Fintech's New Gold Standard: Money20/20 Elevates Awards with Global Jury

NEW YORK, NY – April 09, 2026 – Money20/20, the influential global fintech show, has significantly raised the stakes for industry recognition with the unveiling of its powerhouse international jury for The Money Awards 2026. By assembling a panel of esteemed operators, investors, and innovators from every corner of the financial world, the organization is making a clear statement: these awards aim to be the definitive global benchmark for excellence, credibility, and genuine impact in the fast-evolving world of financial technology.

Building on a successful inaugural year that drew hundreds of entries from over 41 countries, the 2026 edition reinforces its ambition to define what outstanding innovation looks like. The announcement moves beyond a simple list of names, signaling a strategic effort to ground the awards in deep operational expertise and create a distinction that carries tangible weight across the ecosystem.

The Architects of Excellence: A Jury of Global Industry Insiders

At the heart of The Money Awards' claim to preeminence is the composition of its judging panel. Money20/20 has curated a roster of individuals who are not just commentators but active builders and shapers of the financial landscape. This emphasis on "real-world expertise" is designed to ensure that winning projects are judged on their practical impact and forward-looking vision, not just on novelty.

The leadership of the jury underscores this commitment. Each of the five award categories is helmed by a distinguished Jury President:
* Osama Bedier, Investment Partner at NYCA Partners, will lead the Startup category.
* Shruti Patel, EVP and Chief Product Officer for Business Banking at U.S. Bank, will preside over the Banking category.
* Dave Excell, Founder of Featurespace, a Visa Solution, will chair the Payments jury.
* Garry Sien, Chief Innovation & Solutions Officer, International, at Ant Digital Technologies, will oversee the Partnerships & Strategic Alliance category.
* Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President & CEO of Women's World Banking, will lead the prestigious Diamond Award panel.

This leadership is supported by a globally diverse panel of experts. The jury includes figures like Lee Chen Choong, Deputy Director at the Central Bank of Malaysia; Rafael Fragoso, Digital Banking Executive Director at Mexico's Banorte; Tendai Dube, COO of Absa CIB Technology in Africa; and Saeeda Jaffar, Managing Director for the Middle East at Circle. This geographic and institutional diversity ensures a judging process that is not only globally aware but also sensitive to regional challenges and innovations.

“The Money Awards were created with a single purpose: to set a global benchmark for excellence in fintech,” said Grania Chesterton, VP of Awards at Money20/20. “What truly defines them is who’s behind the decisions... Our Jury Presidents and Global Jury are embedded in the industry with deep operational expertise, and they play a critical role in defining what great really looks like. That’s why this recognition carries real weight.”

A Barometer for Innovation: What the Award Categories Reveal

The structure of The Money Awards 2026 serves as a clear indicator of the trends and priorities shaping the future of finance. The five distinct categories highlight the key pillars of the modern financial ecosystem, from nascent disruptors to collaborative giants.

The Startup (Early & Growth Stage) category signals a commitment to fostering the next generation of innovators, recognizing founders at critical points in their journey. The Banking and Payments categories focus on excellence within the industry's core functions, celebrating advancements that enhance efficiency, security, and customer experience in these fundamental areas.

Perhaps most telling of the current industry climate is the dedicated Partnerships & Strategic Alliance category. This highlights the growing understanding that the future of fintech lies not in isolated disruption but in cross-industry collaboration. The award recognizes the strategic alliances between fintechs, financial institutions, and even non-financial players that are creating new value propositions and accelerating market-wide innovation.

Crowning the program is the Diamond Award, its highest honor, designed to celebrate the single "most transformative achievement in global fintech." In 2025, this prestigious Grand Prix was awarded to Project Nemo, a community-focused initiative, demonstrating that the award values broad, societal impact as much as technological prowess. This top-tier recognition seeks to identify the game-changers whose work is fundamentally redefining how the world interacts with money.

More Than a Trophy: The Tangible Impact of Recognition

In a crowded market of accolades, Money20/20 is positioning The Money Awards as a powerful catalyst for growth. The organization claims that winning provides far more than a bespoke trophy and bragging rights. Winners are promised year-round visibility across Money20/20’s influential platforms, including exclusive speaking engagements, significant media coverage, and direct exposure to investors and potential partners.

This promise is supported by the trajectory of past winners. The inaugural 2025 class included notable companies such as global insurtech firm bolttech, digital bank JazzCash, financial wellness app Cleo AI, and crypto exchange Yellow Card Financial. While a direct line of causation can be difficult to draw, the awards serve as both a recognition of existing momentum and a powerful amplifier for future growth. For these companies, the award acts as a globally recognized stamp of approval, validating their technology and business models on an international stage.

The ecosystem's cyclical nature is further highlighted by the inclusion of past winners in the 2026 jury. Rob Schimek, founder of 2025 winner bolttech, and Joanne Dewar, co-founder of Diamond Grand Prix winner Project Nemo, are both serving on this year's Diamond Award jury. Their participation reinforces the program's credibility and demonstrates a commitment to having industry-defining leaders guide the selection of their successors.

Setting a New Benchmark in a Competitive Landscape

The fintech industry is not short on awards programs, with numerous conferences and publications offering their own forms of recognition. However, Money20/20 is leveraging its unique market position to differentiate The Money Awards. Unlike awards that may focus purely on technology demos or regional achievements, this program combines a truly global scope with a judging process explicitly designed for operational credibility.

The multi-stage evaluation, which pairs independent scoring with collaborative deliberation among the expert panels, aims to ensure fairness and a merit-based outcome. By putting the final decisions in the hands of active C-suite executives, venture capitalists, and product leaders, the awards are intended to reflect the discerning judgment of the market itself. This approach seeks to answer a critical question for any aspiring fintech: "Is this innovation truly making a difference in the real world?"

As the industry continues to mature, the demand for credible, independent validation has never been higher. Money20/20's investment in this rigorous, expert-led program is a strategic move to become the ultimate arbiter of what constitutes "excellence" in fintech. With entries now open until July 28, the global financial technology community is watching to see which companies will rise to meet this new gold standard. The winners, set to be announced at a ceremony in Las Vegas on October 18, will not only gain an award but a significant platform for their future success.