World Class Leaders Set to Champion Innovation Across Fintech’s Most Prestigious Awards
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Money20/20, the world’s leading fintech show and the place where money does business, today announces the return of The Money Awards for its second year, following strong industry engagement and the momentum of its inaugural program. The Money Awards honor and celebrate the companies, innovations, and partnerships shaping the future of finance, recognizing outstanding achievements across the global financial technology sector.
The awards, which debuted in 2025, have quickly become one of the industry’s most‑watched benchmarks for innovation and meaningful impact.
Building on that momentum, the 2026 program expands its global reach and deepens its commitment to spotlighting organizations that are transforming industries and driving the next wave of financial innovation. Judging is conducted through a rigorous, merit‑based process led by a diverse panel of leaders from fintech, banking, payments, venture capital, and technology. The global award ceremony will take place at Money20/20 USA in Las Vegas on Sunday, October 18.
“The Money Awards were built with one clear goal: to set a global standard for what excellence in fintech actually looks like,” said Grania Chesterton, VP of Awards at Money20/20. “What makes them different is who decides. Our Jury Presidents and Global Jury are the operators, founders and innovators building this industry in real time. To be recognized by them isn’t just a win, it signals to the market, your peers and the world that your work truly matters.”
This year’s program centers on five main award categories that reflect the priorities shaping the future of financial services.
- At the top is The Diamond Award category, the program’s highest honor, celebrating the most transformative achievement in global fintech.
- The Startup category follows with two tracks: Early Stage and Growth Stage, recognizing founders at pivotal moments in their journey.
- The Banking, Payments, and Partnerships & Strategic Alliance categories round out the program, spotlighting excellence across the core pillars driving the industry forward.
Each category is led by a distinguished Jury President representing global expertise across financial services and technology. An independent Global Jury will join them and evaluate submissions through a transparent, multi‑stage process, including online assessments and in‑person deliberations at Money20/20 USA in October 2026. This year’s Jury Presidents include:
Diamond Award Category: Leading the program’s most prestigious category, Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President & CEO, Women’s World Banking, brings decades of global influence in financial inclusion to her role as Jury President for the Diamond Award category.
“The Money Awards 2026 come at a time of rapid industry transformation, where innovation must be both bold and inclusive. The Diamond category sets the highest standard, recognizing work that not just advances financial services but also revolutionizes what is possible. I am honored to lead this year’s Jury and to celebrate organizations that are elevating global standards for outstanding achievement and meaningful progress,” said Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President & CEO, Women’s World Banking.
Startup (Early Stage & Growth Stage): Overseeing the Startup category, Osama Bedier, Investment Partner, NYCA Partners, draws on his deep experience as a founder, operator, and investor to champion the next generation of fintech innovators.
“Every decade or so, a technology shift reshapes how money moves — from the web, to mobile and now to AI. The most important breakthroughs rarely start inside large institutions; they begin with founders willing to rethink first principles. The Money Awards 2026 shine a spotlight on those founders and teams pushing our industry into its next era. Leading the Early & Growth Stage jury gives me the chance to champion the bold ideas, the hard‑won progress, and the extraordinary execution that will determine the future of money. It’s a privilege to recognize the people who are not just imagining what comes next, but actively creating it,” said Osama Bedier, Investment Partner, NYCA Partners.
Banking: Shruti Patel, EVP, Business Banking; Chief Product Officer, U.S. Bank, leads the Banking category and draws on her experience building products and leading U.S. Bank’s business banking solutions portfolio.
“Banking is evolving rapidly, and it is essential to develop solutions that build trust, boost resilience, and deliver real value to customers. I am honored to chair the Banking jury for 2026 and look forward to recognizing innovators who demonstrate what purposeful and ambitious modern banking can achieve. The Money20/20 Money Awards celebrate the visionaries reshaping financial services—from digital pioneers to those expanding access and opportunity to help drive economic growth. We’ll be recognizing institutions that prove modern banking can be both technologically sophisticated and deeply human-centered,” said Shruti Patel, EVP, Business Banking; Chief Product Officer, U.S. Bank
Payments: As Jury President for the Payments category, Dave Excell, Founder, Featurespace, a Visa Solution, leverages his pioneering work in fraud and risk technology to spotlight breakthroughs shaping global money movement.
“The payments ecosystem stands at a pivotal moment where innovation, security, and customer experience must converge to create truly holistic solutions. As technology reshapes how we transact, the need for adaptive, real-time fraud detection has never been greater. I’m excited to serve as Jury President for the Payments category at the Money Awards, where we’ll celebrate the pioneers driving this evolution. We’ll be recognizing companies that understand what drives the best payment experiences to make them accessible to all,” said Dave Excell, Founder, Featurespace, a Visa Solution
Partnerships & Strategic Alliance: Leading the Partnerships & Strategic Alliance category, Garry Sien, Chief Innovation & Solutions Officer, International, Ant Digital Technologies, brings a global innovation lens shaped by his work driving Ant Digital Technologies’ international strategy.
“The Money Awards 2026 highlight just how much collaboration fuels progress across the global financial ecosystem. Partnerships and strategic alliances are where vision turns into real‑world impact, bringing together diverse strengths, shared ambition, and the willingness to build something superior to what any one organisation could achieve alone. I am proud to lead this year’s Jury as we recognize the cross‑industry collaborations that are creating new value, accelerating AI innovation, and moving financial services forward worldwide,” said Garry Sien, Chief Innovation & Solutions Officer, International, Ant Digital Technologies.
The program will conclude with the announcement of the 2026 Money Awards Trophy winners at Money20/20 USA. Additional recognition moments at Money20/20 Europe and Money20/20 Asia will provide global visibility for honorees. Winners will receive a bespoke trophy and year‑round exposure across Money20/20’s platforms, including exclusive speaking opportunities, media coverage, investor visibility, and access to global networking at all Money20/20 events.
Applications for entries are now open. For details on categories, judging criteria, and entry instructions, visit www.money2020.com/awards.
About Money20/20 Money Awards
The Money Awards are Money20/20’s prestigious global awards program, recognizing the companies, innovations, and partnerships shaping the future of money. Launched in 2025, these awards celebrate excellence across the full spectrum of fintech innovation, from emerging startups to global institutions driving transformative change. Judged by a distinguished panel of industry leaders, The Money Awards honor those redefining how the world interacts with money through bold innovation and impactful solutions.
The awards span five core categories: Banking, Payments, Partnerships & Strategic Alliance, and Startup, culminating in the distinguished Diamond recognition. The inaugural 2025 winners showcased global fintech innovation, with Project Nemo taking the Diamond Grand Prix Award. Other notable winners included Bolttech, Cleo AI, Greenlight, JazzCash, Taktile, U.S. Bank and Yellow Card Financial. The annual award ceremony is held at Money20/20 USA in Las Vegas, where The Money Awards represent fintech’s most credible recognition and transformative work earns validation that extends far beyond the ceremony itself.
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