How European fintechs can scale across markets
Finextra and Visa Direct will host a webinar on scaling European fintechs, focusing on market fragmentation, varied regulation and technology advances such as AI and payments.
Finextra will host a webinar in association with Visa Direct to examine how fintech companies can expand across European markets. The session will feature Olga Ovchinnikova, VP and Head of Visa Direct Europe, and Scott Hamilton, Global Payments & Liquidity Expert, who will moderate the discussion.
Organizers will draw on findings from Finextra’s upcoming 2026 State of Fintech in Europe report to identify common barriers and practical expansion strategies for neobanks and firms in payments, wealth and lending. The webinar will consider where partnerships and new technology affect market entry and service rollout.
Data cited by Finextra, from investor Finch Capital, projects the European fintech market will grow from $85.52 billion in 2025 to $94.14 billion in 2026. Despite that projected growth, companies expanding across Europe face three repeated challenges: market fragmentation with different customer needs, a patchwork of national and EU rules, and uneven payments and banking infrastructure.
Challenges vary by subsector. Neobanks confront differing licensing and deposit rules and higher local customer acquisition costs in some countries. Payments firms must manage multiple payment rails, varied settlement timelines and differing card network rules while trying to keep a consistent customer experience. Wealth platforms encounter different investor protection rules and product eligibility across borders. Lenders need to adapt underwriting and collections to local credit reporting and legal practices.
New technologies are changing some expansion approaches. Artificial intelligence can speed underwriting, detect fraud and tailor product offers. Upgrades to payments infrastructure, such as faster real-time rails and improved cross-border settlement, reduce friction between markets. Growing use of digital assets has introduced alternative settlement and custody options that some companies are testing. The webinar will examine how firms use these technologies and where they require additional controls or regulatory engagement.
Partnerships with local banks, payments processors and compliance specialists are a common strategy to access licences, bank accounts and market knowledge. Visa Direct’s push-payment service is an example of a payments network used by firms seeking faster payout options. The event will discuss when companies tend to build capabilities internally, acquire local firms or partner with incumbents and infrastructure providers.
The webinar will also compare regulatory approaches, including seeking a pan‑EU licence, operating under national licences, or using partnerships to enter markets with restrictive rules. Organizers list speakers as Olga Ovchinnikova of Visa Direct Europe and moderator Scott Hamilton of Finextra. Registration details are available from Finextra.
