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From Banks to Fintechs: Why London Finance Talent is Moving to FinTech in 2025

London’s finance job market is heating up again – vacancies are up ~10% in H1 2025, with momentum focused on fintech, AI, cybersecurity and compliance. That bucks the national trend and signals a prime window for CFOs to upgrade or expand finance benches. The Times Onrec

Beyond headlines, the underlying cadence is real: London financial services hiring rose ~14% year-on-year in Q2 2025, according to Morgan McKinley’s Employment Monitor—evidence that the recovery is broadening, not just a blip. Morgan McKinley

  • Finance hiring in London rose 10% Year on Year(YoY) in H1 2025
  • IT roles in Accounting and Consulting up 39% YoY
  • Banking Operations hiring climbed 38% YoY, led by digital demand
  • Barclays finance vacancies increased 55% YoY, while HSBC declined 49% YoY

What’s Driving the Surge Right Now?

  • Regulation + risk intensity: Demand continues to pivot toward risk, compliance, financial crime, and controls—especially across fintech and payments. PCNMorgan McKinley

  • Digital business models: Fintech and accounting/consulting are more active than traditional banking in new headcount, particularly where roles intersect data, operations, and governance.

  • Confidence returning to London: Recruiters now forecast >52,000 professional financial services vacancies in London for 2025 if current conditions hold. The Times

The Talent Migration: Why Finance Leaders Are Leaving Banks

Scope and speed. High-growth fintechs give CFOs, VPs Finance and FP&A leaders direct ownership of pricing, capital allocation, and product economics, with fewer layers and faster iteration cycles. (Seen in the shift of hiring volume from legacy banking to growth segments.)

Controls as strategy. With safeguarding, AML/financial crime, and prudential risk front-and-center, fintechs are creating elevated leadership tracks for finance pros who can fuse controls with commercial impact. PCN Morgan McKinley

Market-aligned rewards. Competitive base + performance bonus + meaningful equity remain crucial levers for senior candidates in 2025, the strongest hiring outcomes pair comp with clarity on scope, growth, and flexibility. hub.selbyjennings.sg

What Fintechs Offer Finance Professionals That Banks Don’t

  • Founder-level visibility: Finance partners the mission – board packs, investor narrative, liquidity runway – rather than operating as a back-office function.

  • Broader remits: Roles blend FP&A, capital planning, treasury, RevOps, and regulatory readiness (a pattern reflected in where demand is growing). PCN

  • Faster decision loops: Pricing tests, unit economics, and margin work move weekly, not quarterly—attractive to leaders seeking measurable, near-term impact.

  • Future-proof exposure: Payments, embedded finance, tokenisation, and real-time data create a compounding skills edge for modern finance leaders. (Hiring growth is concentrated around these digital models.) Morgan McKinley

The Most In-Demand Finance Roles in Fintech (Mid-2025)

CFO / VP Finance (scale-up)

  • Capital strategy, audit/readiness, investor relations, commercial model ownership (gross margin, contribution margin, CAC payback, burn multiple).

Head of FP&A / FP&A Lead

  • Product-level P&L, pricing and cohort analytics, rolling forecasts; Board-ready MI.

Treasury & Capital Management

  • Liquidity optimisation, safeguarding frameworks, stress testing, FX/hedging for cross-border flows.

Risk, Compliance & Financial Crime (finance-adjacent)

  • Controls, reporting, AFC frameworks, governance—roles seeing the sharpest uptick across the UK/EU fintech ecosystem. PCN

Hiring Playbook for CFOs: Win Top Finance Talent in a Hot Market

  1. Anchor the business problem. Set a 12–18 month value plan (profit path, funding, new product) and name the finance levers to pull.

  2. Title for scope, not prestige. “Head of Finance (Scale)” or “VP Finance” can widen funnel quality when a full CFO brief isn’t essential.

  3. Show the dashboard. Be explicit about owned metrics: contribution margin by product, CAC payback, cash conversion cycle, liquidity runway.

  4. Run a two-phase process:

    • 45–60 min discovery: Mission, metrics, recent wins; the candidate’s 90-day plan.

    • Working session: A live pricing or liquidity case to test judgement, controls thinking, and Board-grade storytelling.

  5. Move decisively. London’s market is competitive—two steps, max three decision-makers. (Hiring momentum data shows uplift when processes are streamlined.) Morgan McKinley

  6. Flex with purpose. Clarify hybrid cadence and why specific in-person rituals matter (pricing councils, close reviews, Board prep). (Clarity on value proposition and flexibility is a 2025 must-have.) hub.selbyjennings.sg

Offer Design: What Senior Finance Candidates Expect in 2025

  • Balanced comp: Competitive base + performance bonus + meaningful equity tied to value creation. hub.selbyjennings.sg

  • Tools & data: Pragmatic BI + a reliable finance data backbone to drive decisions fast.

  • Clear runway story: Funding, milestones, governance upfront.

  • Hybrid with intent: Location expectations stated early; clarity improves conversion and retention in 2025. hub.selbyjennings.sg

How RecruitBlock Helps You Hire Finance Leaders – Fast!

Fintech & Web3 Focus (Non-Technical Leadership): CFO, VP Finance, FP&A, Treasury, Risk & Compliance, Financial Crime, Internal Audit, Corporate Development, and more.

Live Market Intelligence: Real-time data on compensation ranges, notice periods, and candidate drivers across London, EU, and global fintech hubs — so you make offers that win top talent quickly.

Story-First Outreach: We turn your mission into a role narrative that converts senior finance executives, giving them a compelling reason to join your business.

Shortlists That Stick: Values-aligned, control-minded candidates screened for scale readiness, regulatory compliance, and market impact. (Risk & Compliance, Treasury, and FP&A leadership demand is at record highs — we know where to find them.)

RecruitBlock: The Go-To Partner for Finance Leadership in Fintech & Web3

Scaling a fintech or Web3 business requires executive finance talent who can drive growth, compliance, and innovation from day one. RecruitBlock is the partner that delivers senior leaders fast — without compromising quality or fit.

Unmatched Role Coverage
We cover the full spectrum of senior finance roles, from CFO and VP Finance to FP&A, Treasury, Risk & Compliance, Financial Crime, Internal Audit, and Corporate Development. Whatever your growth challenge, we have the candidates to match.

Founder-Led Expertise
Led by Paul Owen, ex-PwC and FCA, RecruitBlock blends deep financial, regulatory, and executive search knowledge with a proven track record of placing leaders who scale businesses successfully.

Live Market Intelligence
We provide up-to-the-minute insights on compensation, notice periods, and candidate motivations, ensuring your offers are competitive, compelling, and delivered fast.

Story-Driven Talent Attraction
Our approach transforms your mission into a high-converting executive narrative, making senior finance leaders eager to join your team.

Shortlists That Deliver
Our curated candidates are values-aligned, control-minded, and ready to thrive in high-growth, regulated environments. Market data confirms the urgent demand for Risk & Compliance, Treasury, and FP&A leadership — and we know exactly where to find them.

The Result
A finance leadership bench that scales your business rapidly, mitigates risk, and drives strategic growth.

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Written By:
Penny Sommerfeld
penny@recruitblock.io