Fintech investments globally drop to $51.2 billion in 2023.
The Middle East and Asia buck this trend, maintaining positive dynamics.
The skyline of Dubai
Global
investments in financial technology companies saw a significant decline in
2023, falling 48% to $51.2 billion from the previous year's $99 billion,
according to data from Innovate Finance.
While
funding decreased in major fintech hubs like the UK and the USA, the United
Arab Emirates (UAE) demonstrated a contrasting trend, with fintech funding
nearly doubling in the past year.
Fintech Funding Plunges
Globally
Global fintech cautiously entered 2023 amid economic challenges, with concerns over inflation, tight monetary policies, and potential recession impacting spending and deals. Despite this, early stage fintech investment remained robust, garnering over $4 billion in seed funding.
However, larger deals above $100 million slowed, indicating a shift in growth-stage valuations and capital issuance caution. The average deal size dropped to $12.9 million from $15.5 million in 2022, yet exceeded the 2012-2020 average of $10.3 million. Demonstrating its international influence, fintech saw a notable shift in investment trends: for the first time, Asian countries in the TOP10 outpaced European counterparts in investment.
Source: Innovate Finance
Innovate
Finance's study, corroborates information published earlier this week by
Finance Magnates. The US experienced a drop of 36% in fintech funding,
totaling $18.2 billion, while the UK's funding plummeted 63% to $4.2
billion.
Source: Tracxn
The total
number of fintech fundraising deals also decreased sharply, dropping 61% to
3,973 in the last year. Despite this downturn, the US maintained its position
as the leading destination for fintech investment in 2023, with the UK securing
the second spot globally. The UK's fintech funding still surpassed the combined
total of the next 28 European countries.
The overall
downturn in fintech startups in leading economies mirrors the negative trend
from the previous year. Early in 2023, Finance Magnates reported a reduction of 30% in global fintech funding for 2022, bringing it down to $95 billion.
However,
not all regions are experiencing this downturn in funding. Innovative
Finance noted that the Asian and Middle Eastern regions are becoming particularly
active.
UAE Defies Trend with 92%
Jump
Despite the
global fintech funding slowdown, the United Arab Emirates was a standout
performer. The UAE saw fintech investment skyrocket 92% in 2023 thanks to the growing adoption of digital banking and
fintech tools in the region. This was the first time the UAE made the top 10
list of most well-funded fintech hubs.
Economies of the Middle East, particularly the UAE, are becoming increasingly attractive for companies in the financial sector, including cryptocurrency exchanges and FX/CFD brokers. The UAE has been striving for at least a year to become a crypto and financial hub, offering more business-friendly regulations to companies entering this market than other major jurisdictions.
India took
third place globally with $2.5 billion invested in its fintech sector in 2023.
Singapore and China rounded out the top five countries by fintech funding last
year with $2.2 billion and $1.8 billion raised, respectively.
The entire ranking can be found below:
United States: 1,530 deals, $24.2 billion
United Kingdom: 409 deals, $5.1 billion
India: 187 deals, $2.5 billion
Singapore: 176 deals, $2.2 billion
China: 76 deals, $1.8 billion
United Arab Emirates: 54 deals, $1.3 billion
France: 97 deals, $1.2 billion
Germany: 86 deals, $1.1 million
Hong Kong: 41 deals, $912 million
Canada: 92 deals, $884 million
The
cautious outlook suggests fintech funding headwinds could persist into 2024,
but pockets of resilience and steady early-stage investment provide some
optimism for the industry.
Global
investments in financial technology companies saw a significant decline in
2023, falling 48% to $51.2 billion from the previous year's $99 billion,
according to data from Innovate Finance.
While
funding decreased in major fintech hubs like the UK and the USA, the United
Arab Emirates (UAE) demonstrated a contrasting trend, with fintech funding
nearly doubling in the past year.
Fintech Funding Plunges
Globally
Global fintech cautiously entered 2023 amid economic challenges, with concerns over inflation, tight monetary policies, and potential recession impacting spending and deals. Despite this, early stage fintech investment remained robust, garnering over $4 billion in seed funding.
However, larger deals above $100 million slowed, indicating a shift in growth-stage valuations and capital issuance caution. The average deal size dropped to $12.9 million from $15.5 million in 2022, yet exceeded the 2012-2020 average of $10.3 million. Demonstrating its international influence, fintech saw a notable shift in investment trends: for the first time, Asian countries in the TOP10 outpaced European counterparts in investment.
Source: Innovate Finance
Innovate
Finance's study, corroborates information published earlier this week by
Finance Magnates. The US experienced a drop of 36% in fintech funding,
totaling $18.2 billion, while the UK's funding plummeted 63% to $4.2
billion.
Source: Tracxn
The total
number of fintech fundraising deals also decreased sharply, dropping 61% to
3,973 in the last year. Despite this downturn, the US maintained its position
as the leading destination for fintech investment in 2023, with the UK securing
the second spot globally. The UK's fintech funding still surpassed the combined
total of the next 28 European countries.
The overall
downturn in fintech startups in leading economies mirrors the negative trend
from the previous year. Early in 2023, Finance Magnates reported a reduction of 30% in global fintech funding for 2022, bringing it down to $95 billion.
However,
not all regions are experiencing this downturn in funding. Innovative
Finance noted that the Asian and Middle Eastern regions are becoming particularly
active.
UAE Defies Trend with 92%
Jump
Despite the
global fintech funding slowdown, the United Arab Emirates was a standout
performer. The UAE saw fintech investment skyrocket 92% in 2023 thanks to the growing adoption of digital banking and
fintech tools in the region. This was the first time the UAE made the top 10
list of most well-funded fintech hubs.
Economies of the Middle East, particularly the UAE, are becoming increasingly attractive for companies in the financial sector, including cryptocurrency exchanges and FX/CFD brokers. The UAE has been striving for at least a year to become a crypto and financial hub, offering more business-friendly regulations to companies entering this market than other major jurisdictions.
India took
third place globally with $2.5 billion invested in its fintech sector in 2023.
Singapore and China rounded out the top five countries by fintech funding last
year with $2.2 billion and $1.8 billion raised, respectively.
The entire ranking can be found below:
United States: 1,530 deals, $24.2 billion
United Kingdom: 409 deals, $5.1 billion
India: 187 deals, $2.5 billion
Singapore: 176 deals, $2.2 billion
China: 76 deals, $1.8 billion
United Arab Emirates: 54 deals, $1.3 billion
France: 97 deals, $1.2 billion
Germany: 86 deals, $1.1 million
Hong Kong: 41 deals, $912 million
Canada: 92 deals, $884 million
The
cautious outlook suggests fintech funding headwinds could persist into 2024,
but pockets of resilience and steady early-stage investment provide some
optimism for the industry.
Damian's adventure with financial markets began at the Cracow University of Economics, where he obtained his MA in finance and accounting. Starting from the retail trader perspective, he collaborated with brokerage houses and financial portals in Poland as an independent editor and content manager. His adventure with Finance Magnates began in 2016, where he is working as a business intelligence analyst.
Robinhood Shares Surge 11% as Fintech Seeks Independence From Kalshi in Prediction Markets
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI
As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly.
Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists as they discuss the main challenges they identify in financial services in 2026 and how they address them.
Attendees of this session will walk away with:
- A nuts-and-bolts account of acquisition costs across platforms and geos
- Analysis of today’s multi-layered audience segments and differences in behaviour
- First-hand account of how global brokers balance consistency and local flavour
- Notes from the field about intelligently using AI and automation in marketing
Speakers:
-Yam Yehoshua, Editor-In-Chief at Finance Magnates
-Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X
-Jo Benton, Chief Marketing Officer, Consulting | Fractional CMO
-Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at investingLive
-Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance
-Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #FintechMarketing #AI #DigitalStrategy #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
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🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly.
Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists as they discuss the main challenges they identify in financial services in 2026 and how they address them.
Attendees of this session will walk away with:
- A nuts-and-bolts account of acquisition costs across platforms and geos
- Analysis of today’s multi-layered audience segments and differences in behaviour
- First-hand account of how global brokers balance consistency and local flavour
- Notes from the field about intelligently using AI and automation in marketing
Speakers:
-Yam Yehoshua, Editor-In-Chief at Finance Magnates
-Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X
-Jo Benton, Chief Marketing Officer, Consulting | Fractional CMO
-Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at investingLive
-Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance
-Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #FintechMarketing #AI #DigitalStrategy #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
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🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Much like their traders in the market, brokers must diversify to manage risk and stay resilient. But that can get costly, clunky, and lengthy.
This candid panel brings together builders across the trading infrastructure space to uncover the shifting dynamics behind tools, interfaces, and full-stack ambitions.
Attendees will hear:
-Why platform dependency has become one of the most overlooked risks in the trading business?
-Buy vs. build: What do hybrid models look like, and why are industry graveyards filled with failed ‘killer apps’?
-How AI is already changing execution, risk, and reporting—and what’s next?
-Which features, assets, and tools gain the most traction, and where brokers should look for tech-driven retention?
Speakers:
-Stephen Miles, Chief Revenue Officer at FYNXT
-John Morris, Co-Founder at FXBlue
-Matthew Smith, Group Chair & CEO at EC Markets
-Tom Higgins, Founder & CEO at Gold-i
-Gil Ben Hur, Founder at 5% Group
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #Trading #Fintech #FintechInnovation #TradingTechnology #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Much like their traders in the market, brokers must diversify to manage risk and stay resilient. But that can get costly, clunky, and lengthy.
This candid panel brings together builders across the trading infrastructure space to uncover the shifting dynamics behind tools, interfaces, and full-stack ambitions.
Attendees will hear:
-Why platform dependency has become one of the most overlooked risks in the trading business?
-Buy vs. build: What do hybrid models look like, and why are industry graveyards filled with failed ‘killer apps’?
-How AI is already changing execution, risk, and reporting—and what’s next?
-Which features, assets, and tools gain the most traction, and where brokers should look for tech-driven retention?
Speakers:
-Stephen Miles, Chief Revenue Officer at FYNXT
-John Morris, Co-Founder at FXBlue
-Matthew Smith, Group Chair & CEO at EC Markets
-Tom Higgins, Founder & CEO at Gold-i
-Gil Ben Hur, Founder at 5% Group
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #Trading #Fintech #FintechInnovation #TradingTechnology #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Educators, IBs, And Other Regional Growth Drivers
Educators, IBs, And Other Regional Growth Drivers
When acquisition costs rise and AI generated reviews are exactly as useful as they sound, performing and fair partners can make or break brokers.
This session looks at how these players are shaping access, trust and user engagement, and what the most effective partnership models look like in 2025.
Key Themes:
- Building trader communities through education and local expertise
- Aligning broker incentives with long-term regional strategies
- Regional regulation and the realities of compliant acquisition
- What’s next for performance-driven partnerships in online trading
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Zander Van Der Merwe, Key Individual & Head of Sales at TD Markets
-Brunno Huertas, Regional Manager – Latin America at Tickmill
-Paul Chalmers, CEO at UK Trading Academy
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #BrokerGrowth #FintechPartnerships #RegionalMarkets
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
When acquisition costs rise and AI generated reviews are exactly as useful as they sound, performing and fair partners can make or break brokers.
This session looks at how these players are shaping access, trust and user engagement, and what the most effective partnership models look like in 2025.
Key Themes:
- Building trader communities through education and local expertise
- Aligning broker incentives with long-term regional strategies
- Regional regulation and the realities of compliant acquisition
- What’s next for performance-driven partnerships in online trading
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Zander Van Der Merwe, Key Individual & Head of Sales at TD Markets
-Brunno Huertas, Regional Manager – Latin America at Tickmill
-Paul Chalmers, CEO at UK Trading Academy
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #BrokerGrowth #FintechPartnerships #RegionalMarkets
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
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🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
The Leap to Everything App: Are Brokers There Yet?
The Leap to Everything App: Are Brokers There Yet?
As the arms race to bundle investing, personal finance, and wallets under super apps grows fiercer, brokers are caught between a rock and a hard place.
This session explores unexpected ways for industry players to collaborate as consumer habits evolve, competitors eye the traffic, and regulation becomes more nuanced.
Speakers:
-Laura McCracken,CEO | Advisory Board Member at Blackheath Advisors | The Payments Association
-Slobodan Manojlović,Vice President | Lead Software Engineer at JP Morgan Chase & Co.
-Jordan Sinclair, President at Robinhood UK
-Simon Pelletier, Head of Product at Yuh
Gerald Perez, CEO at Interactive Brokers UK
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As the arms race to bundle investing, personal finance, and wallets under super apps grows fiercer, brokers are caught between a rock and a hard place.
This session explores unexpected ways for industry players to collaborate as consumer habits evolve, competitors eye the traffic, and regulation becomes more nuanced.
Speakers:
-Laura McCracken,CEO | Advisory Board Member at Blackheath Advisors | The Payments Association
-Slobodan Manojlović,Vice President | Lead Software Engineer at JP Morgan Chase & Co.
-Jordan Sinclair, President at Robinhood UK
-Simon Pelletier, Head of Product at Yuh
Gerald Perez, CEO at Interactive Brokers UK
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
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Mind The Gap: Can Retail Investors Save the UK Stock Market?
Mind The Gap: Can Retail Investors Save the UK Stock Market?
As the dire state of listing and investment in the UK goes from a financial services problem to a national challenge, the retail investing industry is taken to task.
Join a host of executives and experts for a candid conversation about the future of millions of Brits, as seen from a financial services standpoint:
-Are they happy with the Leeds Reform, in principle and in practice?
-Is it the government’s job to affect the ‘saver’ mentality? Is it doing well?
-What can brokers and fintechs do to spur UK investment?
-How can the FCA balance greater flexibility with consumer protection?
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Nicola Higgs, Partner at Latham & Watkins
-Dan Lane, Investment Content Lead at Robinhood UK
-Jack Crone, PR & Public Affairs Lead at IG
-David Belle, Founder at Fink Money
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #RetailInvesting #UKFinance
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
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📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As the dire state of listing and investment in the UK goes from a financial services problem to a national challenge, the retail investing industry is taken to task.
Join a host of executives and experts for a candid conversation about the future of millions of Brits, as seen from a financial services standpoint:
-Are they happy with the Leeds Reform, in principle and in practice?
-Is it the government’s job to affect the ‘saver’ mentality? Is it doing well?
-What can brokers and fintechs do to spur UK investment?
-How can the FCA balance greater flexibility with consumer protection?
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Nicola Higgs, Partner at Latham & Watkins
-Dan Lane, Investment Content Lead at Robinhood UK
-Jack Crone, PR & Public Affairs Lead at IG
-David Belle, Founder at Fink Money
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #RetailInvesting #UKFinance
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
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🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
