OVERVIEW
In today's rapidly evolving financial landscape, advancing sustainable finance, promoting financial health and inclusion, and leveraging digital financial services to foster an inclusive, resilient, and stable financial system have become critical priorities for the Asia-Pacific region.
Bridging finance and sustainability requires us to consider how the financial system should unlock the innovative support through policy, markets, and instruments as well as data and digital technology. Financial health enhances the well-being of individuals and households by building resilience, while enhancing financial inclusion ensures that the underserved and the underbanked gain access to affordable and useful financial products and services. As new financial technologies (fintech), digital assets, and decentralized financial systems emerge, there is an urgent need to ensure that these innovations drive market competition and efficiencies and promote trust and financial stability and resilience.
Against this backdrop, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance of Luxembourg, will host the 5th Asia Finance Forum (AFF) under the theme “Positioning for the Future” on 23-25 September 2025 at ADB Headquarters in Manila, Philippines. This conference will explore how financial systems can harness innovation and competition while discussing how to address those challenges and barriers in the financial sector.
OBJECTIVE
This conference aims to engage a broad range of stakeholders, including policymakers, private sector, academe, and nongovernment organizations, across ADB's developing member countries in Asia and the Pacific to explore, learn, and collaborate on shaping the future of financial systems. The event will serve as a platform to:
Explore New Developments
Delve into emerging trends and challenges in financial technology, sustainable finance, and innovative regulatory frameworks that can support sustainable, inclusive, and resilient financial systems.
Foster Knowledge Sharing
Learn through the exchange of insights by showcasing real-world use cases and experiences, allowing participants to learn from each other's strategic approach to managing finance sector challenges and opportunities, focusing on integrating technology and sustainability.
Build a Future-Ready Financial System
Collaborate on solutions that address the pressing need for robust regulation, trust-building measures, and technology-driven innovation in the financial sector. Sustainable finance, responsible innovation, and technological integration will be critical cross-cutting themes throughout the conference.
Strengthen Cross-Border Collaboration
Encourage regional cooperation to develop harmonized regulatory frameworks and financial policies that accommodate emerging technologies and innovations while enabling a cohesive financial ecosystem, cross-border integration, investment, sustainable growth, financial stability, and inclusion.