TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is expanding its agenda with a new Smart Money Stage, designed to spotlight the evolving intersection of fintech, payments, and artificial intelligence. The stage will bring together founders, product leaders, and investors to examine how financial technology is reshaping everyday money movement and global commerce.
What the stage will cover
Scheduled for October 13-15 at San Francisco's Moscone Center, the program will explore stablecoins, instant payments, AI-driven financial tools, fraud prevention, identity verification, and the infrastructure needed for regulated financial services at scale. The sessions aim to show how digital finance is moving from experimentation to practical adoption.
Among the featured voices are executives from Circle, Robinhood, American Express, Plaid, and Airwallex. Topics include the future of money transfer systems, the changing expectations of modern consumers, and how AI agents may support or influence financial decisions while still requiring transparency and human oversight.
Why it matters
Robinhood's product leadership will discuss how the company has grown beyond investing into a broader financial platform, while Airwallex will highlight how AI-native infrastructure can help businesses manage cross-border payments and embedded finance. The stage is positioned as a practical forum for teams building the next generation of financial products.
With a mix of strategy, product insight, and technical perspective, the Smart Money Stage reflects a wider shift in finance toward faster, smarter, and more connected systems. Its impact may help define how the next wave of global financial innovation takes shape.
