Geoeconomic Rewiring

AI is arriving as finance is being reshaped by geoeconomic fragmentation, technological change, shifting capital, talent constraints and evolving policy. Its effects will not be uniform: the same capabilities that widen access and improve productivity could also concentrate advantage, deepen dependencies and test the resilience of institutions and markets. Drawing on a global view of finance and public policy, this keynote examines where AI could accelerate these ruptures, where it might help bridge them, and what choices will determine the difference. The session asks what must be rewired for financial systems to remain trusted, inclusive and resilient.

As geopolitics redraws trade, capital and data flows, trusted payment infrastructure is becoming a strategic priority for nations. Drawing on experiences from India and ASEAN, the session will explore how countries can build resilient, inclusive and locally governed payment foundations while staying globally connected and examine practical approaches for linking domestic payment systems across bilateral and regional payment corridors.

Billions of people and small businesses remain outside formal credit because financial institutions cannot reliably identify, assess or price their risk. This panel examines how payment infrastructure, digital identity, transaction data and AI can change that — turning previously invisible economic activity into a basis for lending and investment.

Europe and Asia have capital, investment products and increasingly global investors, but the infrastructure connecting them remains fragmented. Different regulations, fund structures, data standards and distribution systems continue to limit access and raise costs. This session examines what it would take to create a trusted wealth corridor between the regions, from regulatory interoperability and digital fund distribution to common data and identity rails. It asks how governments, financial centres, asset managers, banks and fintech platforms can reduce friction without weakening investor protection.