Three-day industry-engaged programme brings together experts, students and emerging talent through forums, career workshops, exhibitions and a FinTech Hackathon

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Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) successfully organised FinTech Day 2026, transforming its campus into a dynamic learning ground where students could engage directly with industry leaders, explore emerging financial technologies and apply their knowledge to real-world challenges. 

Held from 20 to 22 August 2026, the three-day programme was organised by the APU FinTech Young Leaders Society (FYLeaderS) in collaboration with the FinTech Association of Malaysia (FAOM) and APU’s School of Technology (SoT). 

Carrying the theme “The FinTech Edge: Redefining Digital Finance,” the event brought together students, academics and industry professionals for a combination of expert forums, employability-focused workshops, industry exhibitions, networking activities and a FinTech Hackathon. 

The successful organisation of the programme reflected APU’s continuing emphasis on creating learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom and expose students to the technologies, regulatory considerations and professional skills shaping modern financial services. 

Bringing Industry Conversations into the University

FinTech Day 2026 was officially launched by Associate Professor Dr Thang Ka Fei, Senior Head of APU’s School of Technology, followed by a keynote address by Mr Anil Gill, President of the FinTech Association of Malaysia.

His presentation, titled “The FinTech Edge: Redefining Digital Finance,” introduced students to developments influencing the industry and highlighted opportunities emerging for future professionals and entrepreneurs.

Industry engagement continued through two expert forums.

The first, “AI and Predictive Analytics: The New Era of Risk and Reward,” explored the growing influence of artificial intelligence, data and predictive technologies on financial decision-making and risk management.

The panel featured Mr Danny Leong, Managing Director of MoonStone Advisers & Ventures; Mr Freddy Lee, Head of Digital Platform, Data & Digital Services at Bursa Malaysia; and Mr Jonathan Chee, Head of Business Development at CCACC Sdn. Bhd.

Moderated by Dr Ahmad Danial Zainudin, Senior Lecturer at APU’s School of Accounting and Finance (SoAF), the discussion encouraged students to examine not only the opportunities created by AI, but also the risks and responsibilities associated with increasingly data-driven financial systems.

A second forum, “The Regulatory Edge: Malaysia’s Blueprint for Digital Finance,” examined how regulation can respond to rapid technological change.

Featuring representatives from CFA Society Malaysia, MIMOS and Reliva Technology, and moderated by Dr Meera Eeswaran, Senior Lecturer and Lead of the APU FinTech Academy, the session helped students understand the relationship between innovation, regulation, consumer protection and financial-system integrity.

Preparing Students for the Workplace

Student development continued through FINREADY: Gearing Towards Literacy and Employability, held on 21 August.

The workshop connected financial literacy with entrepreneurship, innovation and career readiness through speakers representing insurance technology, start-up ecosystems, artificial intelligence and business development.

For students, the value went beyond gaining industry knowledge. They were exposed to the combination of technological awareness, financial understanding, communication ability and innovative thinking increasingly expected in the FinTech workplace.

The programme also created opportunities for students to meet industry representatives through exhibitions, networking activities and the Springboard Challenge, helping them better understand emerging business models and possible career pathways.

Turning Knowledge into Solutions

One of the event’s key experiential learning components was the FinTech Hackathon, which challenged university teams to develop solutions for real-world financial technology issues.

Students were required to combine business strategy, financial knowledge and technical capabilities while working collaboratively under time and presentation pressures.

The challenge provided a practical setting for participants to test classroom knowledge, divide project responsibilities, refine ideas and communicate their proposed solutions to evaluators.

Three universities emerged on the winners’ podium. Team EAQ from International Islamic University Malaysia was named Champion, followed by Team 1000011 from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia as First Runner-Up.

Representing APU, Team AgenticX secured Second Runner-Up, adding a student achievement to APU’s successful hosting of the inter-university event.

Building Future-Ready FinTech Talent

Supported by industry partners including The Insurance Collective, JurisTech, CGC Digital and CCACC Sdn. Bhd., FinTech Day 2026 demonstrated how university–industry collaboration can enrich students’ education by placing professional insights alongside academic learning.

Through successfully bringing together industry experts, professional associations and students from different universities, APU created a platform where learners could question, experiment, collaborate and experience the realities of a rapidly evolving sector.

Reflecting on the event, Professor Dr Chong Lee Lee, Head of APU’s School of Accounting and Finance, said, “FinTech Day 2026 demonstrates what students can achieve when academic knowledge, technological capabilities and industry experience are brought together. Through the forums, workshops and hackathon, our students did more than learn about financial innovation — they applied their knowledge, collaborated across disciplines and developed solutions for real-world challenges.

“We hope this experience will inspire them to become responsible and forward-looking contributors to the future of digital finance.”

The successful completion of FinTech Day 2026 further reinforced APU’s commitment to experiential education — providing students not simply with knowledge about the future of finance, but opportunities to participate actively in shaping it.