Nino Jeladze, Vice Governor of the National Bank of Georgia (NBG), participated in the GFTN Forum Japan 2026 Summit, held in Tokyo from February 24-27, 2026. Organized by the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), the summit convened key representatives from across the financial and technological ecosystems to discuss financial innovation, regulatory approaches, and the future development of the digital ecosystem.

During the event, Vice Governor Jeladze engaged in high-level bilateral meetings with prominent industry leaders, including: Christine Engstrom, Managing Director at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Sopnendu Mohanty, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), Artak Manukyan, Board Member of the Central Bank of Armenia. Joining Vice Governor Jeladze was Giorgi Goguadze, Head of the Payment Service Providers Supervision and Virtual Asset Service Providers Registration Department at the NBG. Their discussions focused on: modern regulatory approaches for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), best international supervisory practices, the utilization of sandbox mechanisms to foster innovation, and opportunities to strengthen regional cooperation. The parties also exchanged strategic views on managing rapidly evolving financial technologies and shaping effective regulatory policies.

A primary focus of the forum was the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in financial services. Tatia Tsiklauri, representing the NBG's Financial and Supervisory Technology Development Department, participated in working sessions alongside leading global financial regulators to explore the multifaceted opportunities and challenges associated with AI integration.

Furthermore, the summit featured comprehensive discussions on the evolution of the digital asset market and the prospects of tokenization within institutional finance. A significant portion of the dialogue was dedicated to the regulation of stable virtual assets (stablecoins). Key topics included: consumer protection mechanisms, safeguarding financial stability and ensuring transparency of reserves. Participants underscored that the rapid proliferation of stable virtual assets necessitates robust supervisory frameworks to align continuous innovation with secure market operations.

The GFTN Forum Japan 2026 reinforced the critical importance of international collaboration for the sustainable development of the financial sector, emphasizing that innovation, effective regulation, and financial stability remain the fundamental pillars of the modern global financial system.