Second international fintech conference confirmed for March 2018
THE UK government has confirmed that the second annual international fintech conference will take place on 22 March 2018 in London.
The Treasury said on Friday that last year’s event attracted over 100 fintech firms and over 400 investors, resulting in over £5m-worth of investment into the UK fintech sector.
Speakers at last year’s conference included Chancellor Philip Hammond and Bank of England Governor Mark Carney.
Read more: Chancellor sets outs commitment to UK fintech after Brexit
The government decided to launch the conference series after an EY report last year found that the UK’s fintech sector is falling behind other countries in terms of international capital investment.
In 2015, the UK attracted £524m in funding, compared to £3.6bn by California and £1.4bn by New York.
Read more: UK fintech funding rises as Brexit unease softens
The conference will once again bring together international investors and UK fintech firms alongside leading industry figures, regulators and policymakers for a day-long programme of talks and pitches promoting the opportunities for global investment in the UK fintech sector.
The UK fintech sector contributes £6.6bn annually to the UK economy, and employs over 60,000 people across 1,600 companies, according to the Treasury. In the first three quarters of this year the sector received a record £2.1bn investment.
Read more: Prime Minister voices support for UK fintech in Bank of England speech
The conference will be a part of UK Fintech Week 2018, which will take place from 19-23 March. There will be a variety of events taking place up and down the country in recognition of the fintech sector, beginning with Innovate Finance’s Global Summit on 19-20 March.
