Top fintech cities have been ranked based on key business indices by Consultancy.uk. Deloitte has also done a similar ranking. Both studies place several cities on top of the fintech sector in the world. Some cities like Singapore are ranked very close to the world leader, London.
- San Francisco
San Francisco, USA, is home to Silicon Valley which has been in the forefront of software and hardware innovation since the 1950s. Recently, the city has become a centre of financial technology innovation. San Francisco has the highest venture capital investments in the world. Some of the fintech companies in the city are;
- Indigogo
- PayPal
- LendingClub
- CreditKarma
- Wealthfront
It is predicted that San Francisco will continue to witness more fintech innovations led by the tech giants, Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple which are expected to continue drawing in more talent and investment.
- New York City
New York City has for a long time been a centre of international finance. This created a base for fintech innovation. Wall Street, for example, leads the world in terms of capital base. As a result, there is the need for innovative financial solutions. Consequently, several fintech firms have set up to meet the high demand. Some of them include;
- Aqumin
- Kasisto
- CB Insights
- Enigma
- Alpha Point
- Brussels
Since the 1970s, Brussels has remained a key financial centre. Availability of a vibrant financial services sector in the city has become a key factor in the city’s emergence as a fintech hub. The city is home to some of the leading fintech firms in the world including;
- Guardsquare
- CashForce
- Xpenditure
- Sixdots
- Doccle
- Singapore
Singapore is a global financial and fintech centre. Its success is boosted by government support. Some top fintechs in Singapore include;
- Dragon Wealth
- Fastacash
- Call Levels
- Crowdonomic
- MatchMove Pay
- Hong Kong
Hong Kong is branded the largest financial centre in Asia. This reputation has attracted many fintech innovators and startups into the city. Among the most prominent fintechs are;
- Amareos
- Gatecoin
- Neat
- Microcred
- Welend
- Toronto
Toronto is the largest financial centre in Canada. It is also a leading fintech hub in Canada and the world at large. Key fintech companies in the city include;
- Thinking Capital
- Lendifield
- EQ Bank
- BlueRover
- Sensibill
- Paris
Paris is a leading fintech hub, thanks to the comprehensive regulations that provide certainty to fintech investors. The city is also a home to many financial institutions and boast of a large pool of talent. Today, there a many fintech companies operating in Paris including;
- SlimPay
- HiPay
- Compte Nickel
- FinexCap
- Lendix
- Frankfurt
Frankfurt city is home to over 300 banks. The largest stock exchange in continental Europe, Deutsch Borsch Group, is located in this city. The city has all that is needed for a successful fintech ecosystem: financial institutions, investors, talent, good regulations among others. Top fintechs in Frankfurt include;
- Awamo
- Clark
- 360T
- creditShelf
- Paydirect
- Amsterdam
Amsterdam has a strong entrepreneurial environment, a mature financial environment with low payment transactions. This coupled with a large pool of talent makes the city a preferred destination for fintech startups. Currently, the following fintechs are based in the city;
- Payvision
- Five Degrees
- GlobalCollect
- Adyen
- Backbase
- Seoul
Seoul’s emergence as a fintech hub has been largely boosted by availability of financial infrastructure and a regulatory environment conducive for fintech startups. Some of the fintechs currently based in Seoul are;
- Terra Funding
- Honest Fund
- Toss
- 8 Percent
- K-Bank
Notably, all these cities are first of all financial centres, then fintech hubs. This indicates that fintech startups prefer a well-established financial centre.
