Int’l digital finance conference begins in Washington
The First International Investment and Digital Finance Conference 2026 kicked off in the USA, aiming to strengthen financial ties and foster secure digital ecosystems between the US and South Asian nations.
The two-day international event started on Friday at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Washington DC.The conference hosted by In Search of Root Foundation (USA), a South Asian organization based in Washington, D.C.
The high-level forum, themed ‘Building Pathways for Secure Digital Finance’, brought together a diverse group of policymakers, financial regulators, and industry leaders from Bangladesh, the USA, India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
The inaugural ceremony featured distinguished guests and diplomats from the participating countries, who emphasised the necessity of cross-border collaboration in the face of rapid technological shifts in the global financial landscape.
The conference opened with inaugural remarks by Raihanul Islam Chowdhury, President of the In Search of Root Foundation (ISRF), a US-based non-profit organization committed to empowering diaspora communities through social, cultural and economic initiatives.
In his address, he said the event marks “not just the beginning of a conference, but the launch of a meaningful dialogue” focused on shaping the future of investment and digital finance.
Highlighting the rapid transformation of the global financial landscape, Raihanul underscored the urgency of building inclusive, efficient and resilient financial system. He noted that digital finance from mobile payments to AI-driven banking.
A key highlight of the opening day was the session titled “Public-Private Dialogue on Financial Policy, Payments Reform & Cost Efficiency.”
The event, organised by the In Search of Root Foundation (USA), is scheduled to conclude on Saturday with a plenary session on the future of intelligent banking and a seminar on strengthening investment flows between the US and South Asia: Challenges and Way Forward and The USA-South Asia Digital Finance and Investment Excellence Award.
Former lead institutional development specialist Dr Abdun Noor, former US ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr., former chief economist at Bangladesh Bank Dr Birupaksha Paul, Bangladesh Bank’s Foreign Exchange Policy Department Director Md Harun Ar Rashid, founder and CEO of bKash Kamal Quadir, among others, spoke on the programme.
During the roundtable, speakers discussed the urgent need for harmonising regulatory frameworks to facilitate smoother international payment systems.
Experts underscored that public-private partnerships (PPP) are essential for driving payment reforms that reduce transaction costs and enhance the efficiency of remittances-a vital economic pillar for South Asian countries like Bangladesh and India.
“The transition to a secure digital finance model requires not just technological adoption, but a unified policy approach that ensures interoperability and consumer protection,” noted one of the keynote speakers at the event.
The conference is designed to serve as a platform for modernising remittance systems: Promoting formal and secure channels for fund transfers, highlighting market-entry pathways for South Asian investors in the US and vice versa, exploring the role of AI and blockchain in intelligent banking and risk management.
