Inside London’s FinTech Ecosystem – A Week of Conversations
By Evita Lune - Equity Partner, Global Head of the FinTech Practice Group
February 2026
I spent the entire last week in London, catching up with my FinTech clients, candidates, and business partners.
Here are a few observations:
AI is eating the world - direct impact on investors and top executives
FinTech investment is now heavily concentrated on B2B AI solutions — fraud prevention, customer care, CRM management, scoring, and automation across the value chain.
As a result, VC and PE capital is becoming much less available for other FinTech verticals.
Several FinTech unicorns have already laid off large numbers of junior and mid-level staff due to AI adoption. I even sensed a degree of job security anxiety among senior FinTech executives — something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.
EU regulators, FCA… or no regulation at all?
My challenge today is not only to identify clients where we can deliver maximum value, but also to choose those with the right ethics, compliance standards, culture, and sustainable business models.
London, as a global melting pot of opportunity , is also home to certain “FinTechs” that would never pass regulatory scrutiny in the EU.
It’s not difficult to create a flashy website, place a young graduate as a “facade founder,” and quietly process sanctioned or illicit funds in the background.
A game for the “big boys”
In a global financial services hub like London, B2C FinTechs often focus on what is effectively a rounding error compared to the real scale of opportunity in B2B financial services.
Gross settlement, clearing, merchant acquiring, issuing, and Banking-as-a-Service hold the true volumes — and the real pockets of profitability.
However, penetrating this space can require a lifetime of investment, trust-building, and relationships.
Those with deep connections across banks, brokerages, financial institutions, and corporates remain highly valued — and effectively irreplaceable — channels for large-scale business.
Looking forward to my next London trip in April already!