Neobanks scaling across fragmented European markets

Finextra and Visa Direct will host an online webinar tied to Finextra’s forthcoming 2026 State of Fintech in Europe report to examine how neobanks and other fintech firms expand across Europe’s varied markets and rules. Scott Hamilton, a global payments and liquidity expert and contributing editor at Finextra, will moderate the session.

Analysts at Finch Capital project European fintech revenue will rise from $85.52 billion in 2025 to $94.14 billion in 2026. The webinar will explore how firms can scale while operating under different national regulations, payments infrastructures and levels of local banking access.

Speakers will outline sector-specific barriers. Neobanks commonly face licensing requirements, local deposit-protection rules and higher customer-acquisition costs when entering new countries. Payment companies must connect to national and regional payment rails, handle settlement and cross-border fees, and meet expectations for real-time payments. Wealth and lending firms confront varying investor rules, consumer-protection standards and uneven availability of credit data, which affect product design and risk models.

The discussion will cover recent technology changes and infrastructure upgrades. Panelists will consider developments in artificial intelligence, upgrades to payment systems and the growing use of digital assets, and whether those factors can be applied to build sustainable cross-border operations amid different legal and market constraints.

Partnership strategies are expected to feature in the discussion. Fintechs often partner with incumbent banks, payment networks, local service providers and infrastructure platforms to gain licenses, compliance support and distribution faster than by building full operations in each market. The panel will evaluate partnerships, mergers, hub-and-spoke arrangements and the alternative of obtaining local licences and building standalone operations.

Panelists will also review practical scaling approaches. Topics will include focusing on a single market to develop a defensible customer base, launching through regulated partners or white-label arrangements, and using targeted acquisitions to add capabilities. The session will weigh trade-offs involving cost, speed, regulatory exposure and control over customer relationships.

Organizers position the webinar for executives, investors and policy specialists working in payments, lending and wealth management who want to compare expansion approaches and identify where regulatory alignment or infrastructure upgrades could reduce barriers. Registration information is available through Finextra’s event listings.