Introduction
Finance has always been about trust — but the world’s trust is shifting from marble buildings to mobile screens. Across continents, technology is rewriting how money moves, gets invested, insured, and lent. From digital-first banks to algorithmic investment platforms, the financial ecosystem is undergoing its biggest structural shake-up in decades.
What’s changed is speed: what once took a bank five years to deploy, a fintech startup now achieves in six months. Investors have noticed — global fintech funding surged again in early 2025, driven by strong consumer adoption and embedded finance models spreading beyond traditional banking.
Here are 10 financial services startups that have secured major funding this year — and what they’re planning next.
1. Monzo (UK) — “Digital banking that feels human”
Founder(s): Tom Blomfield, Jonas Huckestein, Gary Dolman, Paul Rippon, Jason Bates
Funding & Investors: Raised over $900 million to date; recent round led by CapitalG and Tencent pushing valuation beyond $6 billion.
What they do: A digital bank redefining how users save, spend, and track money with transparency and instant access.
Next moves: Expanding into small business lending, integrated investing options, and U.S. market scaling.
2. Revolut (UK) — “One app for all your financial life”
Founder(s): Nikolay Storonsky, Vlad Yatsenko
Funding & Investors: Backed by SoftBank, Tiger Global, and TCV; valuation nearing $40 billion after latest funding discussions.
What they do: A global super-app offering banking, crypto, investment, and travel insurance under one digital umbrella.
Next moves: Applying for U.S. banking license and rolling out localized lending and wealth services.
3. Brex (USA) — “Corporate finance, simplified”
Founder(s): Henrique Dubugras, Pedro Franceschi
Funding & Investors: $1.5 billion+ raised; major investors include Kleiner Perkins, Y Combinator, and Tiger Global.
What they do: Expense management and corporate card solutions for startups and enterprises.
Next moves: Expanding their “Empower” platform into global treasury management and AI-driven expense automation.
4. Stripe (USA) — “Infrastructure for the internet economy”
Founder(s): Patrick Collison, John Collison
Funding & Investors: Over $8.7 billion raised; recent secondary sales put valuation near $65 billion. Investors include Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and Fidelity.
What they do: Simplifying online payments for millions of businesses with developer-first APIs and financial tools.
Next moves: Growing its enterprise finance arm, supporting AI startups with integrated billing, and expanding banking-as-a-service globally.
5. Klarna (Sweden) — “Redefining credit for the digital age”
Founder(s): Sebastian Siemiatkowski, Niklas Adalberth, Victor Jacobsson
Funding & Investors: Raised $4.5 billion+; recent investments from Silver Lake and Sequoia.
What they do: The buy-now-pay-later pioneer transitioning toward full-service consumer banking and AI credit risk models.
Next moves: Deepening partnerships with global retailers and expanding its AI-led personal finance app.
6. Rapyd (UK/Israel) — “The global payments network for the modern economy”
Founder(s): Arik Shtilman, Arkady Karpman, Omer Priel
Funding & Investors: $1.2 billion+ raised; latest round led by Fidelity and BlackRock.
What they do: Builds payment infrastructure for fintechs, merchants, and global marketplaces across 100+ countries.
Next moves: Expanding banking APIs, virtual card issuance, and strategic acquisitions in Asia and Latin America.
7. Deel (USA) — “Borderless payroll for a borderless world”
Founder(s): Alex Bouaziz, Shuo Wang
Funding & Investors: $677 million raised; backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Y Combinator, and Coatue; valuation at $12 billion.
What they do: Enables companies to hire and pay global teams compliantly.
Next moves: Building its own in-house banking infrastructure and launching corporate credit services for remote-first teams.
8. Stash (USA) — “Investing for the everyday person”
Founder(s): Brandon Krieg, Ed Robinson
Funding & Investors: $450 million raised; investors include LendingTree and Union Square Ventures.
What they do: A micro-investing and personal finance platform making wealth management accessible for millions.
Next moves: Expanding into retirement products and AI-driven personalized investment coaching.
9. N26 (Germany) — “The European challenger bank still going global”
Founder(s): Valentin Stalf, Maximilian Tayenthal
Funding & Investors: $1.7 billion+ raised; recent funding from Third Point Ventures and Dragoneer Investment Group.
What they do: Mobile banking with a focus on transparency, global access, and no hidden fees.
Next moves: Expanding product suite (loans, trading, insurance) and exploring IPO readiness by 2026.
10. BharatPe (India) — “Empowering the next million small businesses”
Founder(s): Ashneer Grover, Shashvat Nakrani
Funding & Investors: $580 million raised; key investors include Tiger Global, Sequoia India, and Dragoneer.
What they do: Financial services and lending solutions for India’s merchants and SMEs.
Next moves: Expanding into card issuance, digital banking, and new merchant credit products through Resilient Innovations.
How to Identify the Next Fintech Partner or Investment
When you study these ten, a pattern emerges:
- Infrastructure-first thinking: Platforms that build rails, not just apps, are dominating the space.
- Data + compliance edge: Winning fintechs are turning regulation into product strategy.
- Scalability: Global payments, cross-border lending, or embedded finance products scale faster than niche apps.
- Funded to last: Companies with diverse investor portfolios weather funding slowdowns better.
- Human connection through tech: Despite automation, customers flock to fintechs that feel personal.
Final Thoughts
Each of these startups shares a common goal — simplifying finance at scale.
They’re raising capital not just to survive the competition but to redesign financial infrastructure for millions of users.
And that’s where McArrows fits naturally — helping fast-growing fintechs align their product, marketing, and growth strategy for global reach. Whether it’s refining their go-to-market message, creating investor-ready brand stories, or optimizing conversion ecosystems — we help them move faster and smarter.
If you’re a financial services startup scaling your next chapter — let’s connect. McArrows can help translate your funding momentum into sustainable growth.
