On October 21, the Sibos 2024 Annual Conference, often referred to as the “Olympics of the financial industry,” opened in Beijing. This marks the first time in its 44-year history that the Sibos conference is being held in a city in mainland China.
As a vital platform for global financial professionals to exchange ideas, collaborate, and showcase their businesses, this year’s event spans four days and brings together over 10,000 attendees from more than 150 countries and regions. Participants include central bank officials, financial regulators, executives from various financial institutions, and experts, all convening in Beijing to explore the theme of “Future Financial Synergy and Connectivity.”
The conference boasts a diverse array of top-tier financial institutions with a notably high level of international participation. The exhibition is divided into a main exhibition area and a fintech showcase. In total, 133 financial institutions and third-party organizations are exhibiting, including 24 global systemically important banks like JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, HSBC, Bank of America, and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. Foreign institutions make up 86% of the exhibitors, with 114 international organizations participating. Additionally, the fintech exhibition features over 50 companies, including first-time exhibitor the Innovation Hub of the Bank for International Settlements.
The agenda for this conference is rich and varied, touching on topics such as banking operations, payments, digital assets, trade finance, artificial intelligence, and sustainable finance. In addition to the opening and closing ceremonies, a series of sessions will be held, including high-level perspectives, leadership insights, discussions on key topics, expert meetings, and innovation hubs.
For the first time, this year’s conference is powered entirely by green electricity. Initiatives to promote carbon reduction include providing reusable exhibition modules and encouraging participating institutions and attendees to sign sustainability commitments. Collaborative efforts with Beijing also feature events like the “Investment Beijing Global Financial Services Network Launch” and the seminar on “Opportunities and Challenges in Multilateral Central Bank Digital Currency Bridges and Cross-Border Payment Innovations.”
Sibos is organized by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) and has been a landmark international event in the financial sector since its inception in 1978, rotating among major international financial centers in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Hong Kong has previously hosted the event twice, in 1991 and 2009.
