The Complete Guide to Fintech Marketing:

Strategic Insights from Leading Global Consultants

The financial technology sector stands at a critical inflection point. After decades of hypergrowth fueled by abundant capital and “growth at all costs” strategies, the industry has entered what McKinsey describes as “a new paradigm of growth”—one focused on sustainable, profitable expansion rather than user acquisition at any price.

This article covers the state of the fintech industry, the marketing implications, and how Red Branch Media can help you acquire more leads for your business.

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Table of Contents

The Market Reality: Size, Growth, and New Rules

The numbers tell a compelling story of transformation in fintech marketing. According to Boston Consulting Group’s 2024 Global Fintech Report, fintech revenues are projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030—representing growth of roughly five times from today’s levels. However, the rules of the game have fundamentally changed.

McKinsey’s research reveals that fintech industry revenues are expected to grow almost three times faster than those in the traditional banking sector between 2023 and 2028. Yet this growth must now be profitable and sustainable. As BCG notes in their latest analysis, “Growth at all costs is no longer the watchword. The evolution of fintech has led to a moment in which prudence—the ability to avoid adding risk to the financial system—will be as important as the ability to generate profitable growth.”

The Funding Reality Check

The financial landscape for fintech has dramatically shifted. McKinsey reports that venture capital funding decreased by 50% in 2022, with the time between funding rounds for fintechs increasing by more than five months. BCG’s analysis shows that from 2021 to 2023, while global fintech revenues grew by 14% (at a compounded annual growth rate), both funding and valuations plummeted, with revenue valuation multiples falling from 20x to 4x on average.

However, positive signals are emerging. BCG’s 2025 report, “Fintech’s Next Chapter: Scaled Winners and Emerging Disruptors,” reveals that fintech revenues grew 21% in 2024—up from 13% in 2023—marking a threefold acceleration over the financial services industry at large. The average EBITDA margin of public fintechs climbed to 16%, and 69% of public fintechs are now profitable.

The Rise of Scaled Winners

Boston Consulting Group identifies a critical development: approximately 60% of all fintech revenue is generated by fewer than 100 scaled players—defined as those with over $500 million in annual revenue. These scaled winners are concentrated in five key verticals:

Payments – $126 billion in scaled fintech revenues (digital wallets: $67 billion; merchant acquiring and vertical SaaS: $50 billion)
Challenger banks – $27 billion in scaled fintech revenues
Retail crypto trading and brokerage – $16 billion
BNPL/POS lenders – Though representing only 4% of revenues, scaling rapidly
Insurance – Growing segment with significant potential

B2B Fintech Marketing: The Strategic Imperative

McKinsey’s research indicates that 35% of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in the US considered using fintech companies for lending, better pricing, and integration with their existing platforms. In Asia, 20% of SMEs leveraged fintech companies for payments and lending. This represents enormous market opportunity for B2B-focused fintech companies.

B2B fintech marketing differs fundamentally from consumer marketing due to:

Complex buyer personas: Multiple stakeholders including IT teams, finance departments, compliance officers, and C-suite executives
Longer sales cycles: B2B fintech deals often take months or years to close, resulting in more in-depth marketing strategies.
Higher stakes: Marketing solutions may involve significant financial commitments and operational changes
Regulatory considerations: Complex compliance requirements across jurisdictions creates unique marketing challenges.

The Customer Journey Challenge

McKinsey notes that around 73% of the world’s interactions with banks now take place through digital channels. For B2B fintech marketers, this digital-first environment creates both opportunities and challenges. Decision-makers expect sophisticated, personalized experiences that demonstrate clear value propositions and ROI.

Key Marketing Strategies for Sustainable Growth

1. Focus on Core Markets and Proven Value

McKinsey’s analysis reveals that companies that focus on their core business and have a strong home market are 1.6 times more likely to generate peer-beating returns. The research shows that cross-selling will likely drive growth for fintechs in emerging economies, while those in developed countries will likely see greater growth from capturing new customers.

Specifically:

Brazil: 72% of revenue growth expected from cross-selling
United Kingdom and United States: 25% and 30% respectively from cross-selling, with remaining growth from new customers

2. Embedded Finance: The $320 Billion Opportunity

Boston Consulting Group projects that embedded finance will be a $320 billion market by 2030, with the small and medium-sized business (SMB) segment accounting for about half ($150 billion). BCG’s research indicates this trend is “breaking down silos between finance and other industries, offering users convenient access to financial services without the need to engage with standalone banking or financial applications.”

Marketing implications for embedded finance:

Create educational content explaining embedded finance benefits
Develop case studies showing practical applications across industries
Target developer and tech-minded stakeholders with technical content
Position solutions as infrastructure rather than standalone products

3. AI-Driven Marketing and Operations

McKinsey’s Technology Trends Outlook 2024 highlights that generative AI saw a sevenfold increase in investments, driven by substantial advancements in text, image, and video generation. For fintech marketers, this presents opportunities for:

Hyper-personalized campaign development
Automated content creation at scale
Predictive analytics for customer behavior
Enhanced fraud detection and risk management

Thomson Reuters research indicates that AI models should help banks and credit unions stay on top of ever-changing regulations across all the necessary geographies, making compliance-focused AI a key selling point for B2B fintech solutions.

Regional Growth Opportunities

Emerging Markets: The Next Frontier

McKinsey identifies significant opportunities in emerging markets, particularly Africa and the Middle East. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of tech start-ups in Africa tripled to about 5,200 companies—and just under half of these are fintechs. The research estimates that African fintech revenues could reach eight times their 2022 value by 2025 if similar penetration levels to Kenya are achieved.

BCG’s analysis suggests that Asia-Pacific is poised to outpace the US, becoming the world’s largest fintech market by 2030. This creates significant opportunities for fintech companies that can adapt their marketing strategies to local preferences and regulatory environments.

Regulatory Compliance as a Marketing Asset

The Compliance-First Approach

Thomson Reuters analysis shows that regulatory changes are becoming a defining trend, with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)’s Rule 1033 and the EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA).

For fintech marketers, regulatory compliance isn’t just a requirement—it’s a competitive advantage. Companies that can demonstrate robust compliance frameworks, transparent operations, and proactive regulatory adaptation are positioned to win in an increasingly regulated environment.

Key compliance marketing strategies:

Highlight security certifications and regulatory approvals
Create content explaining regulatory changes and their implications
Position compliance capabilities as product differentiators
Develop thought leadership around regulatory best practices

The Startup Challenge: Marketing with Limited Resources

Capital Efficiency in Marketing

With funding constraints continuing, fintech startups must approach marketing with unprecedented capital efficiency. McKinsey’s research suggests that successful fintechs in the current environment focus on:

Cost Discipline: Control costs to withstand the new funding environment while remaining flexible, nimble, and compliant.

Measured Growth: Ensure there is a strong and stable core business with a targeted and proven market fit before expanding.

Strategic Partnerships: Pursue mutually beneficial partnerships based on programmatic strategy rooted in value sharing.

Startup Marketing Strategies

Based on consulting insights, effective startup marketing strategies include:

Content-Driven SEO: Build authority through educational content that addresses specific industry pain points
Partnership Marketing: Leverage strategic partnerships to expand reach without increasing customer acquisition costs
Account-Based Marketing: Focus resources on high-value prospects with personalized approaches
Product-Led Growth: Use the product itself as a marketing tool through free trials and freemium models

Measuring Success: KPIs That Matter

Beyond Vanity Metrics

BCG’s research emphasizes the importance of focusing on metrics that drive sustainable profitability:

Revenue Metrics:

Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
Monthly/Annual Recurring Revenue (MRR/ARR)
Net Revenue Retention

Efficiency Metrics:

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
CAC Payback Period
Sales Efficiency Ratios
Marketing ROI

Operational Metrics:

Churn Rate
Product Adoption Rates
Time to Value for Customers
Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Future Trends Shaping Fintech Marketing

Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs)

McKinsey’s analysis indicates that many countries are exploring or implementing CBDCs to streamline transactions, reduce costs, and improve financial inclusion. This creates new marketing opportunities for fintech companies that can integrate CBDC functionality into their solutions.

Open Banking Evolution

Thomson Reuters research shows that open banking is gaining momentum, with consumers increasingly comfortable with data sharing for enhanced financial services. This trend creates opportunities for fintech marketers to position their solutions as enabling better financial experiences through data integration.

Blockchain and DeFi Integration

While still emerging, McKinsey notes that blockchain technology is becoming more mainstream in financial services, particularly for fraud prevention, anti-money laundering efforts, and smart contract automation.

Strategic Recommendations for Fintech Marketers

For Established Players

BCG recommends that scaled fintech leaders should:

Double down on fundamentals and focus on home markets
Embed AI at the heart of business models for competitive advantage
Remain alert to M&A opportunities for strategic expansion
Invest in regulatory technology to maintain a compliance advantage

For Startups

McKinsey’s research suggests successful strategies include:

Building strong corporate governance foundations for stability and direction
Focusing on cost discipline while maintaining agility
Pursuing programmatic partnerships rather than trying to build everything in-house
Emphasizing unit economics over growth metrics in investor presentations

For Investors and Agencies

Boston Consulting Group identifies key areas for investment and focus:

Diversify into underpenetrated areas like financial infrastructure
Focus on regions primed for growth (Middle East, Africa, parts of Latin America and Asia-Pacific)
Push for faster AI adoption and disciplined growth among portfolio companies
Emphasize cybersecurity capabilities as acquisitions focus on fraud detection and security

Conclusion: The Path Forward

The fintech industry’s evolution from hypergrowth to sustainable profitability represents a fundamental shift in how companies must approach marketing. As BCG concludes, “The prize, and the rewards for customers, will be as significant as ever, but the path to success will be more difficult.”

Success in this new environment requires:

Strategic Focus: Concentrate on core markets and proven value propositions before expanding
Operational Excellence: Maintain cost discipline while investing in differentiated capabilities
Regulatory Advantage: Turn compliance into a competitive moat rather than just a cost center
Partnership Strategy: Leverage strategic alliances to expand reach and capabilities efficiently
AI Integration: Embed artificial intelligence across marketing, operations, and customer experience
Sustainable Metrics: Focus on unit economics and profitable growth over vanity metrics

The global fintech market’s journey toward $1.5 trillion in revenues by 2030 will be defined not by who can grow fastest, but by who can grow most sustainably while delivering genuine value to customers and maintaining the trust of regulators and investors alike.

For fintech marketers, this represents both challenge and opportunity. Those who can master the balance between innovation and prudence, growth and profitability, disruption and compliance, will be the ones who thrive in fintech’s next chapter.

Ready to learn how Red Branch Media can help you market your fintech offerings. Submit a request for proposal today!

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