How European Fintechs Can Scale Across Fragmented Markets

Finextra and Visa Direct will host an online webinar that examines how neobanks and fintech firms can scale across Europe’s fragmented markets. The session draws on findings from Finextra’s upcoming 2026 State of Fintech in Europe report and on market projections that put the sector at $94.14 billion in 2026, up from $85.52 billion in 2025 according to Finch Capital.

Speakers will outline the specific barriers firms face when entering multiple European jurisdictions. Panelists will focus on national market fragmentation, differing regulatory regimes and licensing requirements, and uneven payments and banking infrastructure that complicate cross-border rollouts.

The webinar will break down how challenges vary by fintech segment. Neobanks confront different licensing rules and deposit protection regimes across countries. Payments firms must deal with local payment rails and settlement processes. Wealth platforms face varied investor protections and tax treatments. Digital lenders encounter differences in credit reporting and consumer lending rules. These differences shape where firms choose to launch and how they design products.

The event will also assess technological developments that affect expansion strategies. Panelists will consider how artificial intelligence, upgrades in payments infrastructure and greater use of digital assets are changing product development, risk controls and customer onboarding. The discussion will address whether those technologies can be applied in ways that meet regulatory requirements in multiple jurisdictions.

Speakers will examine partnering strategies, including alliances with banks, local payments processors and regulatory technology providers. The conversation will cover when partnerships can reduce compliance costs or provide local infrastructure and when firms may need to develop their own capabilities to meet market demands.

The webinar is presented by Finextra in association with Visa Direct. Contributors listed for the session include Olga Ovchinnikova, vice president and head of Visa Direct Europe at Visa, and Scott Hamilton, global payments and liquidity expert, who will serve as moderator. The discussion is part of broader research on the state of fintech in Europe in 2026.