The FinTech Capital of the North

With the largest regional financial and professional services industry outside of the capital, Manchester is naturally home to the largest regional FinTech ecosystem in the UK.

The city-region is a melting pot of expertise that helps FinTech businesses thrive. It has a strong collection of financial technology businesses with more than 100 FinTech-related operations run out of the city region and 8,000 people working in the sector.

As well as nurturing homegrown FinTech start-ups like Nivo and Bankifi, the city has attracted nationally and internationally significant firms including Ayden, MoneySuperMarket, Worldpay, Ebury and Xero. FinTech unicorns OakNorth, Flywire, Klarna, Marqeta and Radius Payment Solutions and SaltPay have all also established a business presence in Manchester.

Technology is playing an increasingly important role in financial, professional and business services and Manchester is the perfect location for companies grow their tech footprint.

Banks and financial services firms have been innovating in Manchester for more than 40 years – but throughout the last 10 years the FinTech industry has really come into its own.

With an established business environment and already home to a wealth of top FinTech brands, Manchester also has a growing a growing presence of start-ups specialising in a range of areas such as payments, software, platforms and analytics. There is a genuine start-up culture in the city, with numerous tech events taking place and plenty of entrepreneurial spirit.

The growth of the sector is underpinned by a strong and growing pool of tech talent, digital and tech hubs providing a base for start-ups, SMEs and larger firms to collaborate; as well as numerous FinTech-focused industry groups to support collaboration and innovation across the city region.

Already recognised as a centre of cyber security excellence, FinTech's, a prime target for hackers, are well supported by the many Foundries and hubs for ingenuity across the city-region. Through this network of experts, businesses can become resilient against cyber-attacks via innovation, education and partnership. 

As well as being able to access the wealth of knowledge and skills held in the city’s financial services firms, FinTechs in Manchester can easily engage with specialists in payments, online security and service design as well as software development and data analytics to develop and strengthen consumer-focused products and services.

The depth and diversity of Manchester’s economy offers a wealth of FinTech market opportunities – through the abundance of banks and financial services firms to the city’s burgeoning eCommerce and cyber security industries.

In addition to providing outstanding market opportunity, as the UK’s fastest growing region for FinTech outside London, Manchester offers access to expert talent and cost competitiveness.

The five universities in the city region also have a proven track record of working with industry on R&D projects, providing businesses in the city region with the opportunity to engage in expert FinTech-related research projects.