI, crypto-assets and tokenisation.
3. What did you discover, or what surprised you the most?
AM: Singapore’s ability to turn innovation into real-world applications stands out. Digital finance is deeply embedded in daily economic life – from stablecoin merchant payments to AI-powered risk management. Collaboration across regulators, banks and technology providers is exceptionally strong, and innovation is approached as a shared national priority.
The speed at which ideas become operational solutions is notably faster than in Europe. I was also struck by the openness and cooperative engagement of Singaporean stakeholders – MAS, industry players and fintechs. The global diversity of SFF further highlighted Singapore’s role as a true crossroads for digital finance, not only in Asia but globally.
4. Where do you see room for improvement in Luxembourg’s fintech ecosystem?
AM: Luxembourg already benefits from regulatory clarity, a strong financial sector and a collaborative community, but there is scope to accelerate. Enhancing public-private innovation environments – such as sandboxes and testbeds – would support faster validation of fintech solutions. Strengthening international engagement, particularly in Asia, would help Luxembourg fintechs scale early.
More structured cooperation between banks and fintechs could speed up adoption cycles. Finally, continued investment in digital skills, talent attraction and applied research would reinforce Luxembourg’s competitiveness in areas such as digital assets, AI and regtech.
5. What can Luxembourg be proud of in the fintech sector?
AM: Luxembourg enjoys a strong international reputation for regulatory credibility and financial expertise. Discussions at SFF highlighted that some of Europe’s most advanced frameworks for tokenisation, fund technology and digital assets are associated with Luxembourg. Our ecosystem – banks, service providers, asset managers and fintechs – is recognised for its reliability, compliance culture and global outlook.
The presence of ABBL, CSSF, LHoFT, ALFI, ACA and others at SFF demonstrated that Luxembourg is not simply observing global innovation but helping to shape it. For many Asian fintechs, Luxembourg is seen as a natural European entry point thanks to its EU passporting framework and international talent pool.
Luxembourg enjoys a strong international reputation for regulatory credibility and financial expertise. Our ecosystem is recognised for its reliability, compliance culture and global outlook.
Andrey Martovoy
Senior Adviser - Innovation & Digital, ABBL
6. What does your experience there make you want to undertake?
AM: The combined programme of the Insights Forum and the Singapore FinTech Festival underscored the strategic importance of maintaining Luxembourg’s active voice in global fintech discussions. The mission revealed strong complementarities between the Luxembourg and Singapore ecosystems, especially in digital assets, regtech and payments.
Building on the momentum created throughout the week, ABBL will continue strengthening these international connections and ensuring Luxembourg remains a trusted and influential contributor to the future of digital finance.
Andrey Martovoy
Senior Adviser - Innovation & Digital, ABBL
Published on 18 November 2025