Digital buyer journeys
What digital buyer journeys means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Event overview
Overview
The Connected Banking Summit is a premier event that gathers leaders and innovators from the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance sectors. Scheduled for 21 October 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey, this summit offers a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Attendees will engage with C-suite executives and industry influencers, discussing the latest trends and innovations in banking technology. 31st Edition Connected Banking Summit - Innovation & Excellence Awards 2026 (Eurasia) takes.
TL;DR
- 1Dates and Venue: The 31st Edition Connected Banking Summit takes place on 21 October 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey.
- 2Scale and Focus: This summit is a key event for leaders in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance sectors.
- 3Organiser: The event is organised by ICSA, a leader in strategic alliances.
- 4Buyer Authority: Attendees include C-suite executives and decision-makers from the BFSI sector.
- 5Entry: Registration is open now, with various ticket options available.
Why visit
Attending the Connected Banking Summit provides unique opportunities to network with industry leaders and decision-makers. Gain insights into the latest banking innovations and technologies that are shaping the future of the financial sector. Participate in discussions that address critical challenges and explore transformative opportunities in the digital banking ecosystem.
Why exhibit
Exhibiting at the Connected Banking Summit allows companies to showcase their products and services to key industry professionals. This is an opportunity to enhance brand visibility and connect directly with decision-makers in the BFSI sector. Exhibitors can leverage the summit to boost their sales pipeline and establish valuable relationships within the industry.
Attendees, exhibitors & solutions
Who this event is for
Visitor profile
Typical attendee groups you can expect to meet.
C-suite executives from banks and financial institutions
Regulators and policymakers in the financial sector
Technology leaders and innovators in fintech
Decision-makers from insurance companies
Investors and venture capitalists in the BFSI sector
Consultants and advisors specializing in banking solutions
Exhibitor profile
Main supplier and exhibitor segments present at the show.
Banks and financial institutions showcasing their services
Fintech companies presenting innovative solutions
Insurance firms looking to connect with potential clients
Technology providers offering banking software and tools
Consulting firms specializing in financial services
Investment firms targeting the BFSI sector
Product categories
Key solution areas showcased across the event.
Core banking platforms and cloud migration
Digital onboarding, KYC and AML
Open banking APIs and account aggregation
Real-time payments and ISO 20022 migration
Payment orchestration and merchant acquiring
Embedded finance and Banking-as-a-Service
RegTech, compliance and fraud analytics
InsurTech and claims automation
WealthTech and digital investing
Lending automation and credit decisioning
CBDC and tokenised deposits
Data platforms, AI/ML and cloud infrastructure for BFSI
Location & Facilities
Venue
Istanbul
Istanbul, Turkey
Facilities
Parking
Istanbul in Istanbul typically provides on-site or adjacent visitor parking during major trade fairs; confirm daily rates, payment methods and hall access on the organiser or venue website before travel.
Food options
On-site catering
On-site diningParking: Istanbul in Istanbul typically provides on-site or adjacent visitor parking during major trade fairs; confirm daily rates, payment methods and hall access on the organiser or venue website before travel.
Gate: Follow organiser signage to the main visitor entrance at Istanbul for badge collection; allow extra time for security screening during peak morning arrival.
Attend
Entry & tickets
Who runs the show
Organisers
ICSA (International Center for Strategic Alliances), the awards provide a powerful platfor
Organiser
Intelligence
Market context
Key market insights, trends, news and related events to help you understand the bigger picture.
Istanbul, Turkey
Why it matters
Attending the Connected Banking Summit provides unique opportunities to network with industry leaders and decision-makers. Gain insights into the latest banking innovations and technologies that are shaping the future of the financial sector.
Industry trends
Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.
Sustainability in procurement
What sustainability in procurement means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Automation and labour efficiency
What automation and labour efficiency means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Regional supply-chain resilience
What regional supply-chain resilience means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Hybrid engagement models
What hybrid engagement models means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Plan your trip
Travel & logistics
Local currency · TRY
Arrival airports
Choose from the following airports, with convenient access to the event and venue.
Istanbul Airport
IST is the main international gateway, northwest of the city. M11 metro connects to Gayrettepe for M2 transfers; Havaist buses serve Taksim, Sultanahmet and Kadıköy; metered taxis are available 24/7. Allow extra time in peak traffic
Approx. 40 km to central Istanbul; confirm exact distance to the confirmed venue
to venue
45-60 min to central Istanbul
by car
Sabiha Gökçen
SAW is on the Asian side. M4 metro plus Marmaray crosses to the European side; Havabus shuttles serve Taksim and Kadıköy. Cross-city road transfers can take longer in morning and evening peak
Approx. 50 km to central Istanbul; confirm exact distance to the confirmed venue
to venue
60-75 min to central Istanbul
by car
Hotel tiers
A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.
Holiday Inn Istanbul City by IHG
upscale
Istanbul city5-star class listing on Google Hotels; breakfast and parking are paid extras; free Wi-Fi. Good for delegates who want chain-hotel reliability and easy taxi or metro access.
Santa Sophia Hotel
midscale
Istanbul historic district3-star class; free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, parking, pet-friendly, bar and restaurant; flagged as an excellent location for Sultanahmet. Allow tram or taxi time to the venue.
HOTEL BRONTE
budget
Istanbul city2-star class; free breakfast and Wi-Fi, paid parking, restaurant, room service and airport shuttle; listed at 61% below its usual rate in the capture. Confirm current rate and cancellation terms.
TÜRKELİ HOTEL & CAFE
budget
Istanbul city3-star class; free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, free parking, air conditioning, room service and laundry. A practical low-cost base for delegates who plan to use public transport.
Local transport
Get around the city with these convenient transport options.
metro
Estimated costTRY 2-8 typical single public transport journey (confirm before travel)
Best forIstanbul Airport (IST) to Gayrettepe via M11, then M2 to Levent or Taksim
M11 links IST with the metro network at Gayrettepe. Buy or top up an Istanbulkart at the airport or station machines; allow 40-60 minutes to central districts.
shuttle_bus
Estimated costApprox. TRY 200-300 one way on Havaist (2026 estimate; confirm current tariff)
Best forIstanbul Airport (IST) to Taksim, Sultanahmet or Kadıköy via Havaist
Havaist coaches run to multiple city points and are a fixed-price alternative to taxis. Check the line, stop and timetable for your hotel area before travel.
taxi
Estimated costApprox. TRY 900-1,300 to central Istanbul (metered; 2026 estimate; confirm before travel)
Best forIstanbul Airport (IST) to Istanbul
Use the official taxi rank and insist on the meter. Journey time varies from 45 to 75 minutes depending on traffic on the airport corridor.
taxi
Estimated costApprox. TRY 1,100-1,600 to European-side Istanbul (2026 estimate; confirm before travel)
Best forSabiha Gökçen (SAW) to Istanbul
SAW sits on the Asian side; cross-city trips can take 60-90 minutes in peak traffic. Compare the M4 plus Marmaray option before choosing a taxi.
tram
Estimated costTRY 2-8 typical single public transport journey (confirm before travel)
Best forT1 Kabataş-Bağcılar tram for Sultanahmet, Karaköy and central districts
The T1 tram is useful for historic-peninsula hotels. Istanbulkart works across tram, metro, bus, ferry and funicular; top up before boarding to avoid queues.
Weather
October is mild and increasingly wet in Istanbul: daytime highs typically 18-23°C, nights 12-16°C, with rain on roughly 8-10 days across the month. Bosphorus winds can make evenings feel cooler. Pack a light jacket, a compact umbrella and comfortable walking shoes; check the 7-day forecast before departure.
Plan for the climate
Check temperatures and pack accordingly
Venue connectivity
Turkish operators Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell prepaid tourist SIMs at IST and SAW, and eSIM plans are widely available. Turkey uses 4G and 5G on common European bands; check your handset compatibility. Conference hotels usually provide Wi-Fi, but confirm access and passwords with the organiser or venue.
Ride-hailing
Taxis
Public transit
Car rentals
Cultural notes
Useful information to help you have a smooth and respectful visit.
Istanbul setting
The event city spans Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus; allow time for cross-city travel between the historic peninsula, Taksim and the fairground or finance districts of Levent and Maslak.
Payment and transit card
An Istanbulkart stored-value card covers metro, tram, bus, ferry and funicular rides. Buy or top it up at station machines before peak hours; contactless bank cards work on some but not all transport modes.
Business etiquette
Business dress is standard at BFSI events. Handshakes are common, punctuality is appreciated, and exchanging business cards or LinkedIn profiles is normal. Allow small talk before moving to commercial terms.
Dress and customs
Carry a scarf for mosque visits, keep a photocopy of your passport, and dress modestly when visiting religious sites. Tipping of around 10 percent is customary in restaurants and cafes.
Practical guides
Visitor & Exhibitor Essentials
Everything needed to arrive prepared, navigate the event, and make the visit productive.
Flights
Destination: IST
Check both IST and SAW for your dates: IST connects to the city by M11 metro and Havaist shuttles, while SAW requires a longer cross-city transfer via M4 plus Marmaray or road. Captured Google Flights results are priced in TRY and include taxes and fees for one adult; baggage fees may apply separately. Re-check fares close to booking, as captured prices are date-specific samples and not a quote for the event.
Transport
Get to the venue and around the city with these options.
Airport → venue: Primary gateways: Istanbul Airport (IST): 45-60 min to central Istanbul; Sabiha Gökçen (SAW): 60-75 min to central Istanbul. Allow road or rail time to Istanbul; on-site parking is usually available at major exhibition venues.
Hotel → venue: Precinct hotels near Istanbul: Istanbul city: Holiday Inn Istanbul City by IHG; Istanbul historic district: Santa Sophia Hotel; Istanbul city: HOTEL BRONTE.
Ride-hail: BiTaksi is the main local ride-hailing app; Uber operates in Istanbul through BiTaksi and yellow taxis. Confirm the app works with your phone number and payment card before arrival. Use licensed yellow taxis and insist on the meter for airport and cross-city journeys.
Public transit: Istanbulkart is the stored-value card for metro, tram, bus, ferry and funicular. Buy or top up at kiosks and machines at IST, SAW and major stations. M11 links IST to Gayrettepe; M4 links SAW to Kadıköy; the T1 tram serves Sultanahmet and Kabataş; Marmaray crosses the Bosphorus. Allow extra time at peak and keep your card topped up.
Parking: Paid parking is common at Istanbul fairgrounds and conference hotels. Confirm the specific venue's daily tariff and whether exhibitor loading permits are required. Central Istanbul hotels often charge for overnight parking, and drop-off zones in Levent and Taksim can be congested during morning peak.
Weather
Plan and pack for the event climate.
Month: October 2026
Temperature: Daytime 18-23°C; night 12-16°C (climatological average for Istanbul in October; confirm the forecast before travel)
Seasonality: October is the start of Istanbul's wetter season, with rain on roughly 8-10 days and occasional windy days on the Bosphorus. Autumn is a popular conference and city-break period, so book hotels early.
Packing: Pack light layers, a waterproof jacket or compact umbrella, comfortable walking shoes for tram and metro transfers, business-casual attire for the summit, and a universal Type C/F plug adapter (Turkey uses 230V, 50Hz).
Plan your trip
Planning
Best day to visit: Day 2 (mid-show)
Mid-show days at 31st Edition Connected Banking Summit - Innovation & Excellence Awards 2026 (Eurasia) usually combine full exhibitor attendance with scheduled B2B meetings, before early pack-down on the final day.
Day 14
Confirm registration and download the agenda from connected-banking.com/schedule.
Day 14
Check passport validity (6+ months) and visa or e-Visa status for Turkey.
Day 12
Book a refundable hotel in Levent/Maslak, Taksim or Sultanahmet and check metro or tram access.
Day 12
Compare IST and SAW flight options and pre-book an airport transfer if arriving late.
Day 10
Buy an eSIM or plan a Turkcell, Vodafone or Türk Telekom SIM at the airport.
Day 10
Shortlist sessions on open banking, payments, RegTech, insurtech and wealthtech; note speakers and tracks.
Day 7
Request meetings with exhibitors and schedule coffee slots in the networking area.
Day 7
Check whether the event uses printed badges, digital passes or business cards for lead capture.
Day 5
Download Istanbulkart guidance and map the metro, tram or Marmaray route from hotel to venue.
Day 5
Confirm restaurant reservations for client dinners in Levent, Karaköy or Sultanahmet.
Day 3
Pack business attire, a light rain jacket and a Type C/F plug adapter for Turkey.
Day 3
Save hotel, event and visa confirmations offline in case mobile data is limited.
Day 1
Check the weather forecast and allow 30-45 minutes extra for peak-hour traffic.
Day 1
Charge devices and load the event app or digital pass.
Sample visitor itinerary
Route-optimised day
Day 1 · morning
Registration and hall orientation at Istanbul
Day 2 · core sessions
Supplier meetings and product demos
Day 3 · wrap-up
Final negotiations and follow-up
Networking spots
231st Edition Connected Banking Summit - Innovation & Excellence Awards 2026 (Eurasia) registration concourse
Istanbul
Central meeting point before and between hall appointments during show days.
Organiser B2B lounge (if offered)
Istanbul
Hosted matchmaking and buyer programmes when published by the organiser.
Budget
Costs & budget
Build your working budget
Adjust the inputs below to create a directional event budget.
Estimated budget
Live estimate
- Hotel × 2 nightsTRY 190.00
- Per diem × 2TRY 150.00
Estimated totalTRY 340.00
This is a directional estimate. Please verify live rates before booking.
Decision
Visit, exhibit, or skip?
Should you go?
Use this quick check to decide whether 31st Edition Connected Banking Summit - Innovation & Excellence Awards 2026 (Eurasia) fits your visit, exhibit or skip plan.
QUESTION 1 OF 6
For 31st Edition Connected Banking Summit - Innovation & Excellence Awards 2026 (Eurasia), what is your primary role on the show floor?
Decision matrix
Compare participation options side by side to choose the best fit for your objectives.
visit
Your category focus and target suppliers align with the official exhibitor profile.
Best for
Buyers, engineers, and delegates sourcing Banking technology solutions and Financial software and applications solutions and benchmarking suppliers at 31st Edition Connected Banking Summit - Innovation & Excellence Awards 2026 (Eurasia) in Istanbul.
Min. budget
$838.00
Timeline
4-8 weeks before opening day for registration, hotels, and travel.
Risks
Session times and ticket tiers may change - confirm the official agenda before booking.
exhibit
You have a defined lead-generation or distributor recruitment goal for this market.
Best for
Brands and manufacturers launching Banking technology solutions and Financial software and applications products who need qualified meetings with the event's trade audience.
Min. budget
$3,771.00
Timeline
3-6 months for stand booking, freight, staffing, and pre-show marketing.
Risks
Booth pricing and corner premiums vary by hall - confirm with the organiser sales team.
skip
Audience, geography, or commercial goals do not justify travel and stand costs this cycle.
Best for
Teams with weak category fit, budget constraints, or overlapping commitments during the Istanbul show week.
Timeline
N/A
Risks
Skipping may mean missing buyer meetings if competitors exhibit or attend the same week.
FAQs & glossary
Answers
Frequently asked
Glossary
- Open Banking
- A framework that lets licensed third parties access bank account data and initiate payments through APIs, with customer consent. At Connected Banking Summit Istanbul it appears in sessions on account aggregation, API monetisation and PSD2-style regulation.
- Embedded Finance
- Banking, lending, insurance or payment services distributed inside a non-financial platform such as a retailer, mobility app or SaaS product. Summit discussions typically cover partner models, licensing and customer ownership.
- Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS)
- A model where a licensed bank or infrastructure provider supplies deposit, card, lending or payment capabilities to another brand through APIs. Relevant to banks and fintechs exploring white-label and platform strategies in Turkey and the wider region.
- KYC and AML
- Know Your Customer and Anti-Money Laundering controls used to verify identity, screen sanctions lists and monitor transactions. Digital onboarding, biometric verification and false-positive reduction are recurring themes at BFSI conferences.
- Core Banking Modernisation
- Replacing or wrapping legacy core systems to support real-time products, cloud deployment and open APIs. Banks at the summit compare migration paths, managed services and coexistence strategies.
- Real-Time Payments (RTP)
- Instant account-to-account payment rails with near-immediate settlement and 24/7 availability. Speakers typically examine use cases such as request-to-pay, e-commerce checkout and treasury cash visibility.
- ISO 20022
- An international standard for financial messaging that carries richer remittance and counterparty data than legacy formats. Migration planning for cross-border payments and market infrastructure is a common summit topic.
- RegTech
- Technology that automates compliance, reporting, risk monitoring and regulatory change management. Relevant to banks and insurers facing evolving rules on data privacy, AML and operational resilience.
- Payment Orchestration
- A layer that routes transactions across multiple acquirers, gateways and payment methods to improve acceptance, cost and resilience. Often discussed alongside tokenisation and fraud controls.
- BNPL
- Buy Now, Pay Later: short-term instalment credit offered at checkout or in-app. Summit sessions examine credit risk, merchant economics and regulation in emerging and developed markets.
- CBDC
- Central Bank Digital Currency: a digital form of sovereign money issued by a central bank. Conference content usually focuses on wholesale versus retail models, interoperability and commercial-bank roles.
- InsurTech
- Technology-led innovation across underwriting, distribution, claims and customer service in insurance. The Istanbul programme covers embedded insurance, claims automation and data-driven pricing.
- WealthTech
- Digital platforms and tools for investing, portfolio management, robo-advisory and wealth distribution. Relevant to private banks, brokers and fintechs targeting mass-affluent customers.
- Digital Onboarding
- Remote customer acquisition using identity document capture, liveness checks, database verification and risk scoring. A practical building block for retail and SME banking in Turkey's mobile-first market.
- Fraud Analytics
- The use of transaction monitoring, machine learning and behavioural signals to detect payment fraud, account takeover and mule activity. Often paired with AML systems and real-time decisioning.
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Also known as
Alternate names and search phrases for this event.
- banking innovation
- financial technology conference
- Istanbul banking summit
- 31st Edition Connected Banking Summit 2026
- 31st Edition Connected Banking Summit Istanbul 2026
- Innovation 2026
- Innovation Istanbul 2026
- Excellence Awards 2026
- Excellence Awards Istanbul 2026
Digital business cards for the show floor
Display a free company card at your booth, or share your professional card on the show floor.