Linkedin
Facebook
Email
more
Foreword
The Fintech Annual Census 2026 shows the impact and potential for fintech in Australia has never been stronger. The census reveals a maturing industry, with almost half of fintechs reaching profitability. Fintech founders in Australia are ambitiously building and innovating unique solutions locally and on a global stage, creating tens of thousands of jobs.
But startups and early stage companies are now facing existential hurdles. An already difficult capital-raising environment is being exacerbated by Capital Gains Tax changes, reforms to the Research and Development Tax Incentive and red tape. Raising capital and regulatory changes were the top challenges facing fintechs, with 53% saying the regulatory environment inhibits growth.
Fintech in Australia can drive economic growth across industries. The 2026 Census shows what is within reach: not only greater economic output, but leadership in the next generation of technological advances that will redefine our financial services landscape. Thank you to RSM for re-launching the census, and to every fintech founder and leader who took the time to share their insights.
Rehan D’Almeida, CEO - FinTech Australia
It has been a privilege for RSM Australia to work with FinTech Australia and the wider fintech community to produce this report. The fintech sector in Australia continues to grow on the back of the strong innovators we have in this country. We hope this report, that is based on the voices of the fintech community, supports informed discussion, strengthens collaboration between industry and government, and helps create the conditions Australian fintechs need to innovate, grow and compete globally.
Mathavan Parameswaran, National Technology Leader - RSM
Chapters
1 Capital raising and investment
How fintechs fund growth, and where the gaps sit
2 AI, data and innovation
How fintechs use AI, and what will decide who benefits
3 Key challenges, risks and barriers
What holds fintechs back, and what government can change
4 Growth, ambitions and opportunities
Where fintechs want to grow, and the support they need
Executive summary
Australia's fintech sector has grown into a critical pillar of the national economy, reshaping how individuals, businesses and institutions access and manage financial services.
The Fintech Annual Census 2026 - Fintech Australia & RSM provides a comprehensive, data-driven portrait of the sector, tracking its scale, health, challenges and future outlook.
Informed by current issues shaping the sector including artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, regulatory reform, open finance, cyber resilience, and evolving capital markets, this year’s survey captures both broad industry trends and the specific dynamics of key fintech sub-sectors.
This report draws on a survey of 135 Australian fintech organisations conducted between July and August 2026, combined with the candid perspectives of leaders shared at national roundtables and one-on-one interviews.
Together, they offer a clear picture of where the industry stands and where it is heading.
Australian fintech is still a young sector,
with most (71%) founded within the past decade.
However, the fintechs achieving commercial success tend to be older, larger and have sufficient revenue to fund further growth.
Despite ongoing economic pressures and very little perceived government support, Australian fintechs are quiet achievers.
Nearly half are already profitable
with more expecting to reach profitability within the next year.
Revenue varies, although 42% report annual revenue of between $1m and $20m.
Valuations are concentrated between $5m and $100m, with a clear relationship between higher revenues and higher company valuations.
Founder funding remains the primary source of capital, although many fintechs also draw on support from angel investors, venture capital and personal networks.
However, as investment concentrates around a smaller pool of standout fintechs, many in the industry are asking how the next stage of growth will be funded.
In terms of government support, the Research and Development Tax Incentive (RDTI) stands out as the only initiative with widespread uptake. Looking ahead, respondents identify retention of the 50% capital gains tax (CGT) discount as the government measure most likely to support more founder-led businesses being established in Australia.
Payments is the largest fintech subsector, accounting for almost one-third of survey respondents.
Our results also indicate a preference for business-to-business (B2B) models, with the exception of wealth and investment fintechs.
Small teams are considerably more common, with 73% employing fewer than 50 people.
However, there is significant variety in customer bases, ranging from under 10 to over 50,000.
Australia is clearly the sector's primary market, although many already operate beyond its borders.
Despite strong interest in international expansion, only 18% report generating significant international revenue while 21% generate some.
For many businesses, particularly those in lending and credit, that is unlikely to change in the near term. Their business models are often closely tied to local regulation and market conditions, making Australia a natural focus for growth.
Unsurprisingly, fintechs are avid technology adopters, embracing cloud-native architectures, proprietary technology stacks and hybrid working models.
AI has been given a similar treatment. Almost every fintech surveyed plans to invest in AI over the coming year, and most are either actively testing AI capabilities or have it already deployed in production.
However, only 24% consider AI to be central to their core product offering.
Methodology
Graphs used in this report showcase the results of an online survey conducted between July and August 2026.
The survey used programmatic logic to ask participants questions specific to their circumstances, which is why there is some variability in the number of responses for each question. Additionally, some participants provided contradictory answers, which may be due to slight differences in the way questions were worded. Contradictory answers were filtered out, to ensure the reports statistics are internally consistent and as accurate as possible.
In total, 135 Australian fintech organisations completed the survey.
Qualitative research was conducted in the form of guided roundtable discussions in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as one-on-one interviews with select industry leaders who were unable to complete the survey. To ensure candid responses, both roundtables and direct interviews are covered by Chatham House Rules. Direct quotes within the report from these discussions are anonymous and have been stripped of any identifying details to preserve the privacy of involved parties.
Additional resources were also used in places to provide contextual clarity. These include: