It is now an annual jamboree. With pricey tickets and sponsors looking to please the government, last week's Global Fintech Fest 2026 in Mumbai was probably a money spinner. Alongside the government, regulators like the Reserve Bank of India, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the Pension Fund Regulatory Authority, and others bring top finance and tech minds together.
Personal finance is shifting from active management by you to delegation to an AI agent that does it for you.
The event saw several new product launches, key report releases, and memoranda of understanding. The conversations and announcements centred on agentic AI frameworks that would handle everyday financial tasks for you. They also pointed to a broader shift: stronger digital public infrastructure, modern bond platforms, algorithmic trading systems and cross-border payment networks, alongside the expansion of digital fraud and the behavioural need for robust defence mechanisms and structures.
Investing and managing your finances comes with obvious challenges. This column therefore stands for financial knowledge and for efforts to make you aware.
Many companies are presenting agentic AI tools to make investing in mutual funds or stocks easier, or insurance tech companies that determine the right insurance amount and buy it for you. AI is now disrupting every segment in financial services that affects you. Companies that manage your credit behaviour through a credit score now also follow your digital footprint to understand your financial habits. It begins when you search for spending opportunities, like looking to spend on travel by converting the payment into EMIs. When it comes to financial planning, you could look up the right type of mutual fund, stock, insurance, or banking product. Your behaviour influences your decision-making, and as you make more transactions, the agentic AI learns more about you.
Pranjul Soni, a student from IIT Guwahati, pitched her product that analyses how you tap the keypad on your phone. It records your tapping pattern and identifies a unique way to recognise you, helping detect fraud if someone else is using the device. Rohit Tuteja, founder of Finny, an AI-first financial advisory platform, is helping you retire early. His product analyses your current financial situation and tells you exactly how long it will take to retire. It also shows you the way forward. Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) is a dream where you want to get out of a 9-to-5 job and pursue a business startup or a profession you are passionate about. The first step toward that goal is to manage your monthly budget and ensure your expenses stay below your income every month. A surplus every month is your first baby step.
There are a few right things to do. In the short term, your money must not lose value. You should aim for a better return than the 6-7% offered on fixed deposits. Corporate bonds or liquid funds are better options. Investing in equities for short-term goals is risky. The National Pension Scheme deserves more publicity than it gets, and businesses should quickly dismantle the default setting that signs people up for the employee provident fund. The NPS should be the preferred choice.
That brings us to the important issue of financial education. Financial education is more about how to use a product or a service and build financial intelligence. Research has shown significant gaps in basic awareness among men and women. Sachin Seth, who heads CRIF, a credit information company in India, makes a pertinent point. He said that his company was engaging banks and other institutions to participate in financial awareness initiatives targeted at women. His company sees merit in taking up the issue, even though many other large institutions are hesitating. The government and large financial institutions need to do much more in that space.
