October 23, 2026, at 8:10 a.m. (Japan Standard Time)
[Japan] “Money20/20 USA” held a “Startups and Media Session” on October 20, 2026.On that day, companies such as Charm Security, Trace Finance, ZeroTier, Fuse, and Blee participated in the event and presented their respective strengths. The session brought together founders, investors, and journalists to spotlight companies driving a new wave of transformation across the entire financial ecosystem. Participants introduced solutions designed to address real-world challenges facing the financial system as a whole.
“Money20/20 has always been a vital platform where members of the fintech ecosystem come together to network, collaborate, and shape the future,” said Daria Kamal, Head of Investor and Startup Programs at Money20/20.
“At this year’s ‘Startup Media Showcase,’ we will highlight innovators building cutting-edge solutions in areas such as payments, lending, compliance, and artificial intelligence. We will also provide entrepreneurs, financial institutions, investors, and partners with opportunities to engage and exchange ideas on transforming financial services. These companies embody the creativity and momentum driving the future of money.” (Ms. Kamal)
The two winning startups—Charm Security and Trace Capital—were officially announced at the “Money Awards 2026” ceremony held on October 18.It is reported that both companies were highly commended for developing innovative solutions that address the pressing challenges facing the financial industry and accelerate the future development of financial services.
As the winner of the “Money Awards 2026” Early-Stage Startup category, Roy Zur, co-founder and CEO of Charm Security, stated: “Winning this award at Money20/20 strongly validates the direction financial institutions should take—namely, not only detecting fraud but also implementing concrete countermeasures that can influence the outcome—and provides compelling evidence that this shift is the right path.Modern fraud and compliance violations target not only systems but also ‘people.’ To stop these activities, it is essential not only to address the threats themselves but also to gain insight into the human behavior behind them and accurately determine which interventions are truly effective at critical moments.That is why we are building an “autonomous AI workforce” that integrates anti-fraud expertise with behavioral science. This will enable financial institutions to protect their customers and members and tackle fraud on an unprecedented scale.”
Additionally, ZeroTier took home the top prize at the startup pitch competition held during Money20/20 USA 2026. Robert Stevenson, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of ZeroTier, stated: “We are deeply honored to have won the Money20/20 USA Startup Pitch Competition—often referred to as the ‘Super Bowl’ of the fintech industry—by defeating numerous outstanding innovators in the financial sector.This award underscores the importance of ‘quantum-secure networks’—at a time when protecting financial systems and data from quantum threats has become one of today’s top priorities. We sincerely look forward to contributing to shaping the future of secure financial connectivity.”
Fuse is an AI-powered loan execution platform dedicated to helping financial institutions automate and streamline the entire process—from loan application to contract signing. By implementing this platform, institutions can achieve rapid decision-making, significantly improve operational efficiency, and enhance the customer experience.
Andrés Clarick, co-founder of Fuse, stated: “Fuse is a native AI-powered loan execution and account opening platform designed for credit unions, banks, and financial institutions. Although the market for loan-related software is already worth billions of dollars, it remains dominated by vendors—investor-backed companies—that profit by locking customers into their systems.These vendors typically charge high implementation fees, impose additional charges for every specification change, and have update cycles that can take years. In contrast, the market share of loans issued by fintech-based financial institutions has surged from 5% to nearly 40% in just five years.We built Fuse on a radically different model. This model employs a fixed-fee structure, charging only for the actual value delivered. As the market landscape shifts, FIS has announced a strategic partnership with Fuse and will offer Fuse services to financial institutions across the United States. “Money20/20” is a key platform for shaping the future direction of the industry.“In Las Vegas, we will demonstrate that the next major chapter in fintech is taking shape within locally rooted financial institutions,” he explained.
Blee is an AI-powered marketing compliance platform designed to help organizations review, approve, and manage marketing content at scale. By identifying compliance risks early in the content creation process, the platform both accelerates the approval process and mitigates regulatory risks.
Guy Shahar, founder and CEO of Blee, said, “We are thrilled to be featured alongside forward-thinking leading startups in Money20/20’s ‘Startup Media Showcase.’ AI has completely transformed the way financial services companies create and deliver content.However, whether it’s video, influencer content, chatbots, or virtual agents, legal, compliance, and brand management teams remain responsible for every word published. Blee provides a layer of AI governance that enables these teams to ensure the reliability of content and communications while maintaining the speed of AI operations.”
From AI-powered lending, marketing, and compliance to the modernization of trade finance and next-generation payment experiences, the “Startup Media Showcase” at Money20/20 USA spotlights innovators who are redefining how money flows, is managed, and is experienced.
