EDITORIAL · 21 CATEGORIES · FREE TO ENTER · JUDGED ON A PUBLISHED RUBRIC
The Fintechly Awards
Recognition for the companies and people who did the most consequential work in fintech this year. Entry is free and self-entry carries no disadvantage. Every category is scored against the same published rubric by an independent panel. Awards cannot be bought.
Sector awards
10 CATEGORIESPayments
The company that has most advanced how money moves this year.
Lending & Credit
Excellence in underwriting, distribution or access to credit.
Wealthtech & Investing
The most significant advance in investing and wealth tools.
Digital Banking & BaaS
Leadership in digital banking and banking-as-a-service.
Insurtech
The company reshaping how insurance is built and sold.
RegTech & Compliance
The most consequential work in regulatory technology.
Crypto & Digital Assets
Real-world progress in digital assets and on-chain finance.
Embedded Finance & Open Banking
Excellence in embedded finance and open banking.
AI in Financial Services
The most credible application of AI in financial services.
Infrastructure & Financial Inclusion
Infrastructure that widens access to financial services.
Cross-sector awards
6 CATEGORIESStartup of the Year
The standout early-stage fintech of the year.
Scale-up of the Year
The standout scaling fintech of the year.
Innovation of the Year
The single most significant innovation of the year.
Marketing Campaign of the Year
The most effective and original fintech marketing campaign.
Deal of the Year
The most consequential financing, M&A or partnership.
Fintech of the Year
THE HEADLINE AWARD
The headline award - the defining fintech of the year.
People awards
4 CATEGORIESImpact awards
1 CATEGORIESSCORING
One rubric.
Every category.
We publish exactly how entries are scored so there are no surprises — and no room for influence.
Results & impact (evidenced)
Hard, verifiable outcomes - growth, savings, access, market effect.
Innovation & differentiation
How genuinely new or distinctive the work is versus the field.
Execution & delivery
Quality of build, operations and follow-through.
Scalability & sustainability
Whether the result can endure and scale responsibly.
Quality of entry
Clarity, evidence and rigour of the submission itself.
THE 2026 CYCLE
How the year runs.
TBC 2026
Entries open
Free entry opens across all 21 categories. Self-entry is welcome and carries no disadvantage.
TBC 2026
Entries close
Submissions lock. The editorial team begins the first-stage review against the published rubric.
TBC 2026
Shortlist announced
Stage-one scoring produces a shortlist per category, published online.
TBC 2026
Panel judging
An independent panel scores the shortlist. Conflicts are declared and recused in writing.
TBC 2026
Winners announced
Winners are published online. No gala in 2026 - the awards evening launches in 2027.
The judging panel
INDEPENDENT · CONFLICTS RECUSEDPanel member to be announced
Operator
Panel member to be announced
Investor
Panel member to be announced
Academic
Panel member to be announced
Regulator (former)
Panel member to be announced
Founder
Panel member to be announced
Operator
ENTRIES