Fintech on the Seas Sells Out
Fintech on the Seas 2026 opened to a sold-out crowd on Necker Island, with BVI Finance welcoming both returning delegates and many first-time visitors to the Virgin Islands. Officials and industry leaders emphasised responsible growth, trusted regulation and practical adoption as digital assets and stablecoins become more embedded in global finance.
Fintech on the Seas 2026 opened to a sold-out audience as industry leaders, regulators and investors gathered on Necker Island for two days of panels and policy discussion focused on the next decade of digital finance. BVI Finance Chief Executive Officer Elise Donovan welcomed returning attendees and highlighted the large number of first-time visitors to the Virgin Islands and the conference.
BVI Finance Co-Chair George Weston also gave remarks on day one, alongside Junior Minister for Financial Services and Economic Development Hon Lorna G. Hon Smith used her address to underline the Virgin Islands’ emphasis on responsible growth, trusted regulation and practical adoption as fintech becomes more deeply embedded in global financial services.
She pointed to the territory’s “robust but flexible framework,” the growing digital asset ecosystem, and the need to maintain public and investor confidence as stablecoins, tokenised assets and other digital finance products scale across markets. The afternoon session continued with a Regulatory and Policy Summit that kept the momentum going with practical, forward-looking conversations on supervision, stablecoins and the next decade of digital finance.
The Summit explored “Public Private Supervision 2.0: Who Does What in the Next Decade?” on a roundtable featuring George B. Malone, Lesley-Anne Pearson, Pamela Clegg and Amardeep Thandi, facilitated by Nia Statham. A second discussion, “Stablecoins as Financial Infrastructure: GENIUS Aligned Controls, Tokenised Assets, and the End of Anonymous Offshore,” was moderated by Ayana S.
According to BVI Finance, the sessions considered how public-private collaboration must evolve as digital asset markets mature and regulatory expectations rise. Deputy Managing Director of the BVI Financial Services Commission Glenford V. Malone praised the conference’s mix of public and private participants, noting both the benefits of supervisory regulation and the appeal of the BVI as a location. “Fintech on the Seas conference brings together an interesting group of individuals…from the private, public and other sectors that speak about the benefits of being in the BVI; the benefits of supervisory regulation, as well as the beauty of the BVI being out there at Oil Nut Bay,” he said.
BVI Finance Fintech Lead Trevaughn Smith added, “We’re really excited. I think the attendees are in for a really good time.” Fintech on the Seas continues on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, on Necker Island where Virgin Group founder Sir Richard C. Panels scheduled include tokenisation of real assets, structuring future digital governance, prediction markets, tokenised funds, scaling digital asset businesses, and the interplay of capital, code and jurisdiction.
Held under the patronage of Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) and Hon Smith, the conference positions the BVI as a convening hub for conversations that could shape regulatory approaches and commercial opportunities—potentially boosting local professional services, financial-services jobs and tourism-linked economic activity for residents.
Primary source: VINO