Her Majesty Queen Máxima today, Wednesday 29 October, at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, receives the members of the International Advisory Board (IAB) of the ‘Global Finance & Technology Network’ (GFTN) for a meeting. GFTN is committed worldwide to efficient, resilient, and inclusive financial systems. Since 1 July 2025, Queen Máxima has been chair of this advisory board as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA).
This is the first time the IAB meets to advise GFTN on the opportunities and risks of technological innovations in financial products (fintech). Besides the advisory board members, some GFTN members are also present at the meeting.
GFTN organizes international forums, such as the Singapore Fintech Festival. Companies present new digital financial products there and share knowledge with each other. Queen Máxima has contributed substantively to the festival several times as UNSGSA. Additionally, GFTN advises companies and governments on policies that stimulate technological innovations in the financial sector. To reinforce this, GFTN introduced the ‘Global Champions Impact Awards’ this summer. The awards are for fintech startups with innovative products that can be easily scaled. This year’s focus is on contributions to financial health. Three of the fifteen finalists present their projects on the sidelines of the meeting. The winners of the awards will be announced in mid-November during the Singapore Fintech Festival.
RVD, no. 295
