IIM Sambalpur recently convened the “International Conference on Metaverse Banking and Financial Transformation (ICMBFT 2025)” in collaboration with the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR). The event brought together more than 100 participants—including industry experts, researchers, and academics—to explore the evolving role of metaverse, Web3, AI, and blockchain in reshaping financial services.
Themed “The Metaverse Bankscape for Viksit Bharat @2047: Trends, Tech & Transformation”, the conference focused on the potential of virtual banking to enhance accessibility, particularly for underserved populations. Discussions ranged from the creation of 3D virtual banking environments using VR/AR to the importance of cybersecurity in this new frontier.
Dr. Praveen K. Choudhary (HCL Technologies), Samarendra Mohanty (Melstar Information Technologies), Dr. Atul Tripathi (National Maritime Foundation), and Sagar Vaishnavi (BCG Vantage) were among the keynote contributors.
Commenting on the shift, Dr. Choudhary emphasized, “The future of banking lies in combining cloud scalability, zero-trust security, and immersive user experience.” Mohanty added, “Technology means nothing without insight, so before building anything for them, first know your customer well.” Dr. Tripathi pointed out the growing significance of data protection, calling it “mission-critical.”
The conference also highlighted IIM Sambalpur’s expanding academic vision. “With AI-powered classrooms and programs in Data Science and AI, we’re preparing students to address real-world challenges and contribute to India’s digital transformation,” said Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur.
Over 80 research papers were presented during the event, indicating a growing scholarly interest in metaverse-driven financial innovation.
