The Financial Technology Report is pleased to introduce The Power 300 Financial Technology Companies of 2023, which represents the most important and influential companies in the financial technology sector. It is a dynamic list that will be updated from time to time as new category leaders emerge and as companies wane or are acquired. The companies listed range from specializations including payments, accounting, wealth management, banking, investing, lending, insurtech, cryptocurrency, and other areas that are changing the way businesses and individuals conduct their most important financial matters.
The companies recognized were selected based on the quality of the solutions they offer and the extent to which their solutions have been adopted by the broader market. We also evaluated organizational depth, management team caliber, company culture, and investor backing, among other attributes. This selection methodology has yielded the 300 standout international fintech companies that represent the best of the best in the industry. To nominate a company, please visit our nomination page.
Recent Events
Even for an industry built on rapid movement and characterized by seemingly sudden breakthroughs, the last twelve months have brought truly remarkable turns in financial technology, like the growing acceptance and integration of major Web3 developments such as embedded payments, digital wallets, and BNPL services. The rising prominence of digital assets including cryptocurrency and NFTs over the first half of the year also reached a fever pitch, with companies securing partnerships with major brands and celebrity spokespeople.
The infrastructure needed for the utilization of these assets saw significant development as well, leading to trusted brick-and-mortar retailers such as Walmart and Adidas announcing their own NFTs and marketplaces.
From there, the fintech world was plunged into turmoil by a series of high-profile crashes and downturns. The collapse of crypto exchange FTX sent ripples throughout the market, with investors scrambling to find redress for their lost accounts and founder and CEO Sam Bankman-Fried taken into custody by the end of the year. Despite tightening regulations as well as high inflation, supply chain issues, and interest rate hikes that have beset the wider economy, the fintech companies that have succeeded this year have demonstrated incredible resilience and flexibility.
Financial Technology Categories
This year, we honor 300 financial technology companies across major categories including payments, accounting, wealth management, banking, investing, lending, insurtech, and cryptocurrency, among other categories.
Payments
Mobile and digital payments have surged in popularity as everyday consumers are eager for the ability to send or receive money with ever-increasing speed and convenience. By 2022, it was estimated that digital payment transactions approached $1 trillion in total volume, led by companies including PayPal, Mastercard, and Stripe.
Category leaders include: PayPal, Mastercard, Fiserv, Stripe, Visa, NCR, Intuit
Accounting
The introduction of fintech to accounting has lowered the number of times accountants need to execute tasks such as invoice management and cash flow forecasting. Technological breakthroughs like machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and digitized tax platforms are being utilized to automate accounting tasks, improve transparency, and improve data access and analysis. In 2022, companies like Intuit and FreshBooks made it easier for businesses and individuals to manage their financials accurately and efficiently.
Category leaders include: Intuit, Xero, HighRadius, Bill.com, FreshBooks, Consero Global, Tipalti
Wealth Management
This year, fintech powerhouses and newcomers to the payment field alike have leveraged blockchain and other technological breakthroughs to deliver new and evolving options in personal finance and wealth management. In 2022, companies such as Addepar and Betterment have risen to new heights, delivering customized services to their users including budgeting, retirement support, and holistic investment advice.
Category leaders include: Addepar, Human Interest, Betterment, Wealthfront, Flourish, Sentieo, Docupace
Banking
Although neobanks as a whole had a difficult year, consumers have flocked to fintechs offering consumer and retail banking services that improve access and avoid the costly fees of traditional financial institutions. Some of the most prominent names in consumer banking are Revolut, N26, and Finastra, companies that have found great success breaking into an industry long closed off to innovative challengers.
Category leaders include: Revolut, Oportun, Finastra, N26, Chime, Monzo, Backbase
Investing
Investing is a broad category covering everything from companies like Acorn, which allows individuals to round up purchases and automatically invest the change, to Republic, which specializes in investment-related services in the private markets, including a retail investment platform, a blockchain advisory service, and a private capital division. In 2022, among other advances in fintech, businesses were increasingly able to find and secure equity for expansion, and individuals found it increasingly convenient to invest their personal funds.
Category leaders include: Nucoro, Carta, Virtu Financial, Groww, Broadridge Trading and Connectivity Solutions, T-Rex, EquityBee
Lending
Traditionally, individuals and businesses looking to secure a loan had to go through an expensive, unwieldy, often time-consuming system of bureaucracy before they could receive needed funding. Thanks to the tireless work of companies including Affirm, Lendio, and Kabbage, it has now become possible to expedite the process of finding a lender, checking credit, and underwriting the loan, increasing the ease with which capital flows through the economy.
Category leaders include: SoFi, Affirm, Wave Mobile Money, Lendio, Kabbage from American Express, Lending Club, Lendingkart
Insurtech
With millions of individuals and businesses around the world still struggling to meet their essential insurance needs, fintechs specializing in insurance (“insurtechs”) have streamlined the complex process of finding an insurance provider, securing coverage, and managing coverage. Insurtechs such as Guidewire Software, Policygenius, and Root Insurance have harnessed the power of technology to open the insurance world to more customers than ever before through innovations like chatbots, predictive data, and intuitive comparison shopping platforms.
Category leaders include: Guidewire Software, Policygenius, Root Insurance, wefox, FINEOS, Equisoft, Hippo Insurance
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency is still the first word on everyone’s lips when it comes to the latest developments in fintech, and although crypto has taken a hit since the beginning of 2022, firms like Coinbase and Ripple that are building trading architecture and facilitating exchange have continued to make major advances. Meanwhile, blockchain technology underlies a staggering array of cutting-edge tech developments, allowing for anonymous and secure public ledgers of digital transactions.
Category leaders include: Binance.us, Coinbase, Ripple, ConsenSys, Circle, Bitpanda, HashCash Consultants
Going Forward
The financial technology sector continues to grow and evolve to meet the needs of an increasingly complex economy and wider world. The 300 companies recognized here have proven themselves as visionary, highly technical, and user-focused organizations that are driving the industry forward towards an exciting future.
Please join us in recognizing the achievements of The Power 300 Financial Technology Companies of 2023.
