5 Key FinTech Trends Based on the First Half of 2025

Financial technologies continue to evolve rapidly, reshaping entire industries and the way money is managed. In 2025, clear trends have emerged in the development of the FinTech sector. The news agenda of the first half of the year highlighted which directions have moved beyond niche status and turned into systemic processes.

Based on my observations, I have identified 5 key vectors shaping FinTech’s trajectory in 2025. They not only define the current dynamics of the market but also clearly reflect the state of the industry and set its course for at least the coming 6 months.

Lowering the Cost of Services

One of the most visible trends is the gradual reduction in the cost of financial services for end users. FinTech companies are working to deliver more affordable products by actively automating processes, optimizing operating expenses, and exploring new business models.

Recent initiatives illustrate this approach:

1. In March 2025, Noda introduced a specialized QR code–based payment system for offline businesses in the UK, enabling merchants to accept payments directly and significantly cut acquiring costs by removing the need for bank terminals.
2. In April 2025, Curve launched an alternative to Apple Pay, offering more flexible and cost-efficient mobile payment options. The service allows users to change the payment source retroactively and eliminates fees on cross-border transactions.
3. In July 2025, Wise reduced fees for international transfers by leveraging its proprietary multi-currency account system and direct interbank settlements.

Virtually all FinTech companies are seeking ways to make their services more affordable, and competition in this area is accelerating the shift toward lower customer payment costs. One of the most popular methods financial institutions cite for driving down expenses is the adoption of stablecoins — a development that can rightfully be called the second major FinTech trend of 2025.

The Rise of Stablecoins

By fall 2025, the stablecoin market capitalization had approached $300 billion, and the segment is steadily moving toward institutionalization. The sector continues to be dominated by Tether and Circle, which together control about 80% of the market.

Regulatory initiatives are reinforcing this trend. In the United States, the GENIUS Act came into force, establishing strict rules for the issuance of payment tokens and opening the door for banks to fully engage with stable assets. In Europe, the MiCA regulation sets baseline standards for issuers and creates the conditions for the launch of new euro-denominated stablecoins.

In 2025, the trend of issuing proprietary stablecoins for client payments and corporate services reached its peak. Announcements came from:

• Major investment banks such as JPMorgan and Citigroup
• Payment providers such as Alchemy Pay and Vemanti Group
• Infrastructure providers such as Fiserv and AllUnity
• Custody service providers such as MetaMask
• Web3 gaming developers such as Animoca Brands, among others

According to Fireblocks, about 86% of traditional financial institutions consider stablecoins a key component of the modern financial ecosystem. As a result, development in this area is among the most active. In 2025, leading players in the financial industry either adopted or announced plans to adopt stable assets:

1. Shopify launched USDC acceptance in 34 countries, effectively integrating the digital dollar into international e-commerce.
2. Mastercard began processing stablecoin payments in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
3. Western Union integrated stablecoins into international transfers, offering faster and cheaper cross-border transactions.
4. Matera rolled out projects to integrate stablecoins into traditional financial infrastructure.
5. Ant Group announced plans to integrate USDC into its global blockchain platform.

The list can go on, as 2025 marked a true turning point for stablecoin adoption. It is no longer a niche instrument but has evolved into a universal medium of exchange.

Stable asset adoption is also supported by major initiatives aimed at scaling FinTech systems. In 2025, several key players announced infrastructure solutions to make stablecoins a mainstream payment tool:

1. In April, Circle unveiled the Circle Payments Network (CPN), a global platform for instant cross-border transfers using USDC and EURC, designed for both FinTech firms and traditional financial institutions.
2. In September, Fireblocks launched the Fireblocks Network for Payments, its own infrastructure for stablecoin settlements and the development of new FinTech products built on it.

The Expansion of DLT Systems

Another defining trend in the FinTech industry in 2025 is the growing adoption of distributed ledger technology (DLT). By the start of the year, total investments from traditional financial institutions into blockchain companies had exceeded $100 billion. In 2025, blockchain systems are moving beyond pilot projects and isolated experiments to become a full-fledged foundation for global financial infrastructure.

The rise of DLT adoption is being fueled by several key factors:

• Increasing interest in asset tokenization
• Advances in blockchain interoperability
• Stronger regulatory support

Some of the most notable developments in 2025 include:

1. Google Cloud introduced Universal Ledger, a cloud-based DLT platform for large-scale corporate and government settlements, designed to integrate tokenized assets and payments into a unified digital registry.
2. Marex, an international clearinghouse, began using JPMorgan’s Kinexys blockchain platform to enable instant settlements with tokenized deposits.
3. HSBC launched its own DLT-based B2B payments platform in Hong Kong, aimed at accelerating corporate transactions and lowering servicing costs.
4. DBS Bank in Singapore integrated blockchain technology into its operations, expanding the use of distributed ledgers in asset management and cross-border payments.
5. Visa enhanced the crypto capabilities of its proprietary DLT platform, making them available to global banking partners and payment providers.

Governments are also embracing the trend. In July 2025, the European Central Bank (ECB) approved a two-phase plan to integrate digital asset settlements through DLT solutions, designed to ensure safe and efficient transactions using central bank money. Overall, according to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), more than 80 central banks worldwide are exploring the use of DLT for settlements and the issuance of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) in 2025.

Automation and Personalization Through AI Systems

In 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) became one of the main drivers of growth in the FinTech industry. Companies continued to actively deploy AI solutions to automate processes and enhance service personalization.

According to a joint study by Chartis and Fenergo, about 93% of financial institutions plan to implement AI agents within the next 12 months. For FinTech companies, agent-based AI is most often viewed as a tool to simplify compliance operations. At the same time, financial institutions see AI as a key source of innovation for automating customer service, reducing costs, and improving user experience through personalized offerings.

Some of the most notable use cases in 2025 include:

1. Visa announced the launch of Visa Intelligent Commerce, a platform that enables AI agent integration into the global payments infrastructure.
2. Stripe introduced an AI model designed to significantly improve fraud detection efficiency.
3. PayPal rolled out a system that generates real-time AI alerts on suspicious transactions, helping prevent risks before payments are completed.
4. Robinhood unveiled Cortex Investing Assistant, an AI-powered tool providing market analysis and insights in real time.
5. JPMorgan Chase applied AI to predict credit default risk by analyzing borrower behavior.
6. Klarna deployed a chatbot capable of handling two-thirds of customer inquiries without human involvement.

Issuing Crypto Cards for Daily Transactions

The trend of issuing debit cards linked to cryptocurrencies began last year. In 2025, more and more FinTech companies started partnering with global payment networks and crypto providers, moving crypto cards out of the niche product category and into the mass segment of payment solutions.

Research shows that in the first half of 2025, there was a sharp increase in the use of crypto cards in Europe. Nearly half of all transactions made with crypto cards were for amounts under €10. This indicates that crypto cards are increasingly being used for everyday purchases, which in turn is pushing FinTech companies to launch more products tied to physical cards or contactless payment options.

In June 2025, Mastercard announced that, through partnerships with crypto exchanges and service providers, more than 150 million merchants worldwide now accept payments via crypto cards. Among its new partners:

• Bybit Limited and S1LKPAY launched the Bybit Physical Card in February
• MetaMask and Baanx announced the release of the MetaMask Metal crypto card in April
• Exodus and Baanx introduced a crypto debit card supporting USDT and USDC in May, among others

In 2025, new cards are also being actively issued through the Visa global payment network. Through its partnership with Bridge, a subsidiary of Stripe, Visa began rolling out stablecoin-linked crypto cards for FinTech companies in Latin America. In May, Visa also entered into a partnership with Baanx to launch additional crypto card products.

As the first half of 2025 shows, the FinTech industry continues to move rapidly toward cheaper, more personalized, and more innovative services. Companies that succeed in combining technological innovation with strong user trust and competitive offerings are well-positioned to take leading roles in the global financial market in the near future.