Sibos expands to Paris and Dubai, marking new era of global financial collaboration
The global financial services event Sibos, organised by SWIFT, is set for significant geographical expansion, reflecting the broader growth and diversification within the international financial landscape. Following upcoming editions in Frankfurt (2025), Miami (2026), and Singapore (2027), Paris will host Sibos for the first time in 2028. This occasion will coincide with the conference's 50th anniversary, marking five decades since its inaugural meeting in 1978. Paris is a top-tier European financial centre, employing approximately 340,000 people within the financial industry, which underscores its prominence as a host city choice.
In 2029, Dubai will take on hosting duties, representing a strategic move that signifies the start of a new rotational cycle for Sibos. Traditionally, the event has rotated among established financial hubs in Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific. With Dubai, a major financial gateway connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa, the event will now expand every four years to growing economies across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Dubai’s reputation as a financial and technological hub has surged, particularly due to the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), which was founded in 2004. The DIFC currently hosts nearly 7,000 businesses, including much of the Gulf Cooperation Council's fintech industry, highlighting the city’s rising influence in global finance.
The expansion decision was underpinned by SWIFT’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity, reflecting the growing global scope of its network, which now serves over 11,500 institutions across more than 200 countries and territories. Rosemary Stone, SWIFT's Chief Corporate Officer, emphasised the importance of broadening Sibos’ reach: “No other event brings the industry together on the same scale as Sibos, and the addition of even more perspectives to the event’s debates and discussions will be increasingly valuable as the industry navigates rapid technological change and the growing risk of fragmentation.” This expansion comes amidst record-breaking usage of SWIFT’s infrastructure, which recently saw its highest year-on-year growth in 15 years, underscoring the platform’s enhanced role in global financial connectivity.
Sibos itself has evolved from its initial form as a banking operations seminar into a pivotal global forum that regularly attracts over 10,000 delegates. It covers a wide range of topics crucial to modern finance, including payments, securities, cash management, and trade. The selection of host cities follows a competitive bidding process based on a mix of financial significance, technological capacity, logistical expertise, and the ability to accommodate a large-scale event. The pandemic in 2020 saw Sibos shift to a fully digital format, with virtual attendance remaining an option even after the resumption of in-person gatherings in 2022, enhancing accessibility for a global audience.
Dubai's selection as the 2029 host also serves as a strong global endorsement of the UAE’s leading role in the financial sector. The UAE Banks Federation has highlighted that the decision reflects international confidence in the country’s initiatives to develop the financial, banking, and payments industries. Since hosting Sibos in 2013—the first time the event was held in the Middle East and Africa—Dubai has solidified its status as a forward-looking financial centre. Collaborations between key partners, including the DIFC, Dubai World Trade Centre, and the UAE Central Bank, have helped foster a dynamic environment for innovation and security in financial transactions. These efforts align with the UAE’s National Payment Systems Strategy, which aims to advance payment solutions and improve customer experiences across the region.
Looking ahead, Sibos will continue to serve as a crucial platform where financial leaders, policymakers, technology providers, and other stakeholders convene to discuss transformations shaping the industry. The upcoming 2025 event in Frankfurt will focus on “The next frontiers of global finance,” addressing connectivity, interoperability, and resilience in the evolving financial ecosystem. As Sibos embraces new host cities and regions, it reaffirms its role not only as an industry convention but as a catalyst for collaboration and innovation across global markets.