In the age of AI and platforms, trust remains finance’s most valuable currency: Experts

As digital platforms continue to expand across financial services, the panel agreed that technology alone cannot guarantee trust.

• Trust in financial tech relies on reliability and transparency.
• AI should enhance human capability with personalized insights.
• Human support crucial for reassurance in digital finance.

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In an era in which financial decisions are increasingly shaped by algorithms, platforms, and persuasive technologies, building trust has become one of the most critical challenges for businesses.

At Moneycontrol FiDEX 2026, Amit Das, CEO of Think360.ai; Avinash Rao, founder of AltDRX; and Dale Vaz, co-founder and CEO of Sahi, examined how trust can be built and sustained as technology assumes a larger role in investing and financial services.

Trust is most severely tested when things go wrong. Market downturns, failed transactions or even minor platform glitches can quickly erode confidence among investors who are already anxious about their money, said all experts.

For Vaz, trust on digital platforms ultimately comes down to reliability and transparency. In financial markets, users often turn to technology for quick insights but are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available. The challenge, he argued, is not access to data but the ability to interpret it meaningfully.

Technology—and increasingly artificial intelligence—can help address this by distilling complex signals into simpler insights that allow investors to better understand market conditions. But the goal should not be to push investors into constant action. In many cases, helping users pause and make more informed decisions is just as valuable.

AI, Vaz added, can also enable more personalised insights by factoring in an investor’s portfolio, risk appetite and goals. However, he emphasised that technology should act as a tool that amplifies human capability rather than replacing it.

Rao highlighted that trust challenges are particularly acute in asset classes where investors already have reservations. Real estate, for example, enjoys strong emotional appeal among Indians but also suffers from persistent credibility concerns around pricing, documentation and liquidity.

Addressing those concerns requires extreme transparency. Investors need to clearly understand what they are buying, how prices are determined and what risks they are taking. Rao noted that providing extensive documentation, conducting rigorous due diligence and making information easily accessible are essential to building credibility with users.

At the same time, he stressed that platforms must avoid unrealistic promises. Clear communication about risks and expected returns helps investors make informed decisions and ultimately strengthens trust.

Das approached the issue from a financial infrastructure perspective. While technology has dramatically improved efficiency in onboarding, servicing and transaction processing, he pointed out that trust in financial services has historically been built through human relationships.

Even today, when systems fail or confusion arises, investors instinctively turn to a human interface for reassurance. This is why many technology-driven platforms continue to maintain support layers such as call centres, service teams and physical touchpoints.

As digital platforms continue to expand across financial services, the panel agreed that technology alone cannot guarantee trust.

Instead, trust must be carefully engineered through reliability, transparency and the continued presence of human judgement alongside increasingly powerful digital tools.