Swiss State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF) & Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN)
- Global Finance Transformation: Held against the backdrop of shifting geopolitics, economic realignment and technological disruption, Point Zero Forum 2025 convened 1,350 leaders from 66 countries to chart a new path for financial innovation, resilience and trust.
- Europe at the Forefront: The Forum spotlighted Europe’s strategic imperative to balance digital sovereignty with openness, emphasising regulatory clarity, international standards, and cross-border collaboration as key enablers of a competitive digital economy.
- Next-Generation Financial Systems: From AI in central banking and tokenization to inclusive payment infrastructure and crypto regulation, the Forum’s 120+ sessions advanced the global dialogue on shaping interoperable, future-ready financial ecosystems.
Singapore, 20 May 2025 – The fourth edition of the Point Zero Forum concluded in Zurich after three days of high-level dialogue, insight-sharing and collaboration with Switzerland and Singapore, jointly reinforcing their commitment to global financial transformation grounded in trust, inclusion and innovation. Jointly hosted by the Swiss State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF) and the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), the Forum convened 1,350 global leaders from 66 countries, including central bankers, regulators, policymakers, technologists, entrepreneurs, and academics from across Europe and around the world.
This year’s Forum came at a time of shifting geopolitics, macroeconomic realignments, technological disruption, and trade fragmentation, forces that are reshaping the architecture of global finance. With more than 320 global speakers, and over 120 sessions, the Forum explored how these dynamics are driving the urgent need for collaboration, regulatory clarity, and innovation to support financial resilience and competitiveness, with particular emphasis on Europe’s evolving strategic role.
In his opening keynote, Guy Parmelin, Minister at the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER), Government of Switzerland, said: “Global challenges need global solutions. I urge everyone here to embrace multilateralism and prioritise collaborative solutions over fragmented silo thinking. Like a fine Swiss wine or fondue, innovation thrives best when you share it.” Underscoring the central tension and opportunity at the heart of Europe’s digital agenda, he added: “Digital sovereignty in Europe requires a careful balance safeguarding our digital autonomy while ensuring markets remain open and interconnected. This Forum serves as the collaborative stage to define and promote resilient digital ecosystems across Europe and beyond, emphasising the importance of well-balanced policies, international standards and the open exchange of talent and ideas.”
Daniela Stoffel, State Secretary, State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF), underlined how important stability, reliability and trustworthiness were to be successful: “But you also need skills, you need people, and you need access to people and markets. That is the mixture we are trying to uphold in Switzerland.” She added that the country’s liberal tradition is reflected in the state’s stepping back when intervention is not necessary, assessing risks in a principles-based way, and refraining from regulating isolated cases. Point Zero Forum 2025 confirmed that this approach enables Switzerland to align policies internationally while still leaving space for innovation.
Dr. Axel Weber, President of the Centre for Financial Studies and GFTN International Advisory Board Member, reinforced the geopolitical and structural context: “Central banks cannot prevent the crisis, but they can use their tools to catch up with reality, get ahead of the curve, manage the crisis, and the post-crisis world. The regulator is a key part of the resilience structure. The public sector looks at the benefit of everyone and tries to solve from a common interest perspective. That’s what a central bank can do, and that’s why they will prevail.”
The Forum also fostered a dialogue on critical innovation areas transforming finance. Sessions explored AI in central banking, tokenization, digital assets and cross-border payment architecture.
Sarah Breeden, Deputy Governor for Financial Stability at the Bank of England, spoke to the redesign of global financial infrastructure: “Digitalisation is about turning assets and money into new digital forms which can be exchanged in new ways, on new infrastructure, and there are loads of benefits coming from that as we all know. But what’s exciting about this is that as across the globe, we each look to upgrade our systems and our regulatory environment supporting retail and wholesale payments, we’ve got the unique opportunity to reshape them in a way which better serves the global financial system with greater harmonization and cross-border payment and settlement as a focus from the start.” She also underlined the role of regulatory sandboxes in supporting innovation at scale, across jurisdictions and technologies.
Leong Sing Chiong, Deputy Chair of GFTN and Deputy Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, addressed the foundational role of payment systems and tokenized infrastructure: “Payments is the bedrock of financial systems and the economy. We are seeing innovations in the payment space. They are gaining traction, and many of them are becoming mature. Our starting conviction is that asset tokenization can deliver significant efficiency gains. The North Star here is cheaper, faster, and safer cross border payments – Instant payment linkages are expanding steadily. At the same time, asset tokenization can deliver significant efficiency gains to clearing and settlement of cross border transactions.”
Point Zero Forum 2025 delivered convergence of vision and action charting pathways for digital finance, trust-based regulation and global interoperability. More than just a platform for dialogue, it reaffirmed its role as a trusted ground for collaboration where innovation meets regulation, and where future-ready financial systems are shaped together.
GFTN Group CEO Sopnendu Mohanty, reflecting on the role of the Forum, said: “Point Zero Forum has strengthened its global position as a conducive platform to bridge regulatory frameworks and technological advancement, charting pathways for next-generation financial systems. The Forum continues to anchor essential public-private collaboration, where central bankers, regulators, innovators, and investors converge to align vision with action. This year’s collaborative efforts focused on tokenization, AI, and cross-border systems, with a special spotlight on Europe’s strategic thinking behind financial sector technological advancements.”
Matthias Kröner, CEO of GFTN Europe, added: “Point Zero Forum underscored that as tech-nationalism intensifies, digital sovereignty has become Europe’s defining frontier in securing the future of its financial sector. GFTN is purpose-built for this moment, bridging global perspectives with European values of advancing a principled, rules-based approach to innovation for building the financial architecture of the future. In an era of growing fragmentation, the Forum serves as a bridge to foster alignment not just within sectors or regions, but across borders and systems.”
About Point Zero Forum
Point Zero Forum is an annual platform co-hosted by the Swiss Secretariat for International Finance and the Global Finance & Technology Network. It brings together global decision-makers to drive dialogue on innovation in financial services, the digital economy, and regulatory policy.
About Global Finance & Technology Network (GTFN)
The Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN) is a not-for-profit organisation established by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in 2024 to harness technology and foster innovation for more efficient, resilient, and inclusive financial ecosystems through global partnerships. GFTN convenes global forums, offers advisory services on innovation ecosystems, provides access to transformative digital platforms, and invests in technology startups with the potential for growth and positive social impact through its venture fund.
About the Swiss State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF)
The State Secretariat for International Finance represents Switzerland’s interests in financial, monetary and tax matters not only vis-à-vis partner countries but also in the competent international bodies. It is committed to good framework conditions to ensure that Switzerland can have an innovative, interconnected and sustainable financial centre and business location that is among the world leaders. The State Secretariat is responsible for implementing the financial market policy of the Swiss Government.
