The gloves are coming off in 2025... 🥊 👀
If 2024 was fintech’s year to play nice and fit in, 2025 will be when the gloves come off. The strongest models, platforms, and players will vie for top spots and make themselves known. It’s going to be messy, thrilling, and I honestly can’t wait! Here are my predictions for what is to come: 💥 The Banks vs. Fintechs Battle: We’ve been seeing banks quietly partnering with fintechs and everyone’s been playing nice. But that moment of quiet harmony is over. Partnerships will give way to competition. Traditional banks embracing digital evolution will acquire weaker fintechs, while top-tier fintechs with war chests of VC money will “bankify” themselves — pursuing direct charters, launching insurance products, and challenging the old guard head-on. ⚙️ Embedded Finance Everywhere: We’re approaching “Peak Embedded Finance.” Soon, your accounting software will offer instant loans, and your project management tool will front your invoices. Customers may push back, leading to a much-needed consolidation of offerings. ⚡ Real-Time Payments Go Mainstream: RTP rails will finally dominate B2B payments, speeding up commerce and liquidity flows. This will be a game-changer for SMEs — faster cash flow means stronger growth and stability. However, banks that haven’t adapted their risk models to instant transactions may find themselves in a tough spot. At Accend (YC S23), we’re not just riding these waves — we’re making them! In 2025, we’re doubling down on our AI-powered onboarding and underwriting capabilities that have already revolutionized business lending. Faster, highly accurate credit and onboarding decisions, alongside quicker approvals and fully compliant, regulator-ready narratives. We’re excited to share more soon. Stay tuned … 2025 is going to be HUGE.