Name: Canada FinTech Symposium 2026
Start: 2026-05-20T08:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-05-21T17:30:00-04:00
Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Join us at Canada FinTech Symposium 2026 for cutting-edge ideas and cool networking in person!
About this Event

Welcome to the Canada FinTech Symposium 2026!

Get ready to dive into the future of finance with the best minds in the biz. This in-person event is your chance to network, learn, and explore groundbreaking FinTech trends right here in Canada. Whether you're a startup guru, investor, or tech enthusiast, the Canada FinTech Symposium 2026 is where innovation meets opportunity. Don’t miss out on all the exciting talks, workshops, and connections waiting for you!

Agenda: Canada FinTech Symposium 2026

FinTech Forward: Building a Resilient, Inclusive & Intelligent Financial Future

Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto

20–21 May 2026

Co-located with SBC Summit Canada

🔷 DAY 1 — Payments Infrastructure, Platform Strategy & Digital Asset Acceleration

Built for Bank Executives, FinTech Founders, Infrastructure Leaders & Capital Allocators

8:00 – 9:00 AM

Executive Networking Breakfast

Private, curated networking inside the Hall. Designed to facilitate early executive-level conversations between banks, fintech founders, regulators, investors, infrastructure providers and global sponsors before formal programming begins.

9:00 – 9:05 AM

Opening Remarks

Rahul Bhatia, Founder & CEO, Prolink Events Ltd.

Setting the strategic tone for Canada’s fintech future: infrastructure, competitiveness, innovation and global positioning.

9:05 – 9:20 AM

Opening Keynote: Shaping the Next Decade of FinTech Growth

Speaker Reserved: Minister of AI, Government of Canada

A macro-level vision on:

• Canada’s digital financial infrastructure

• Sovereign AI strategy in finance

• Capital formation & fintech competitiveness

• Positioning Canada in the global fintech economy

This keynote establishes Canada’s strategic ambition.

9:25 – 10:25 AM

The Real-Time Reality Check: Can Canada’s RTR Catch Up to the Global Giants (UPI, PIX, SEPA)?

Why This Matters:

India’s UPI processes over 18 billion transactions monthly. Brazil’s PIX is used by 93% of its adult population. Canada’s Real-Time Rail (RTR) is entering its final implementation phase.

Discussion Focus:

• Is Canada late — or strategically positioned to leapfrog?

• Lessons from UPI, PIX & SEPA implementation

• Monetization models for instant payments

• Fraud, liquidity and risk in 24/7 rails

• Cross-border interoperability potential

Moderator: Wendy Gross, Partner-Technology, Chair: Commercial Technology Transactions, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt Llp

Panel:

• Isabel Lee, Interac Corp, Leader, Client Relationships – Fintechs, Regional and Challenger Banks

• Reserved for a Global Expert (UPI / SEPA)

• Reserved for a Big Five Banker/Consulting Partner (Sponsor)

This session addresses the core of Canada’s payment modernization journey.

10:25 – 11:25 AM

Open Banking & Policy Innovation in the Age of AI

Open Banking is moving from framework design to operational execution.

Discussion Focus:

• Implementation readiness in Canada

• API standardization & data-sharing frameworks

• Liability models & consumer trust

• Monetization beyond compliance

• Open Finance expansion

Moderator: Christine Jackson, Partner, Commercial, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt Llp

Panel:

• Eyal Sivan, GM, North America— Ozone API | Mr. Open Banking

• David Birch, Global Ambassador, Consult Hyperion

• Mark Sam, Founder & Managing Director, Major First Advisory — Former Head of Canada, Plaid

This is about turning Open Banking into a growth engine.

11:30 – 11:45 AM

Featured Presentation

Paysend — Next-Generation Cross-Border Payments

How frictionless, real-time cross-border transfers are transforming global commerce, remittances and embedded financial services.

11:45 – 12:00 PM

Special Presentation

Marcus Daniels, CEO, Founding Partner, and CIO in Toronto Ontario Canada

The Future of Finance: ETH + AI

Exploring the convergence of programmable money and artificial intelligence, and what institutional finance must prepare for next.

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12:00 – 1:00 PM

Executive Lunch

Structured networking connecting fintech founders with institutional capital, corporate venture arms and ecosystem leaders.

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1:05 – 2:05 PM

Stablecoins in the Age of Regulated Finance

Navigating the GENIUS Act & Canada’s New Stablecoin Frontier

With the U.S. GENIUS Act signed in 2025 and Canada’s Stablecoin Act in implementation phase, stablecoins are entering regulated finance.

Discussion Focus:

• GENIUS Act implications for global markets

• Canada’s regulatory implementation framework

• Institutional custody readiness

• Opinion letters & legal clarity requirements

• Bank-issued vs decentralized stablecoins

• Stablecoins as settlement infrastructure

Panel:

• Reserved for a Regulator — Bank of Canada / OSFI

• Jaskaran (Jay) Kambo, Founder & CEO of SpendTheBits Inc

• Reserved for a U.S. Expert

• Bay Street Regulatory Lawyer

Moderator:

Reserved

This session bridges policy, infrastructure and institutional execution.

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2:10 – 2:55 PM

Cross-border money movement and the importance of real-time rails paysend announcement

As global commerce accelerates, the demand for instant, low-cost, and transparent cross-border payments has never been greater. This session explores how real-time payment rails are reshaping international money movement — reducing friction, improving liquidity, and enabling new business models.

Moderator: Visa or Paysend

Panel:

- Visa(Visa Direct), Speaker name awaited

- Paysend, Speaker name awaited

- Marcelo Bernal, President & Chief Revenue Officer, Buckzy Payments Inc.

- Jaskaran (Jay) Kambo, Founder & CEO of SpendTheBits Inc.,

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2:55– 3:30 PM

Coffee Break

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3:35 – 4:35 PM

Human-Centred & Agentic AI in Financial Services

As AI adoption scales, governance becomes critical.

Discussion Focus:

• Explainability & AI oversight

• Risk models & auditability

• Responsible automation frameworks

• AI transparency in lending & payments

Moderator: Reserved for a Sponsor

Panel:

• Bernice Cheung, VP Financial Services and Cultural Markets Research — Environics Research Group

• Reserved for Xe.com

• Mandy MacPhee, Founder | Fractional CMO, illumination CMO Executive Marketing Inc.

4:40 pm Onwards

Exhibition Area walk and Closing Remarks

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🔷 DAY 2 — Revenue Models, Lending Innovation & Institutional Scaling

Built for CROs, CIOs, Founders, Growth Leaders & Investors

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8:00 – 9:00 AM

Executive Networking Breakfast

Executive session spotlighting leadership, capital access and ecosystem inclusion.

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9:00 – 9:45 AM

Embedded Finance, SuperApps & Platform Economics

Financial services are increasingly embedded within digital ecosystems.

Discussion Focus:

• API monetization models

• Embedded lending & payments

• Platform-led banking strategies

• Cross-border embedded commerce

• SuperApp economics

This is where fintech revenue models scale.

Moderator: Charlie Fisher, VP of Product, KOHO

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9:45 – 10:00 AM

Visa Presentation

Enabling Global Money Movement Through Visa Direct

Infrastructure powering real-time global transfers for enterprises and platforms.

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10:00 – 11:00 AM

Lending Innovation & Credit Union Modernization

Canada’s lending market is undergoing digital transformation.

Discussion Focus:

• AI-assisted underwriting

• SME credit digitization

• Alternative credit scoring

• Credit union modernization

• Embedded lending economics

A growth-driven session for fintech lenders and financial institutions.

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11:00 – 11:30 AM

Coffee Break

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11:30 – 12:15 PM

InsurTech & AI: Reinventing Risk, Claims & Customer Experience

As insurance moves from legacy systems to intelligent, real-time platforms, AI and data are transforming underwriting, claims, and risk management. This session explores how insurers and technology providers are building faster, smarter, and more customer-centric insurance models.

Discussion Focus:

• AI-driven underwriting and real-time risk assessment

• Claims automation, fraud detection, and faster payouts

• Embedded insurance & API-driven distribution models

• Customer experience transformation through digital platforms

• Data, pricing models, and personalization in insurance

• Regulatory considerations and trust in AI-led insurance

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12:15 – 1:15 PM

Lunch + Sponsor Spotlight

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1:15 – 2:00 PM

Capital, Venture & Innovation: Funding the Next Wave of FinTech

As fintech enters a more disciplined and outcome-driven phase, access to capital, strategic partnerships, and commercialization pathways are becoming critical to scale. This session brings together venture capitalists, institutional investors, founders, and university innovation leaders to explore how the next generation of fintech companies will be funded and built.

From early-stage innovation to growth capital, the discussion will unpack where capital is flowing, what investors are prioritizing in 2026, and how startups can successfully navigate fundraising, partnerships, and expansion in a competitive market.

Panel:

- Reserved for a VC

- Reserved for a Bank innovation lead

- Reserved for a Founder who raised capital

- Reserved for a University innovation/accelerator

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2:00 – 2:45 PM

Cybersecurity & Digital Trust in an Interconnected Era

Trust is the foundation of digital finance.

Discussion Focus:

• AI-driven fraud detection

• Real-time payment risk