5 Key Goals For Fintechs In 2025

What tech and skills will fintechs need in 2025? And where should they turn to speed up launches and strengthen expertise? Here’s a quick look.

Focus on scalability

Without scalability, there’s no sustained growth. Even when a software provider promises a future-ready platform, scaling it to meet current demand often requires specialized tools and expertise that in-house teams simply might not have.

Meanwhile, even the most promising companies can fail if they don’t scale fast enough. Let me tell you about Clinkle, a mobile payment startup. Despite raising $39 million for growth, couldn’t keep up without a scalable infrastructure and ultimately failed. That’s because ensuring scalability is easier said than done.

To avoid this, fintechs need a solid but flexible tech foundation. For example, that of cloud-native services, which allow scaling resources based on demand without the headaches of managing infrastructure. Microservices architecture is another option, letting services scale independently without disrupting the entire platform. Similarly, thanks to the loose coupling of event-driven architecture components, fintechs can easily add and remove services while keeping the core functionality intact.

But building for scale requires a combination of skills that is often hard to find fast. Turning to expert staff augmentation partners is the quickest way to resolve this. 

Optimize operational workflows with AI

How about replacing inefficient methods with easier processes that bring the same or better results in less time? That’s what operational efficiency is all about, and AI and machine learning are great enablers. They help fintechs make smarter and faster decisions by analyzing data and predicting outcomes. This way, you can complete tasks sooner, allocate energy elsewhere, and achieve more. All sound like great goals to aspire to meet next year!

For example, AI can sift through large data volumes to find unusual patterns and detect fraud in real time. Aware of these potential threats, you can respond much faster, keeping your and your clients’ data secure and your reputation unspoiled. Using smart tech, you can also analyze customer behavior and market trends in-depth, and get proactive insights to improve your products and services. Think about customer churn prediction, for instance. Knowing when a customer may leave (and why) allows you to act before they even consider that. AI can help you with this.

In addition, artificial intelligence can detect patterns in complex data structures that may be too overwhelming for more traditional data solutions. And it keeps improving, with artificial neural networks acting as a digital version of the human brain. They can be trained to recognize images and process data that comes in order, like language or time series. This deep learning ability can be a major advantage for fintechs, from making stock market predictions more accurate to enhancing credit card fraud detection.

Remember that not all AI projects hit the mark. On the contrary, without the right resources, many of them fail. Developing AI and machine learning solutions is a whole different game than traditional software development. From relying on large datasets to ongoing adjustments and dealing with less predictability than standard coding, AI and ML projects have their own challenges that call for specialized skills.

Automate routine tasks

One issue I repeatedly experience with fintech companies is a pile of regulatory “paperwork”. From managing documents and monitoring transactions to performing know-your-customer (KYC) checks and generating reports, these routine tasks are tedious and prone to errors. Devouring precious energy and time, they divert valuable resources from strategic initiatives.

What I’ve noticed lately among fintech clients is their increased interest in regtech, which automates regulatory management to reduce compliance headaches. After all, who wouldn’t want to make legal document management and reporting smoother? Seeing the benefits regtech solutions can bring, it’s no wonder that that 25% of risk and compliance professionals actively seek them to resolve regulatory challenges more effectively. Global spending on regtech, projected to grow by 124% between 2023 and 2028, reflects that. 

But again, implementing regtech or other automation solutions isn’t as easy as it might seem, especially when integrating with legacy platforms. Another area that often comes up in my talks with clients are security and data privacy concerns. That’s where I like to step in and explain how regtech can actually boost data protection. By automating compliance and monitoring data flows, companies get the tools to spot risky behaviors early on. It’s all about creating more secure and efficient operations.

Make your solutions accessible

Financial and banking services should be easily available to everyone. By not making them accessible, fintechs are excluding about 1.3 billion people worldwide who experience disabilities. Meanwhile, many existing technologies can make managing one’s financials more inclusive and with a relatively low effort. So, adding accessibility to your list of 2025 goals should be a non-negotiable.

Take gesture-based interfaces. They use motion sensors to read and interpret movements. This can be game-changing for users who struggle with traditional input methods. Eye-tracking technology is another great tool, allowing users to navigate fintech platforms using just their eyes. For someone with mobility challenges, adding this simple feature can be a life-changing experience.

One of my favorite examples of fintechs that use those tech advancements is SpendAble, an Australian app that gives people with disabilities control over finances and protects them from financial abuse. They can easily view transaction receipts, set spending limits for caregivers, and manage payments in real time. Another pioneering instance comes from the UK. Barclays bank designed audio ATMs that help visually impaired users withdraw cash and check their balance safely and independently. The bank’s online platform offers voiceover functionality for screen readers and compatibility with accessibility features on smartphones. These features make it easy for anyone to access and use the app. 

Accessibility becomes a cross-industry trend; as the world embraces it, your fintech products should, too. While adding features to improve access for people with disabilities may be relatively simple, from my experience, I’d advise against a patchwork approach. Instead, easy access should be built into your software products right from the start

Focus on user-friendly interfaces

Throughout my career, I’ve seen many great fintech products fall short because of poor interfaces that instantly turned customers away. Finances are complex enough; using financial apps shouldn’t be.

There are a few key elements all intuitive platforms have in common: simple layout, fast performance, clear instructions, and consistent design. Behind these features are advanced technologies that make using fintech apps smoother, faster, and more rewarding. 

Biometric authentication is a classic example, yet many fintech products still don’t include it. Meanwhile, fingerprint scanning and facial recognition enhance security and convenience–no need to remember or type in passwords that are easy to forget or hack. Gamification and rewards engines are another great way to keep users engaged, especially when dealing with finances–not the most exciting subject for most people.

Often, good UX comes down to small touches. Such as micro-interactions, those subtle moments of feedback or guidance. They help users move through a finance or banking app without confusion, making all tasks less stressful. For instance, showing a summary before the final payment step eases users’ anxiety. Afterwards, a confirmation screen or, better, personalized email reassures them that everything went smoothly. Another small detail that can make a big difference is a pre-filled form or an easy copy-and-paste feature, especially when entering credit card payments or tax information.