Dubai: UAE Banks Federation (UBF) has commenced preparations to host Sibos 2029, the annual conference, exhibition, and networking event organised by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT). UBF has initiated consultations and meetings with strategic partners, including Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), and the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE), to ensure the event reflects the UAE’s status as a global financial hub.
According to Emirates News Agency, UBF has engaged its members, particularly national banks, to discuss strategic plans for SWIFT 2029. The goal is to elevate the UAE’s banking and financial sector, CBUAE, and national banks. These efforts will begin with the participation of several member banks in Sibos 2025 in Frankfurt, Germany, from September 29 to October 2, 2025. The event is expected to attract over 10,000 global financial leaders, bankers, CEOs of major fintech companies, and service providers under the theme ‘The next frontiers of Global Finance.’
Jamal Saleh, Director-General of UBF and Chairman of SWIFT User Group Steering Committee in the UAE, emphasized the UAE’s selection as host for Sibos 2029, highlighting global confidence in the country’s financial leadership. Saleh noted that participation in Sibos 2025 will showcase the UAE’s achievements in payments and its contribution to developing the financial services industry and global trade. This participation is part of preparations for Sibos 2029 in Dubai, aimed at introducing the global payments community to the UAE’s financial advancements.
Since 1978, SWIFT has organised Sibos annually in major international financial centers, providing a global platform for leaders of financial and banking institutions, economic entities, and technology providers. Saleh also pointed out the UAE’s pioneering role in payments, with UBF establishing the Steering Committee and National SWIFT User Group (NMG) as the first of its kind in the MENA region. Since its inception in 2021, NMG has been crucial in enhancing payment operations, improving banking transfer efficiency and security, and fostering knowledge-sharing and decision-making.