What 2025 was all about

"Over the past few years, businesses have accelerated digitization, automation, and global scaling, yet in many cases, B2B payments remain largely manual. However, in 2025, we can finally see payments becoming embedded, intelligent, and proactive. That’s a shift that is fundamentally transforming how businesses buy, sell, and manage cash."

What we’ll start to see in 2026

Tuhk Inc., a fintech startup founded by Ethoca and NuData Security veterans, secured US$6 million in seed funding led by FINTOP, with participation from Lloyds Banking Group and Capital One Ventures. The platform aims to revolutionize payments by enabling secure, real-time collaboration among merchants, banks, and service providers to combat the global US$10.5 trillion cybercrime threat.

Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and users, today announced a landmark regulatory achievement: The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, the Capital of the UAE, has formally approved the authorisation of Binance's global platform, Binance.com, under a comprehensive regulatory framework.

Even with significant investment in data and technology, data quality and governance challenges threaten to undermine strategic AI ambitions for Payments and Fintech firms in the year ahead, according to a new report from data and analytics firm Dun & Bradstreet. 

More than half of Payments (54%) and Fintech (51%) firms state that AI projects have failed as a result of poor data. 

Volt, the global real-time payments platform, has appointed former Checkout.com Director of Product Mathew Tuvesson as its new VP of Product. Mathew will take centre point in delivering a new generation of Volt’s product suite, as the company ramps up its evolution and prepares to add stablecoin payments and treasury solutions to its real-time payments capabilities.

YouLend, a leading global embedded financing platform, today announced a landmark partnership with Upwork Inc., the world’s human and AI-powered work marketplace, aimed at expanding access to financing for freelancers, agencies and microbusiness owners across the United States. 

Moneybox, the award-winning wealth management platform, today announced the launch of three new Moneybox-branded funds, marking a significant strengthening of its wealth and investing proposition.   

Developed in partnership with Amundi, the largest European investment manager, the new funds will be available to pension customers from  8th December 2025. They are designed to support customers in growing their money for retirement through a simplified, cost-effective, and expertly managed investment solution.

Publicis Sapient, a global technology company that provides enterprise AI platforms and services, and Murex, a leader in trading, risk and processing solutions for capital markets, today announced the successful go-live of Murex’s MX.3 front-to-back-to-risk platform for the treasury business at leading U.K. specialist financial services provider Aldermore Bank.

Bizcap, one of the fastest‑growing alternative lenders globally, is expanding its UK presence and has increased its lending limit to £1 million, giving more businesses rapid access to working capital as the credit environment tightens.

Since launching in the UK in April 2024, Bizcap has become a trusted partner for SMEs and brokers looking for a more responsive option than traditional lenders.