The UK ranked second globally for FinTech investment and remained Europe's largest market

UK investment fell just 5%, outperforming the global market

AI investment reaches record highs as UK claims third position globally for AI investment (including FinTech) in H1 2026, behind the US and China

London, 9th July 2026 – Global FinTech investment slowed in the first half of 2026 as investors directed record levels of capital towards artificial intelligence, according to new data released today by Innovate Finance, the industry body for UK FinTech.

The H1 2026 FinTech Investment Report shows global FinTech venture capital investment reached $28bn in H1 2026, down 12% from the $32.5bn raised in H2 2025. The figures point to a more selective investment environment across global markets, with AI attracting an increasing share of global venture capital.

The US was the world's largest FinTech investment market in H1 2026, raising $17.2bn, an increase of 11% compared with $15.6bn in H2 2025.

The UK ranked second globally with $1.8bn raised across 181 deals. Investment fell 5% compared with H2 2025, a smaller decline than the global market overall, while the UK retained its position as Europe's largest FinTech investment hub.

India ranked third globally with $1.6bn raised across 122 deals. France and Singapore completed the top five countries for FinTech investment, attracting $1.3bn and $0.6bn respectively.

The UK accounted for more FinTech investment than any other European country during the first half of 2026. The largest UK FinTech deal was the $203m raised by Ebury, the cross-border payments and international trade platform.

Largest FinTech deals of H1 2026

The largest FinTech deals completed during H1 2026 were spread across the US, France, India and Mexico.

US-based Ramp raised $750m, making it the largest FinTech funding round globally during the first half of the year. France's Alan secured $554m, while India's CRED raised $500m. Mexico-based Plata attracted $405m and US retirement savings platform Vestwell raised $385m.

Elsewhere, Canada and Mexico each recorded approximately $0.5bn in FinTech investment during H1 2026, while the UAE attracted $0.4bn and Germany raised $0.3bn, highlighting ongoing activity across a broad range of international markets.

AI reshaping capital allocation

For the first time, Innovate Finance's H1 FinTech Investment Report also analyses AI investment in the UK, providing a broader picture of the UK's technology investment landscape. A defining feature of H1 2026 has been the scale of investment flowing into artificial intelligence. 

Global venture capital investment into AI reached more than $400bn during H1 2026 alone, more than 50% higher than the amount invested in AI during the whole of 2025. The UK ranked third globally for AI investment in H1 2026, behind the USA and China, reinforcing the UK’s leading global position in broader tech innovation alongside FinTech.

Janine Hirt, CEO of Innovate Finance, said: “FinTech remains one of the most important applications of AI, and continues to attract significant investor interest. In H1 2026, UK FinTech has once again outperformed the wider market, retaining its position as Europe's leading FinTech hub, and second globally. That resilience reflects the depth, maturity and international competitiveness of the UK's outstanding FinTech sector. It is also a testament to the UK’s leadership in technology more broadly that we have claimed third position globally for wider AI investment.”

—ENDS—

Notes to editors 

You can access the full H1 2026 FinTech Investment Report here. 

Innovate Finance sources data for this report primarily from PitchBook, supplemented by Beauhurst and Innovate Finance’s own data analysis. The report focuses on venture capital (VC) equity investment in FinTech, excluding debt capital raises from the analysis as of 1 July 2026. Companies operating in the prediction markets sector are not included as FinTech.

Media contact 

Seven Hills – innovatefinance@wearesevenhills.com

About Innovate Finance

Innovate Finance is the independent industry body that represents and advances the global FinTech community in the UK. Its mission is to accelerate the UK’s leading role in the financial services sector by directly supporting the next generation of technology-led innovators. 

Innovate Finance’s membership ranges from seed stage startups and global financial institutions to investors, professional services firms, and global FinTech hubs. All benefit from Innovate Finance’s unique position as the single point of access to promote enabling policy and regulation, talent and skills, business opportunity and growth, and investment capital.

By bringing together and connecting the most forward-thinking participants in financial services, Innovate Finance is helping create a global financial services sector that is more transparent, more sustainable and more inclusive.

More information at www.innovatefinance.com