2026 FFEA Conference - Call for Papers

2026 Worcester Polytechnic University (WPI), FLAME University
and Future Finance and Economics Association (FFEA)

Call for Papers

FinTech Conference

October 22-23, 2026, Worcester, MA, USA

Special Issue of International Review of Financial Analysis Journal
 

Theme: “FinTech Frontiers: AI, Blockchain, and the Evolution of Digital Finance”

Venue: Onsite at Worcester Polytechnic University, 100 Institute Rd, Worcester, MA, USA

The Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Business School, the Future Finance and Economics Association (FFEA), and FLAME University are proud to host the second FFEA conference in the United States, following the inaugural 2023 event. The 2026 conference, themed “FinTech Frontiers: AI, Blockchain, and the Evolution of Digital Finance,” will take place Thursday, October 22 – Friday, October 23, 2026, at WPI in Worcester, Massachusetts

https://www.ffea.eu/future-conferences/fintech-for-the-future-wpi-october-2023

This event aims to bring together an international group of academics, practitioners, and policymakers to engage in debates on the most pressing issues in FinTech and digital finance. With particular focus on payment innovation, digital asset infrastructure, and regulatory transformation, the conference will explore how technologies such as stablecoins, CBDCs, and blockchain platforms are reshaping global finance. It will provide a forum for presenting new research, policy perspectives, and industry insights, while fostering dialogue on the future direction of FinTech in an era of rapid technological and regulatory change. 

The conference submission deadline is June 30th, 2026.

Financial Technology (Fintech) is revolutionizing the financial industry and offers social good opportunities. The impacts of Fintech are evident across a myriad of sectors within the financial services industry ranging from payments, insurance, lending, and banking. Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are major driving forces behind Fintech’s innovations. We are committed to this transformation at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), the Business School of Engineers. Technology is central to our mission and a bedrock of our programs. Through the FLAME–WPI FinTech Lab, we extend this mission globally by fostering collaborative research, student engagement, and thought leadership in FinTech

The conference invites papers in all areas of fintech and sustainability studies. At this point a tentative but not exhaustive set of topics could include the following;

•  AI-enhanced decision-making in capital markets and credit allocation
• Stablecoin adoption and central bank digital currency (CBDC) developments
• Blockchain’s influence on cross-border payments and digital identity verification
• The role of generative AI and machine learning in regulatory technology (RegTech)
• FinTech’s evolving role in promoting financial inclusion and sustainable finance
• The impact of Artificial Intelligence applications in the financial industry
• Central Bank Digital Currency and the underbanked/unbanked
• Blockchain and FinTech
• Applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence in financial decision making
• Fintech and financial inclusivity
• Ethics and Fintech  

Timeline

Papers, extended abstracts, and proposals for workshops and panel discussions should be submitted by June 30, 2026, with decisions by mid-July.  

Submissions: Submission link will open shortly

Keynote Speakers

Ÿ   Andrew W. Lo, Professor, Finance at MIT

Ÿ   Roger G. Ibbotson, Professor in the Practice Emeritus of Finance at Yale School of Management. 

Special Issue Journal

• International Review of Financial Analysis - Fintech and Inclusivity in an International Context Guest Editor Kwamie Dunbar WPI

Papers for these special issues must be presented at the conference. Which journal, if any, will be requested at submission. It is NOT mandatory to select a SI to attend or present. Please refer to the journal websites for details on submissions. Note that submissions are NOT open yet.

Conference Registration

The registration fee for the conference is USD400 for all participants. The registration fee is waivered for session chairs and discussants who do not have a paper in the program. The conference is also free for students. Presenting authors should register for the conference before August 15th, 2026.  

Important Dates