As we say goodbye to another Money20/20 Europe, it’s fair to say that we’re walking away with more than just branded tote bags, impressive step counts and mild stroopfwafel addictions. From a communications perspective, there was so much more to consider after immersing ourselves in the fintech frenzy.
From speaking to many different attendees across the three days, there was an overarching sense that the vibe on the ground this year was somewhat more assured and, in some senses, relaxed. Of course, the agenda was action packed and the content was exciting and insightful in equal measure, but it felt like the coming together of fintechs that knew who they were, what they stood for and what they were there to achieve. Some might say the work of strong behind the scenes comms teams who have brought narratives and messaging to life to tell a consistent and powerful story, but also the sign of an industry that has matured massively.
Take for example, Ciaran O’Malley, Enterprise Commercial Director UK, who took to the Startup Hub stage to tell the story of Airwallex – the fintech building the future of global banking and just valued at $6.2 billion after its $300 million raise last month. The fact that a fintech founded only ten years ago is positioned firmly as the guiding light for today’s budding startups shows us both how much has been achieved in a relatively short time period, but what established fintechs now look like. For the comms teams of earlier stage fintechs, there are more success stories than ever to look to and learn from, but equally, for their more established counterparts, there is a clear opportunity to amplify messaging that focuses on successful and sustainable growth to instil confidence in the sector and provide guidance.
While a slew of fintechs voicing their intent to list in the US may deem this takeaway somewhat obvious, the refocusing on geographical expansion to this market was a stark contrast to last year. Throughout many conversations, fintechs both at the beginning of their journeys, and much further along, spoke about the strategic importance of tapping into the US’ vast consumer base, mature financial ecosystem and appetite for innovation. Perhaps from UK-based fintechs, an ongoing indication of sentiment towards their current home market.
Last year, almost half (47%) of European fintech CEOs and founders said that expanding into new markets would be the most challenging milestone for them to achieve when we surveyed them on how they viewed comms as an enabler of business growth. From the conversations at the show, it seemed that this view might be shifting – at least for the US – but some of the core challenges still remain: complex regulatory frameworks, an often crowded playing field and a sense of consumer caution when it comes to new financial products. It’s therefore vital that comms teams build a supporting strategy that supports successful growth and can address some of these hurdles head on – one that is able to tell a consistent, yet localised, story that will resonate with regional audiences, at the same time, one that can balance innovation with reassurance.
If AI was the buzzword of last year’s show, stablecoins was certainly it for 2025. As the industry grapples with the future of digital currencies, stablecoins took centre stage, offering a bridge between the volatility of cryptocurrencies and the stability demanded by consumers, businesses and regulators alike. Nabil Manji, SVP, Head of FinTech Growth & Financial Partnerships, articulated Worldpay’s position via its new partnership with BVNK “‘with our scale, we need to have a very high-conviction on something if we’re going to build it.” With major players like Worldpay outlining their belief in the technology, amongst others, the stage was certainly set for their advancement.
As with any new buzzword, though, for communications professionals, it presents both opportunities and challenges. Fintechs must articulate their value propositions clearly with real use cases to cut through the noise, showing genuine progress to meaningfully add to the conversation, rather than simply adding to, and likely getting lost. With over a third (38%) of fintech CEOs and founders telling us last year that experts with deep product and proposition knowledge are the most important factor in being able to tell a compelling story about the business, now is most certainly the time for comms teams to deploy these specialists to demystify the technology.
As with every year, some trends shift, some accelerate and some rumble on. What’s for sure, though, is that the role of powerful comms strategies will continue to play a crucial role in the industry’s continued success, and those that take on board the learnings from this year will undoubtedly be back bigger and better than ever next year.
Download our Reputation and the future of European fintech: Powering growth through effective communications report, and if you’d like to speak to the team about any of the topics discussed, please reach out to [email protected].
