What are Thematic Forums?
AllianceDFA Thematic Forums bring together people from across the digital finance and fintech ecosystem to explore shared challenges, exchange knowledge and identify opportunities for collaboration.
They provide a space to:
- Exchange experience – share practical insights, lessons learned and approaches from different markets.
- Explore different perspectives – hear from people with different roles, expertise and experiences.
- Identify emerging issues and opportunities – examine challenges affecting the sector and explore potential responses.
- Compare approaches across markets – understand what is working, what isn’t and what can be learned from different contexts.
- Build connections – connect with others working on similar issues and identify opportunities to collaborate.
The Forums are designed to be discussion-led but action-oriented. The emphasis is on meaningful exchange, peer learning and constructive discussion, with opportunities to turn insights into practical outputs that can inform wider industry thinking.
Thematic Forums Now Open for Applications
We are currently inviting applications to join six Thematic Forums. Explore the Forums below to find out more about their focus, the issues they will explore and who is leading each one. Click on each Forum’s name to read its full description and find out more about its purpose and areas of discussion.
| Thematic Forum | Focus | Forum Lead(s) |
| Digital Assets: Cross-Border Dialogue on Regulation and Market Policy | Explore digital asset regulatory approaches across jurisdictions, bringing together industry and regulatory perspectives to identify opportunities for greater alignment and interoperability, while developing shared evidence and positions to inform digital asset policy and regulation.
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| How can Stablecoins Foster Financial Inclusion | Explore the potential value, opportunities and challenges stablecoins present for emerging markets, particularly in Africa and Latin America, including the development and use of local stablecoins. It will foster dialogue around practical use cases, benefits and risks, and ways to address these challenges. |
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| Beyond Interoperability: Designing Open Finance Frameworks That Expand MSME Credit in LMICs | Explore how open finance frameworks and digital public infrastructure can support the transformation of these institutions so that they lend more to MSMEs, at the amounts and tenors MSMEs need, with lower collateral requirements. |
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| Developing Non-Banking Financial Ecosystems | Explore emerging operational and regulatory challenges in the non-banking financial sector through international peer exchange, cross-border collaboration and the development of action-oriented policy and research outputs. |
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| Fintech Cross-border Scaling and Regulatory Readiness | Explore how credible and appropriately prepared fintech firms can scale across jurisdictions more effectively, while respecting the regulatory objectives and market conditions of each jurisdiction. |
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| How can Associations help DFS Ecosystems Detect, Prevent and Disrupt Fraud Across Markets? | Explore how industry associations can help digital finance ecosystems detect, prevent and disrupt fraud more effectively across markets, and identify where associations can enable collective action. |
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How to apply
Interested in joining one of the Thematic Forums?
- Review the descriptions of the five Forums above to identify which best align with your interests, experience and expertise.
- Read the individual Forum document to understand its focus and areas of discussion.
- Complete the application form to express your interest.
The application will ask you to indicate your relevant experience, the perspectives and expertise you could contribute, and the Forum(s) you would like to join.
Applications will be reviewed to help ensure each Forum brings together participants with a relevant mix of experience, knowledge and perspectives.
Why Thematic Forums matter
Thematic Forums create value at several levels:
- For associations and their members: An opportunity to exchange experiences, learn from peers, explore shared challenges and compare approaches across markets, bringing international insights, evidence and connections back into their own work.
- For Forum Leads: An opportunity to share expertise, shape industry discussions, build cross-market connections, increase visibility, and develop relationships through collaboration on shared challenges.
- For AllianceDFA: A way to identify emerging challenges, opportunities and priorities across the network, informing future projects, collective action, policy advocacy, research and practical resources.
- For the wider industry: A space to bring together diverse perspectives, identify emerging issues and strengthen collective understanding of industry challenges and opportunities.
How do the Thematic Forums work?
Each Forum focuses on a specific topic and is facilitated by a Forum Lead, who helps shape the discussions, encourage participation and identify opportunities to take ideas forward.
Forums meet every six to eight weeks, with discussions shaped by the interests and priorities of participants. Sessions are designed to encourage active exchange rather than formal presentations, giving participants the opportunity to share experiences, explore challenges and learn from different perspectives.
While discussion and peer learning are central, Forums are also encouraged to identify opportunities to translate conversations into practical outputs. These might include briefings, resources, webinars, case studies or position papers, depending on the topic and the interests of participants.
Who can participate?
Thematic Forums are open to:
- AllianceDFA Member Associations
- Members of AllianceDFA Member Associations, including individuals working within their member organisations.
- Invited guests from outside the membership, such as academics, regulators, consultants and other specialists whose experience and expertise can bring valuable perspectives to the discussions.
Each Forum aims to bring together a diverse group of approximately 10–30 participants, encouraging a mix of experience, expertise and perspectives from different markets.
What does participation involve?
Thematic Forums meet approximately every six to eight weeks, with an expected time commitment of around three to four hours per month, including preparation and any follow-up activities.
Participants are expected to:
- Attend and actively contribute to Forum discussions.
- Share relevant experience, knowledge and perspectives.
- Engage openly with different viewpoints and approaches.
- Contribute to exploring challenges, identifying opportunities and, where appropriate, developing practical outputs.
- Attend at least 70% of Forum meetings, where possible, to support continuity and meaningful engagement.
The value of each Forum depends on the active participation and contributions of its members.
We look forward to bringing together members and participants from across the digital finance ecosystem to exchange ideas, learn from one another and explore opportunities for collaboration.