5th Asia Finance Forum: Positioning for the Future

Achieving financial health, sustainable finance, and fostering an inclusive, resilient, and stable financial system have become critical priorities for the Asia and the Pacific region. Financial health, encompassing the ability of individuals, households, and businesses to manage financial risks, absorb shocks, and achieve financial security, is key to building an inclusive economy. As new financial technologies (fintech), digital currencies, and decentralized financial systems emerge, there is an urgent need to ensure that these innovations drive market competition and efficiencies and promote trust and financial stability.

At the same time, while sustainable finance fosters long-term economic growth, its positive impacts need to be gained in the short term through job creation, market confidence, and meeting consumer demand. Mobilizing climate finance from the private sector is crucial for addressing both short-term and long-term economic growth through sustainable finance and is essential to closing the financing gap and meeting urgent climate targets.

In this respect, the shifts toward green finance and net-zero targets underscore the role of financial systems in supporting environmental and social sustainability, empowering businesses and individuals to transition to low-carbon and resilient economies.

This conference, hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), aims to explore how financial systems across the region can be designed to harness the benefits of innovation and competition while enhancing financial health, promoting sustainable and green financial systems, catalyzing climate finance, fostering trust, protecting consumers, and safeguarding financial stability and resilience.

Through discussions on topics such as financial health, sustainable finance, fintech adoption and integration, financial sector supervision, regulatory frameworks, and capital markets, participants will collaboratively build pathways toward a financial system that is both future-ready and inclusive, contributing to sustainable development across ADB's developing member countries.