Kathmandu – The inaugural edition of the Nepal Fintech Festival 2025, sponsored by UnionPay International and Nepal Clearing House Ltd. (NCHL), concluded successfully last Thursday in Kathmandu. The event saw active participation from around 400 delegates, including representatives from national and international financial institutions, technology companies, regulatory bodies, and fintech leaders.

The festival was conceptualized by Sanjib Subba, Founder of Kathmandu Fintech and the festival’s chief host. It aimed to drive strategic dialogue, showcase cutting-edge financial technologies, and accelerate Nepal’s digital financial transformation—positioning the country prominently on the global fintech map. The event was co-organized by Fintech Alliance Nepal.

Festival Highlights:

• In his opening address, Sanjib Subba emphasized, “The primary goal is to establish Nepal on the global fintech landscape. Apart from India, Nepal is the only South Asian country to host such a large-scale national fintech event.”
• Opening Session Speakers:
  • Nilesh Man Singh Pradhan, CEO, NCHL
  • Pradyumna Pokharel, CEO, Muktinath Bikas Bank
  • Surendra Raj Regmi, Vice President, Nepal Bankers’ Association
• Former Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, Maha Prasad Adhikari, was honored for his exceptional contributions to digital payments. The recognition was jointly presented by Fintech Alliance Nepal and Kathmandu Fintech.
• Neil Cross, former Chief Innovation Officer of DBS Bank Singapore, delivered an inspiring keynote, sharing the story of successful digital and cultural transformation.
• Binghan Hu, Head of UnionPay South Asia Branch, delivered a keynote address and also signed a card issuance agreement with Nepal Investment Mega Bank Ltd.
• Four high-level panel discussions focused on:
  • Digital banking
  • Strategic partnerships
  • Next-generation QR solutions
  • Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in financial services
• Deepak Sharma, Board Member of Sunrise Small Finance Bank and former CDO of Kotak Mahindra Bank, gave a keynote speech, sharing key learnings from India’s digital banking evolution.
• The event was also addressed by:
  • Govinda Ghimire, CEO, NMB Bank
  • Manoj Ghimire, Acting CEO, Nabil Bank
  • Pradyumna Pokharel, CEO, Muktinath Bikas Bank
  • Suman Pokharel, Deputy CEO, Global IME Bank

In addition to the discussions, the festival featured technology exhibition booths, live demos of fintech innovations, and networking sessions, providing a platform for collaboration and ideation.

Nepal Fintech Festival 2025 has marked a historic milestone in elevating Nepal’s fintech journey to international attention and has laid the foundation to make the country a leading fintech dialogue hub in South Asia. Kathmandu Fintech continues to play a vital role in fostering innovation, training, and research in Nepal’s financial and fintech sectors.