The fintech sector is expanding rapidly, transforming how people access, manage, and move money.
From digital wallets and neobanks to cryptocurrencies and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) tools, fintech is reshaping financial services across every region. Fintech is at its peak, experiencing significant growth in market size, revenue, and investment.
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the latest data on market size, growth sectors, regional trends, startup volume, and adoption rates.
Key stats
- The global fintech market is forecast to grow from $394.9 billion in 2025 to $1.13 trillion by 2032.
- Payments remain the top revenue generator, followed by digital wallets and challenger banks.
- The Asia-Pacific region is the fastest-growing fintech region, while North America leads in market value.
- In 2024, digital payments were used by over 3 billion people worldwide.
- There are now 31,801 fintech startups globally, more than triple the number in 2018.
- The U.S. fintech ecosystem experienced growth of over 130% between 2018 and 2024.
- EMEA has consistently increased its startup count, rising from 3,581 in 2018 to 10,969 in 2024.
- The APAC region has added over 3,000 fintech startups in the past four years, reaching a total of 5,886 by 2024.
Fintech market size and growth
The global fintech market is projected to grow at a rate of 16.2% annually through 2032, more than tripling in size over the period. Payments and wallets lead the way, but neobanks, crypto, and BNPL are all playing their part. North America remains the largest market by value; however, the most rapid growth is now coming from the Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa, according to the latest data.
Global fintech market size
The global fintech market was valued at $340.1 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $394.9 billion by 2025. By 2032, it’s projected to reach $1.13 trillion, following a compound annual growth rate of 16.2% over the forecast period.
The figures reflect steady demand for digital-first financial services, encompassing payments, lending, and infrastructure that replaces traditional systems.
Revenue breakdown by fintech sector
The largest fintech verticals are now generating substantial revenues and showing signs of maturity.
Here’s how the top sectors compare:
- Payments: Still the dominant category, generating around $126 billion in revenue. This includes both consumer-facing tools, such as mobile transactions, and back-end payment infrastructure, including checkout APIs and embedded systems.
- Digital Wallets: Platforms like PayPal, Apple Pay, and Venmo generated around $67 billion, driven by mass adoption across e-commerce, in-store payments, and peer-to-peer transfers.
- Challenger Banks: App-based neobanks earned approximately $27 billion, offering simplified current accounts, instant transfers and mobile-first experiences that appeal to digitally native users.
- Crypto Brokerages: Platforms focused on crypto trading and exchange activity contributed around $16 billion. Despite market volatility, the category remains one of fintech’s biggest earners.
- Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL): Estimated at $8 billion, BNPL is fintech’s fastest-growing segment. Some providers are posting annual growth rates over 40%, driven by demand for flexible short-term credit.
These sectors together account for around 3% of global banking and insurance revenues. Fintech firms experienced 21% revenue growth, compared to 6% growth across traditional finance. Nearly 70% of public fintech companies are now profitable.
Market size by region
North America leads the fintech-as-a-service market, accounting for 35% of the global revenue, which is estimated to be around $125.47 billion in 2024. Strong digital infrastructure, widespread smartphone adoption, and a high concentration of financial institutions give it a clear head start.
The Asia Pacific region follows with a 28% share (approximately $100.38 billion) and is the fastest-growing region. Rising digital payments in countries like India and China, coupled with large populations and growing e-commerce sectors, are fuelling rapid expansion.
Europe sits in third place with 22% of the market, valued at approximately $78.87 billion, with growth supported by digital banking trends and regulations such as PSD2. Latin America (9% / $32.26 billion) and the Middle East & Africa (6% / $21.51 billion) round out the landscape, where rising demand for mobile-first services and wider financial access is opening up new ground, according to Precedence Research.
| Region | Market Share (%) | Market Size (USD) |
| North America | 35% | $125.47 billion |
| Asia Pacific | 28% | $100.38 billion |
| Europe | 22% | $78.87 billion |
| Latin America | 9% | $32.26 billion |
| Middle East & Africa | 6% | $21.51 billion |
| Total | 100% | $358.49 billion |
Fintech investment
While 2024 marked a funding low, Q4 showed clear signs of rebound, with Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) value nearly doubling from $7.4 billion in Q3 to $14.2 billion. Investors are narrowing their focus toward profitability, compliance, and embedded infrastructure, especially in payments and AI-enabled tools.
Fintech investment trends
The latest data enables us to look into what key trends are likely for the upcoming year, including:
- Back to Payments: With $31 billion in funding, payment technologies remain the safest bet. This includes contactless tools, infrastructure APIs, and B2B solutions.
- RegTech Rises: Regulatory technology nearly doubled to $7.4 billion in 2024. As compliance burdens increase, demand for automated, modular solutions is skyrocketing across regions.
- WealthTech Makes a Comeback: Funding more than doubled, from $190 million to $400 million, fueled by interest in low-cost investing and personalised portfolio tools.
Crypto Remains Resilient: Despite volatility, digital asset funding increased to $9.1 billion, driven by advancements in Web3 infrastructure, custody innovations, and tokenisation platforms. - AI Integration: Many fintechs now bake generative AI into fraud detection, credit modelling, and customer onboarding. These tools are seen as both cost savers and differentiators.
- Private Equity Pullback: Private Equity (PE) investment dropped significantly to $2.6 billion, while Venture Capital (VC) stayed dominant. This reflects a reset in valuation expectations and investor caution.
Fintech adoption statistics
Fintech adoption is growing rapidly, with digital tools becoming an integral part of daily financial life. Payments dominate by user base, but investing, robo-advice, and digital wallets are all seeing rapid uptake. The market’s growth is not only about availability; it also reflects changing preferences, improved access, and increased trust in digital-first finance.
Fintech usage and adoption trends
The digital payments sector leads the fintech landscape in terms of user numbers. In 2024, it was used by over 3 billion people, and forecasts suggest that figure will reach 4.45 billion by 2029. Broader projections go further, with the total number of digital payment users expected to reach 8.34 billion globally by 2030.
Data shows that the shift is reshaping consumer preferences. In the U.S., 53% of people now use digital wallets more often than cash or physical cards, suggesting that contactless tools have become the norm for many.
Adoption is also reflected in revenue growth. Fintech companies are expected to grow revenues at a rate of 15% per year from 2022 to 2028, compared to just 6% annual growth for traditional banks. That gap signals a significant shift in where consumers are spending and who’s best positioned to meet future demand.
Fintech adoption by generation
Younger consumers are leading the shift toward digital tools, particularly in the payments sector. In the U.S., 62% of Gen Z and 53% of millennials report regularly using mobile wallets. By contrast, just 21% of baby boomers say the same.
As younger generations become the dominant economic force, their fintech preferences are likely to set the tone for the next decade of financial services.
Fintech startup statistics
As of 2025, there are 31,801 fintech startups globally, based on data recorded in November 2024 by Statista. This figure encompasses companies across the entire fintech ecosystem, including digital payments, lending, Insurtech, and wealth management.
The number of active fintech startups has more than tripled since 2018, highlighting a sustained appetite for innovation in digital financial services. While new funding has slowed, the overall volume of startups remains at record levels.
Fintech Startups by Region
The global fintech landscape remains regionally diverse, with the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East & Africa) currently home to the highest number of fintech startups. As of November 2024, EMEA accounts for approximately 11,321 companies, slightly ahead of the Americas at 10,952. The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region follows with approximately 8,829 fintech startups, reflecting strong but slightly slower growth.
This distribution highlights the maturity of fintech ecosystems in Europe and North America, where regulation, infrastructure, and access to capital continue to support the growth of startups. APAC’s growing base reflects a younger yet fast-scaling fintech market, driven by mobile-first financial services in countries such as India, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Fintech Startups by Region Over Time
While we don’t have historical data for every region, the figures below show the growth of fintech startups across two major regions: Asia-Pacific and Europe, the Middle East and Africa. These are referred to as APAC and EMEA, respectively, in the table below.
Both regions have seen rapid growth over the past six years, with EMEA increasing its number of startups every single year. Since 2020, the EMEA region has nearly tripled its startup volume. APAC has also maintained steady year-on-year growth, highlighting the global spread of fintech innovation.
EMEA saw the most significant expansion between 2019 and 2020, with startup numbers more than doubling. APAC’s growth was steadier but still substantial, adding over 3,000 startups in just four years. This pattern reflects increasing access to funding, infrastructure, and consumer demand in both regions.
Fintech Startups in the United States
The United States remains one of the most active fintech hubs globally, with the number of startups rising sharply over the past six years. Between 2018 and 2024, the U.S. fintech ecosystem grew by over 130%, underlining its role as a breeding ground for innovation, funding and infrastructure.
Startup growth has accelerated most dramatically since 2020, coinciding with shifts toward digital finance during and after the pandemic.
Summary
Fintech is no longer an emerging trend; it’s a common technology that we use every day, with businesses and individuals capitalising on the latest fintech innovations. Most people use mobile payments in their day-to-day lives, and we’re also seeing numerous trends, such as increased fintech adoption across the board and more investments in sectors like AI integration, including customer onboarding and fraud checks.
