Page 27 - Banking Finance February 2026

PRESS RELEASE

Bharat Fintech Summit 2026 Returns with its 4th Edition to Shape

the Future of Digital Finance in India

The Digital Fifth has announced the 4th edition of the Shashank Shekhar, Co-Founder & Head of Consulting, The
Bharat Fintech Summit (BFS) 2026, set to be held on 10th Digital Fifth, added, “The summit is built to drive tangible
and 11th February 2026 at JW Marriott, Sahar, Mumbai. outcomes. It enables startups to connect with investors and
The two-day summit will bring together BFSI leaders, institutions, fosters meaningful partnerships, and brings
fintech founders, investors, technology providers, and leaders together to exchange perspectives that shape long-
regulators to discuss the next phase of India’s digital term strategy. Our aim is to catalyse collaboration that
financial transformation. accelerates digitisation and broadens access to financial
services across India.”
Bharat Fintech Summit 2026 will address key priorities
shaping the BFSI sector, including digital banking, payments, With over US$1.69 billion raised by over 140 startups in
lending, cybersecurity, AI-led transformation, data privacy, 2025, India’s fintech funding landscape witnessed a
and the evolution of financial infrastructure. The event is significant shift towards disciplined and selective capital
expected to host over 250 speakers across 95+ sessions, deployment. Investors continue to back technology enabled,
along with product unveilings, report launches, awards, scalable, regulation-ready models across lending,
workshops, and masterclasses. payments, wealth-tech, and compliance-led platforms. Mid-
stage and late-stage deals remained central to capital
“Bharat Fintech Summit was built to move conversations
flowss, alongside sustained early-stage investments—
beyond vision to execution,” said Sameer Singh Jaini,
signalling a maturing ecosystem focused on long-term value
Founder & CEO, The Digital Fifth. “As the ecosystem
creation.
matures, the fourth edition will focus on institutional
decision-making, responsible innovation, and building Sreekant Rudrabhatla, Co-Founder & Head of Sales &
Partnerships, The Digital Fifth, said, “As Bharat Fintech
scalable digital finance models for India.”
Summit enters its fourth edition, the focus is firmly on
A key highlight of the summit will be Investment Day, a strengthening collaboration across institutions, fintech
structured investor–startup engagement platform that innovators, investors, and regulators. Bharat Fintech
connects select BFSI and fintech startups with active Summit 2026 is designed to enable meaningful
investors in a deal-focused setting. The event will also engagement—where partnerships are formed, solutions
feature the Fintech & Digital Excellence Awards, are evaluated, and the ecosystem collectively works
recognising financial innovations and leadership across the towards building a scalable and resilient digital financial
banks, financial services and fintech ecosystem. future for India.”

ICICI Bank launches Capital Gains Account Scheme
ICICI Bank announced the launch of the Capital Gains Account Scheme (CGAS), enabling customers to deposit un-invested
long term capital gains or sale proceeds from the sale of specified capital assets*. This facility allows them to avail tax
exemptions* for up to three years while earning interest on deposited funds. The launch follows the Government’s
approval of ICICI Bank as an authorised institution to handle CGAS deposits.
Starting January 1, 2026, this scheme is available for Resident individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs). It will be
available for non-individuals and NRIs shortly. It benefits taxpayers who are unable to reinvest long term capital gains
before the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing deadline. Customers can open a Capital Gains Account by visiting their nearest
ICICI Bank branch (except rural locations, as per CGAS rules).

An ICICI Bank spokesperson said, “We thank the Government of India for recognising ICICI Bank as an authorised institution
for CGAS deposits. With this scheme, customers can park un-invested long term capital gains, earn interest, and claim
tax exemptions, while planning reinvestment up to three years. This offering reinforces our commitment to deliver
financial solutions that meet evolving customer needs.”

24 | 2026 | FEBRUARY | BANKING FINANCE