Janine Hirt: Brits network differently to Americans Opinion Each week, we dig into the memory bank of the City’s great and good. Today, Janine Hirt, CEO of Innovate Finance takes us through her career in Square Mile and Me What was your first job? I held down several odd jobs while working my way through university, including being a librarian, legal assistant, and a [...]
Zilch hikes provisions amid ‘record year’ for customer growth Fintech UK fintech Zilch raised its provisions for losses in the last year as demand for buy now, pay later services ballooned. The London-headquartered firm raised provisions for credit losses – funds set aside to cover estimated losses from failed repayments – to £27.4m – a 116 per cent jump from £12.7m the year prior. Credit [...]
Was Reeves’ Spending Review a fintech endorsement? Fintech Rachel Reeves has promised to back UK fintech and in Labour’s inaugural Spending Review, she piled billions into the tech sector. The Chancellor handed the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) a hefty £16.5bn budget as she took the chop to other departments. DSIT’s expenditure limit is set to grow 7.4 per cent by [...]
Klarna, Zilch, Clearpay: What does the buy now pay later crackdown mean for UK fintech? May 20, 2025 The Treasury’s regulatory shakeup of buy now pay later services is set to reshape the UK fintech landscape and industry leaders have been left with questions. The UK government will enact legislation that brings buy now pay later firms under the scrutiny of the Financial Conduct Authority. This means firms such as Klarna and Clearpay [...]
Rachel Reeves has promised UK fintech the world – now she must deliver May 4, 2025 Judgement day looms for Rachel Reeves, and UK fintech will be handing her the verdict. In a keynote speech at Innovate Finance’s 11th global summit, the Chancellor confirmed the Treasury’s inaugural Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy would be published on 15 July. Reeves has lauded the industry’s growth and touted the achievements of fintech [...]
Rate setter calls for market digitalisation and touts Bank of England’s flexibility April 29, 2025 Bank of England rate setter Dave Ramsden has called for bold action on digitalisation in a rebuke of concerns that the Bank’s prescriptive rules were stifling innovation. Speaking at the Innovate Finance Global Summit on Tuesday, the central bank Deputy Governor said widespread innovation in wholesale financial markets from authorities and industry would boost the [...]
Inside the rapid rise of UK fintech April 27, 2025 There’s a rocket strapped to UK fintech, and it’s only speeding up. On 28 April, UK fintech week kicks off, with industry body Innovate Finance hosting its 11th global summit. This follows another record year for the industry, where businesses saw profits balloon and customer bases swell. Allica Bank – a London-based fintech – was [...]
Exclusive: KMPG renews search for UK’s top tech scale-ups April 24, 2025 Professional services giant KMPG has launched its annual competition to identify and support the UK’s most innovative scale-ups, as the sector navigates a challenging investment landscape. Now in its 12th year, the competition has served as a launchpad for a diverse range of startups – from healthtech pioneers to AI disruptors. Previous finalists include notable [...]
Exclusive: UK urged to set up National Anti-Fraud Centre to halve crime rate April 7, 2025 The UK government is being urged to set up a National Anti-Fraud Centre to halve the rate of the crime by 2028. Industry body Innovate Finance has launched a blueprint to make the UK the world leader in tackling fraud, and is urging ministers to prioritise cross-sector data sharing and shared liability in a bid [...]
Fintech unicorn council joins Revolut and Zilch bosses for Treasury meeting March 18, 2025 Britain’s top fintech officials met Rachel Reeves on Tuesday morning in the Chancellor’s latest financial summit to boost economic growth. The co-chairs of Innovate Finance’s Unicorn Council for UK Fintech joined leading executives at the Treasury’s meeting, City AM has learned. The council, which launched in March 2024, aims to provide the government with policy [...]