TechCrunch Disrupt Smart Money Stage will spotlight fintech and AI
TechCrunch Events says the new Disrupt 2026 stage will feature Circle, Robinhood, AmEx, Plaid and Airwallex on payments, AI and fintech.
By Jordan Bell · Startups & Deals Reporter
· 3 min read
The TechCrunch Disrupt Smart Money Stage is joining the 2026 conference agenda with a clear focus: how fintech, payments and AI are changing the way money moves. For everyday investors, the lineup offers a useful read on where startup operators and financial platforms are putting their attention, from stablecoins to fraud controls.
TechCrunch Events said the new stage will run as part of TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, scheduled for October 13 through October 15 at Moscone Center in San Francisco. The program is set to include executives and investors connected to Circle, Robinhood, American Express, Plaid, Airwallex, TabaPay, Emergence and QED Investors.
The stage sits inside a broader startup conference, but its focus is narrower than the usual founder pitch circuit. TechCrunch Events said the sessions will cover stablecoins, instant payments, AI agents in financial services, identity verification, regulated infrastructure and global commerce.
What is the TechCrunch Disrupt Smart Money Stage?
The Smart Money Stage is a new Disrupt 2026 track dedicated to financial technology and the systems behind payments, banking, investing and commerce. In plain terms, it is the part of the conference built around how companies are redesigning financial products and the pipes that move money between people, businesses and platforms.
One session, titled “The Future of Money Movement: Stablecoins, Instant Payments & What’s Next,” will compare newer payment systems with traditional banking infrastructure, according to TechCrunch Events. Stablecoins are digital tokens designed to track the value of another asset, often a currency, while instant payments refer to payment systems built to settle transfers much faster than older bank rails.
That session is slated to feature Nikhil Chandhok, chief product and technology officer at Circle; Rodney Robinson, co-founder and CEO of TabaPay; and Lotti Siniscalco, general partner at Emergence. TechCrunch Events said the discussion will also address FedNow, private networks, regulation and market adoption.
Robinhood, AmEx, Plaid and Airwallex are on the agenda
Robinhood’s consumer finance strategy will get its own session, “Winning the Modern Financial Consumer.” TechCrunch Events said Abhishek Fatehpuria, Robinhood’s head of product, will discuss how the company has grown beyond trading into a broader platform spanning investing, banking, credit, crypto and prediction markets. TechCrunch Events described Robinhood as having a market capitalization of more than $90 billion.
Another panel, “AI, Trust & Verification in Financial Services,” will focus on how financial companies are handling AI systems that can take actions, rather than only create content. The speakers listed for that session are Hannah Bozian, vice president of agentic partnerships and strategy at American Express; Pedro Sanzovo, head of fraud and identity at Plaid; and Victoria Zuo, partner at QED Investors.
AI agents are software systems that can complete tasks on a user’s behalf. In finance, that raises practical questions about oversight, privacy, fraud prevention and identity checks, all areas TechCrunch Events said the panel plans to address.
Airwallex founder and CEO Jack Zhang is scheduled for “Building the Infrastructure for Global Commerce.” TechCrunch Events said Airwallex, valued by its investors at $11 billion, is building an AI-native financial operating system for cross-border money movement, global finance management and embedded financial products.
TechCrunch Events said attendees at Disrupt 2026 will also have access to networking, side events and the wider speaker lineup. The company is currently promoting ticket options for the San Francisco event.
This story draws on original reporting from TechCrunch.
