MAS Launches FSTI 4.0 With S$220 Million to Drive AI Adoption, Talent and Fintech Infrastructure
MAS Launches FSTI 4.0 With S$220 Million to Drive AI Adoption, Talent and Fintech Infrastructure #
Singapore’s central bank and financial regulator, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has pledged S$220 million (roughly US$173 million) over the next three years to accelerate fintech innovation, artificial intelligence adoption and talent development across the city-state’s financial sector.
The funding is channelled through the fourth iteration of the Financial Sector Technology and Innovation Scheme, or FSTI 4.0, which MAS announced on Monday. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, who also chairs MAS, said the renewed programme is intended to help Singapore’s financial institutions, fintech companies and workforce build capabilities and seize opportunities arising from AI and other frontier technologies.
FSTI was first introduced in 2015 and has since backed more than 350 fintech projects. The latest version builds on what MAS describes as a strong foundation: Singapore now hosts more than 1,800 fintech firms employing close to 10,000 professionals across technology, data, AI, compliance, cybersecurity and business functions. Fintech investment in the country reached S$2.9 billion in 2025, according to the regulator.
FSTI 4.0 pursues four strategic goals through six operational tracks: anchoring and scaling innovation in Singapore, accelerating the development and deployment of financial technologies, building out shared technology infrastructure, and developing local talent.
The Manpower track co-funds internship stipends for students from institutes of higher learning, with MAS aiming to support at least 1,000 fintech internship placements over the programme’s duration. A dedicated portal, fintechinternships.sg, managed by the Singapore FinTech Association, will connect firms with prospective interns.
The Institution Project track provides grants to Singapore-based financial institutions and fintech firms developing and deploying solutions in frontier areas including AI, distributed ledger technology and quantum computing. The new AI Pathfinder track specifically targets the scaling and adoption of market-ready AI solutions across the sector.
A Centre of Excellence track is designed to attract and anchor the innovation arms of leading global firms in Singapore, supporting specialised work in AI, quantum computing and digital assets. The Infrastructure and Platform track backs industry-wide shared infrastructure aimed at improving efficiency and interoperability.
Finally, the MAS FinTech Awards track sustains Singapore’s international profile through the Singapore FinTech Festival and Global FinTech Hackcelerator, while a new GFH Scale-up Grant will help competition finalists further develop their solutions, attract private capital and expand regionally.
Gan acknowledged that Singapore faces competition from other global financial centres but framed fintech development as a broadly collaborative pursuit rather than a zero-sum contest, saying the city-state would continue raising its capabilities even as peers advance.
Copy link