The Digital Fifth, a Mumbai-based fintech advisory firm, has announced that the fourth edition of the Bharat Fintech Summit (BFS) 2026 will take place on February 10–11 in Mumbai. The two-day forum is expected to draw over 4,000 participants, including BFSI executives, fintech founders, investors, and regulators, to map out the next stage of India’s digital financial roadmap.

This year’s summit shifts focus toward "institutional decision-making" and "responsible innovation". Discussions will cover critical industry pillars such as digital banking, AI-led transformation, cybersecurity, and the evolution of financial infrastructure. The event features more than 250 speakers across 95+ sessions, alongside product launches and technical masterclasses.

“Bharat Fintech Summit was built to move conversations beyond vision to execution,” said Sameer Singh Jaini, founder & CEO of The Digital Fifth. He added that as the market matures, the emphasis must move toward building scalable and compliant digital finance models.

Bridging the funding gap

The summit comes at a time when India’s fintech funding environment is undergoing a transition. In 2025, the sector saw a shift toward disciplined capital deployment, with 140+ startups raising approximately $1.69 billion. While investors remain interested in regulation-ready models in lending and payments, capital flows have become more selective, favouring long-term value creation over rapid burn.

To address this, the summit will host a dedicated "Investment Day," a platform designed to facilitate deal-focused engagements between startups and active investors.

A central theme for the 2026 edition is the strengthening of ties between traditional financial institutions and fintech innovators. The Digital Fifth co-founder Shashank Shekhar said that the goal is to drive "tangible outcomes" by helping startups connect directly with institutions to broaden financial access across India.

“The summit is built to drive tangible outcomes. It enables startups to connect with investors and institutions, fosters meaningful partnerships, and brings leaders together to exchange perspectives that shape long-term strategy. Our aim is to catalyse collaboration that accelerates digitisation and broadens access to financial services across India,” he said.

The event will also feature the Fintech & Digital Excellence Awards, recognising leadership and innovation across the banking and fintech ecosystem.