A particularly strong increase was recorded in Investigation last year in the area of payment transactions: Fintech startups from this segment increased their financing by 78 percent to $51.7 billion last year. Blockchain and crypto startups were also in high demand among investors in 2021, attracting a total of $30.2 billion—five and a half times more than in 2020. Cybersecurity ($4.85 billion) and wealthtech ($1.62 billion) also saw record investments.
Fintech investments: “The next big push will likely be in the B2B sector”
Fintech investments in the EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) rose to a record $77 billion in 2021. The Nordic countries led the way ($18.5 billion), ahead of Germany ($5.4 billion) and Ireland ($1.6 billion), followed by Africa ($1.8 billion) and Israel ($900 million). Bernd Oppold, Partner at KPMG in the Financial Services practice, says:
"We expect fintech investment to remain at a high level in 2022. Much of the fintech activity in the EMEA region has so far been focused on the direct-to-consumer space. As many of these business models mature, the next big push we expect here, alongside cryptocurrencies, will likely be in the B2B space, as fintechs seek to address more systemic problems and help existing businesses improve their financial processes and customer value."
