FSS Hosts Simply Payments 2025 in Dubai, Highlighting the Role of AI in Payments Transformation

Financial Software and Systems (FSS), a global leader in payments technology, hosted the Dubai edition of its flagship event, Simply Payments 2025, under the theme “Reimagining Payments in the AI Era.” The event brought together top minds in Fintech, Government Payments, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), addressing the growing importance of AI in transforming the financial services industry, particularly in the UAE.

Highlights:

1. AI as a Strategic Enabler
   • The event highlighted how banks and financial institutions must embrace AI not only as a tool but as a strategic enabler of operational agility, consumer relevance, and sustainable growth. The need for AI in financial services is increasingly urgent as global digital payments continue to evolve rapidly.
2. UAE’s Transformation: A Catalyst for Innovation
   • With the Central Bank of the UAE’s Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) Programme pushing for instant payments, and the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 positioning the UAE as a global AI leader, the event underscored the UAE’s pivotal role in shaping the future of payments.
3. FSS’s Commitment to the MENA Region
   • Sandeep David Crasta, Head of Sales – Retail Payments, MENA at FSS, discussed how FSS has supported payments modernization across 26+ countries and is now deepening its focus on the MENA region, with Dubai emerging as a hub for fintech partnerships. FSS aims to help the UAE realize its vision of an AI-led, inclusive digital economy.
4. AI’s Role in Financial Efficiency
   • In a keynote titled The Role of AI in Reshaping Financial Economics, Imad Ahmed Abdalwahab of Magnati shared how AI is improving financial operations, such as increasing transaction acceptance rates by 30–40% through intelligent decision-making, real-time fraud prevention, and enhanced user engagement.
5. Ethical AI and Regulatory Alignment
   • FSS’s CEO, V Balasubramanian, emphasized that AI must be used ethically to empower human decision-making, aligning with UAE’s progressive regulatory frameworks focused on governance and consumer protection. He also discussed the concept of dual intelligence, combining human insight and machine learning to create differentiated outcomes in a competitive market.
6. Panel Discussion: Reimagining Payments in the AI Era
   • A panel discussion featuring experts from fintech and banking sectors, including Haishan Wu, Mohamed Chakib Ouabi, Devendra Kumar, and Malaz Mubaid, focused on the strategic importance of AI investments for banks. The discussion highlighted the growing pressure for banks to modernize their payment systems to stay competitive.
7. The Success of FSS BLAZE in the UAE
   • FSS’s BLAZE platform, launched in the UAE last year, has received significant adoption from banks and telecom companies. The platform is transforming how modern payments work, making them faster, smoother, and more seamless.

Simply Payments 2025 in Dubai reinforced the critical role of AI in reshaping the payments landscape. As the UAE continues to lead in fintech innovation, FSS remains a key enabler, helping local and regional financial institutions adopt cutting-edge solutions for a more efficient, secure, and AI-driven future.