AI in Finance Requires Governance Before Scale

Ho Chi Minh City, October 2025: Gradion participated in the Digital Finance Conference 2025, a two-day forum bringing together regulators, central bankers, and fintech leaders across the region to address innovation and financial inclusion in the digital economy.

Gradion was represented by Founder Lars Jankowfsky, CEO Roberto Kauffmann-Dev, and Partnership Manager Ly Le on the panel:

“AI and GenAI in Finance: Unlocking Inclusion through Innovation.”

The session was moderated by Shehryar Ali Shah, Senior Country Officer at the International Finance Corporation IFC. Fellow panelists included:

• Li Xiaoli, Singapore University of Technology and Design
• Phil Wright, COO, HSBC Vietnam
• Santhosh Mahendiran, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, Techcombank

Inclusion at scale requires data, control, and accountability

Discussions focused on how artificial intelligence and generative AI are reshaping financial inclusion and where governance must strengthen.

Panelists examined how AI models analyze behavioral data to improve access and trust in financial services.

As shared by Santhosh Mahendiran of Techcombank, AI systems in Vietnam’s banking sector now process over 12,000 behavioral data points, including digital habits, to assess risk and expand inclusion.

AI in finance is operational.

Governance must be equally operational.

Speed without discipline increases risk

In his post-event remarks, Gradion Founder Lars Jankowfsky addressed the structural gap facing the sector:

“Fintech lives on trust and compliance, but right now, 100% are using AI and only 50% have rules for it. We’re advancing with Asian speed but missing German discipline.”

The constraint is not innovation capacity.

It is governance maturity.

Financial services depend on trust, compliance, and auditability. AI adoption without structured oversight introduces measurable risk.

Being AI-first means more than deploying models.

It requires governance frameworks, operational standards, and secure implementation.

Responsible AI must function as infrastructure

Conference organizers reported strong engagement and positive feedback from attendees.

The signal from DFC 2025 was clear. Inclusion through innovation is achievable, but only if AI is governed as core infrastructure.

Gradion remains focused on two parallel priorities:

• Advancing AI capabilities
• Strengthening compliance and governance structures

The objective is controlled progress. Financial institutions must scale AI responsibly while protecting trust.

Building trust: Gradion’s next steps

Gradion continues to develop AI-powered solutions and consulting frameworks designed to help financial institutions integrate innovation with compliance.

Secure.
Structured.
Production-ready.