Georgian Government and National Bank Strongly Support Innovation - Former Czech National Bank Governor
It is particularly important to highlight that Georgia’s government and central bank support innovation, former Czech National Bank Governor Zdeněk Tůma said. He was one of the speakers at the Tbilisi Financial Summit.
“In this regard, we see very strong support and active engagement by the National Bank in the field of financial innovation, which is extremely important,” Tůma said.
According to him, the Tbilisi Financial Summit was a notable event that brought together representatives of the fintech sector and gave participants an opportunity to learn about stablecoins as well as a range of other important solutions.
“The panel I moderated focused on cross-border payments, but there are many other issues as well. If anyone wants to understand what to expect in terms of innovation in the financial sector, this is an excellent place to discuss these topics.
I believe we will see many new innovations in the financial sector over the next two to three years. I clearly remember that five to ten years ago, the financial sector was completely different, and since then, low-cost payments have made enormous progress.
New technologies generally focus on consumers, improving the services available to them and their overall experience. I am confident that we will see even more innovation in the financial sector over the next two to three years,” Tůma said.
At the Tbilisi Financial Summit, Tůma moderated a panel titled “Developing Regional Connectivity Infrastructure.” The panelists included National Bank of Georgia Vice President Ekaterine Galdava; Jim Soidemir, Head of Payments Market Development at SWIFT; Lu Heng, Vice President of UnionPay; and Kishan Srinivashi, Head of Business at the National Payments Corporation of India.
The discussion focused on advancing cross-border payments, ensuring interoperability between financial infrastructures and strengthening regional financial connectivity.
Drawing on their extensive international experience in developing cross-border payments and connecting payment infrastructures, the panelists shared insights and perspectives on the opportunities and challenges involved in creating faster, safer and more efficient payment systems.
This year’s Tbilisi Financial Summit brought together around 1,000 participants from nearly 60 countries.
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Ekaterine Galdava Discusses the Development of Cross-Border Payments, Interoperability of Payment Systems, and Strengthening of Regional Cooperation at the Tbilisi Finance Summit
29.10.2026.23:58
Vice Governor of the National Bank of Georgia, Ekaterine Galdava, participated in the panel discussion titled "Building the Infrastructure of Regional Connectivity" during the Tbilisi Finance Summit 2026.
The main topics of the discussion included the development of cross-border payments, the interoperability of financial infrastructure, and the strengthening of regional financial ties.
Panel participants, who possess significant international experience in developing cross-border payments and interconnecting payment infrastructures, shared their insights and perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of developing fast, secure, and efficient payments based on practices from various countries.
The conversation also touched upon the potential of using products and services based on both traditional payment technologies and stablecoins in international payments, alongside the associated regulatory challenges.
Ekaterine Galdava shared the vision and experience of the National Bank of Georgia as a regulator with the participants, highlighting the central bank's efforts in developing payment infrastructure, fostering innovation, and managing relevant risks.
"For the development of cross-border payments, it is important not only to introduce modern technologies but also to ensure the interoperability of payment infrastructures, the establishment of common standards, and cooperation among regulators. The National Bank of Georgia is actively working on both modernizing the current payment infrastructure and implementing new systems and services. Furthermore, we are open to innovative technologies; we study their capabilities and challenges, and we strive to create a regulatory environment that fosters innovation while ensuring the effective management of associated risks," stated Ekaterine Galdava.
Joining Ekaterine Galdava in the panel discussion were Cem Soydemir, Head of Payments Market Development for MENA, TCIS & India at Swift; Dr. Kishan Srinivas, Head of Business for Europe, GCC & Central Asia at the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI); and Liu Heng, Vice President at UnionPay International. The discussion was moderated by Zdeněk Tůma, Former Governor of the Czech National Bank.
The Tbilisi Finance Summit was co-organized by the National Bank of Georgia, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, and the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN). It serves as a major international platform for dialogue on financial technologies, innovations, and regional cooperation.
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