The 32nd Edition Connected Banking Summit – Innovation & Excellence Awards 2026, organised by the International Center for Strategic Alliances (ICSA), will take place on 13 November 2026 in Muscat, Oman.
Held under the theme “Boosting Digital-First Banking and Enabling Next-Gen Financial Platforms in the Middle East,” the summit will bring together senior banking executives, regulators, fintech companies, technology providers, investors and other financial-services stakeholders to discuss digital banking and financial-sector transformation across the Middle East.
The event forms part of the Connected Banking Summit Series, which has held editions across Africa, the GCC and other emerging markets. The Muscat edition will focus on how financial institutions can develop digital-first services while responding to changing customer expectations, regulatory requirements and technology developments.
Digital banking and payments in focus
The summit’s agenda will cover a range of topics relevant to the region’s banking and payments sectors. Key areas include digital-first banking, cloud-native platforms, real-time payments and interoperability, alongside cybersecurity and fraud prevention.
Sessions will also address digital identity and eKYC, open banking and open finance, embedded finance, artificial intelligence, data intelligence and hyper-personalisation. Financial inclusion, SME finance, regulatory compliance and sustainable finance will form part of the wider discussion.
Oman provides the setting for discussions around financial-sector modernisation and digital transformation. The country’s banking market is adopting technologies including cloud computing, AI, digital identity and real-time payment infrastructure as financial institutions work to develop more connected and digitally enabled services.
The summit will examine these developments in a wider Middle Eastern context, with discussions involving banks, fintechs, regulators, technology companies and other participants in the financial-services ecosystem.
What attendees can expect
The programme is set to include keynote presentations, panel discussions, case studies and sessions featuring banking and financial-services leaders. The organisers also expect more than 200 senior executives and decision-makers to attend.
One-to-one business meetings will provide opportunities for financial institutions and technology providers to discuss potential partnerships, while networking sessions will focus on executive-level relationship building and knowledge exchange.
The event will also host the Innovation & Excellence Awards 2026, recognising organisations and individuals across areas including digital banking, payments, open banking, cybersecurity and fintech.
Award categories include Digital Bank of the Year, Best Digital Transformation Initiative, Best Payments Innovation, Best Open Banking & Open Finance Initiative, Best Cybersecurity Strategy and Most Innovative Fintech Solution. Individual categories include Banking CEO of the Year, CIO/CTO/CISO of the Year, Banking Leader of the Year and Women in Financial Leadership.
According to ICSA, the Connected Banking Summit Series has recorded 32 editions, more than 5,000 curated delegates and over 500 industry speakers, alongside more than 1,000 hours of executive networking.
Delegate registration, sponsorship, speaking and exhibition opportunities are available through the organisers.
Event: 32nd Edition Connected Banking Summit – Innovation & Excellence Awards 2026
Theme: Boosting Digital-First Banking and Enabling Next-Gen Financial Platforms in the Middle East
Date: 13 November 2026
Location: Muscat, Oman
Organiser: International Center for Strategic Alliances (ICSA)
Contact: [email protected] | +44 20 3808 8625
