Five to six years. That is Ronit Ghose’s estimate for when quantum computing becomes relevant enough to break the cryptography that secures today’s financial system.

Ronit Ghose, Co-Chair of the Future of Finance and AI Working Group at the MENA Fintech Association, joins FinTech TV’s Raghda Ibraheem on the show floor at Money20/20 Middle East in Riyadh. It is his third year in a row at the event.

On what has changed since his first visit: the event has grown, and the mix of people has broadened. There is a much larger presence from Asia and India alongside Saudi nationals and people working in Saudi Arabia.

On cybersecurity, his point is plain: threat actors no longer break into banks physically. They log on. That makes the threat borderless, and AI makes both defenders and attackers faster at the same time. He argues that getting ready for quantum is a multi-year cryptography upgrade that keeps changing, not a fixed deadline like Y2K. Large banks, fintechs and governments need to start now, and SAMA has already issued guidance on what institutions should be preparing for.

On cross-border retail banking, he credits fintechs with doing what traditional banks have struggled to do. They start with a niche product such as payments or FX, stay digitally native, and localise the content on a shared international platform.

On the most underrated AI use case in finance: AI as a tool that empowers individuals. It narrows the gap between small and large companies, and between startups and incumbent banks.

His closing message is about users. The customers most at risk are not 12-year-olds who grew up online but older generations. Educating them is work for banks, governments and families alike.

Guest: Ronit Ghose, Co-Chair, Future of Finance and AI Working Group, MENA Fintech Association
Interviewer: Raghda Ibraheem, FinTech TV
Recorded at Money20/20 Middle East 2026, Riyadh