UK fintech chiefs switch growth plans as capital conditions wane

Over seven in ten UK fintech chiefs are switching growth plans due to the country’s ailing capital conditions.

Some 71 per cent of the sector’s top bosses said they have had to adjust growth strategies as a result of tightening capital conditions, according to a fresh report from fintech advisory firm Chatsworth and market researcher Censuswide.

The report, which pulls the view of a 100 UK fintech bosses, reveals around a quarter of bosses ranked access to capital as their top constraint.

It comes after figures at the beginning of February revealed UK fintech investment had slumped to a five-year low in 2025, despite the whopping $3bn raise from Revolut.

The UK notched just shy of $11bn (£8bn), falling a fifth from the $13.4bn notched the year prior.

Nick Murray-Leslie, founder of Chatsworth, said: “The sector has matured quickly, competition has increased, capital is more selective and the bar for credibility is much higher.”

Fintech talent in demand

Despite the concerns around capital, the battle for talent was ranked as the highest constraint by leaders at 31 per cent.

Fintech firms were among the biggest driver for the financial services in 2025, according to a report from City recruiter Morgan McKinley.

Hiring in the sector surged 29 per cent in the year, with particular strength in hiring for software engineering and product management roles. 

Also on the agenda for fintech bosses’ concerns was macroeconomic conditions, which came in at 29 per cent.

Though economic jitters did not stop leaders from doubling down on their confidence in the sector for the coming years. Almost nine in ten believed the industry would be stronger in five years time, with 36 per cent believing “significantly” so.

The UK’s fintech market is valued between £16bn and 18bn and sits within a global sector worth around £370bn. This is projected to exceed £1.3 trillion within a decade.

City AM revealed last week that top top fintech bosses are set to lock horns with Treasury and watchdog officials as part of a flurry of summits.

Several of the nation’s fastest-growing companies are set to meet City Minister Lucy Rigby on Tuesday as well as separate meetings with the financial watchdog on Monday and Tuesday.