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Hey, fintech fam! 💜

Last week, I saw my first opera at the Met in New York. And let me tell you, it was everything.

The music, the drama, the whole decoding-Italian-singing-with-English-subtitles vibe.

It felt a little chaotic—like all the noise and chaos in the world and fintech. But here’s the thing: that glorious mess of beauty, complexity, and meaning—it’s what makes the journey worthwhile.

Speaking of chaos, there’s a lot to unpack in fintech! IPO filings are back—crypto’s in the headlines. Meanwhile, over at JPMorgan, Jamie Dimon stays firm on his DEI stance (because, let’s face it, he knows how much a diverse workforce boosts the bottom line).

Rise by Barclays, the hub for NYC fintech, is shutting down later this year. (But we at Fintech Is Femme are here to continue the legacy).

Women-led fintechs are out here making moves and partnerships. Fintech funding might have been down last year, but it was the smallest dip in three years.

It’s all a bit like opera: unpredictable, dramatic, and yet… strangely beautiful.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s stories!

#TRENDING

What’s Up In Fintech

Every Thursday, I bring you the latest fintech news and trends, delivering the key insights that matter most to the industry—and you.

#1 SpringFour Expands Its Reach and Impact—Partners with MSU Federal Credit Union

SpringFour, the financial health-focused fintech, announced today its latest partnership with MSU Federal Credit Union, adding another 367,000 members (including Michigan State University students!) to its growing roster. 

That’s more people, more resources, and—yep, you guessed it—more impact.

SpringFour has been on a growth trajectory, delivering financial health resources to over 8.5 million people in 2024 through banks, credit unions, employers, and nonprofits. That’s a 56% year-over-year increase. 

Since 2005, SpringFour has been on a mission to connect individuals with the right financial health resources—whether it’s student loan support, rental assistance, or mental health programs. We’re talking everything from discounts on food and utilities to transportation benefits. 

They’ve partnered with major players like Capital One, BMO, KeyBank, and Oportun, to name a few. 

Why It Matters 

These collaborations aren’t just about handing out resources—they’re about making real, measurable impacts on people’s lives and boosting brand loyalty. 

Think: higher repayment rates, stronger customer relationships, improved bottom lines, and ESG impact. Win-win.

So, what’s the secret sauce to the company’s 20-year success? CEO Rochelle Nawrocki Gorey says it’s simple: deliver tangible resources to people in need, and the benefits will come right back to you. 

SpringFour has built a business model that’s as sustainable as it is successful—no gimmicks, just real impact. 

And as the fintech world chases venture capital rounds and flashy headlines, SpringFour’s quiet, steady growth is the blueprint every entrepreneur should take notes on. 

The company has never raised a dime in outside capital, and in 2024, it announced its acquisition by C&R Software, a CORA Group company and subsidiary of Constellation Software, Inc.—the 23rd largest software company in the world with an $80 billion market cap.

It’s a strategy that flies in the face of the “growth at all costs” mentality. And guess what? It’s working.

The numbers back it up—just ask BMO, whose partnership with SpringFour has already saved them a projected $1.9 million in credit losses while simultaneously improving cash flow for their customers. That’s a 5.5x return on investment. Yes, you read that right.

The magic here is in the tech: SpringFour’s product suite includes contact center tools, digital self-service products, and APIs that can be deployed in under 30 days. 

No extra tech spend is required—just straight-up impact. 

And with engagement rates between 30-50% (way above industry averages), it’s clear that customers want these resources. 

They’re asking for them, they’re using them, and they’re showing their appreciation. 

Nawrocki Gorey even told me that people are actually writing to their banks to thank them for helping put food on the table or ease utility bills. That’s how you build trust and loyalty. 

The MSUFCU partnership is also personal—she’s an alumna of Michigan State University, where she opened her very first credit card with MSUFCU. 

Now, 20 years later, as SpringFour’s CEO, she’s bringing full-circle energy to a credit union committed to improving financial health for all. 

“When you help people save money,” she says, “you’re helping them live better lives. And when people live better lives, they pay their bills, they trust you, and they engage with you more. It’s that simple.”

In an era when consumers are facing rising costs—eggs are $9 a dozen, people—having access to financial health resources has never been more critical. 

SpringFour is not just giving people the tools to survive—they’re helping them thrive.

And that’s a fintech win.

#2 Tala Founder & CEO Bets on AI, Blockchain to Shape Fintech in 2025

Shivani Siroya, founder and CEO of Tala, pointed out the fintech industry’s big blind spot in her recent Fast Company article.

Sure, 2024 may have been the year of AI and blockchain, but let’s be honest: most of that innovation is still stuck in the boardrooms and headlines. It hasn’t yet found its way to the people who need it the most.

Siroya wrote, “Much of the world’s population lacks access to the financial services they need, despite having trillions of dollars in economic power.

Being excluded from the legacy financial services industry means having to navigate their daily lives without access to savings, credit, bill payment tools or the ability to affordably transfer money.”

Why It Matters

Let that sink in: About 2.5 billion adults—half of the global population—don’t have a bank account. And in emerging markets, there’s a staggering $2.5 trillion credit gap for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which are key to economic growth. This isn’t just a gap; it’s a barrier to progress.

At Tala, Siroya and her team have spent the last decade working with the “global majority” (read: the “missing middle”)—the 10 million people they’ve served in underserved markets who are fighting to stay afloat without the basic financial tools we often take for granted.

And while the fintech world is still figuring out how to bridge that gap, Siroya is more optimistic than ever that 2025 will change everything.

Siroya starts with credit reimagined. While credit cards are a given in the U.S., billions worldwide can’t access basic financial services.

Traditional credit systems, outdated for decades, exclude a huge portion of the global population. But Siroya sees change on the horizon: in 2025, new, inclusive credit models using real-time data will take center stage.

Next, AI. While artificial intelligence has dominated fintech chatter, Siroya believes we’re just scratching the surface. Large language models (LLMs) have massive potential, but lack the specific context needed for real-world problems.

The solution? Merging LLMs with private, company-specific data to deliver more personalized solutions. In 2025, we’ll see this leap happen.

Finally, stablecoins. These blockchain-based tokens—pegged to the U.S. dollar—may not be flashy, but they have the power to transform financial transactions.

With low-cost, 24/7 access and no need for banks with high fees and oddly specific windows of time they can move money, Siroya believes 2025 will be the year stablecoins hit the mainstream, especially in underserved markets where traditional institutions fall short.

#3 Fintech Funding Slips in 2024, But Bigger Deals and M&A Activity Signal a Shift

Fintech funding and dealmaking took another hit in 2024, dropping to their lowest levels in seven years, according to CB Insights’ State of Fintech 2024 report.

But while the numbers may seem grim on the surface, a few bright spots are emerging—particularly in the form of bigger deals and a surge in mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

Key Takeaways

While the total number of fintech deals dropped by 17% year-over-year to 3,580, and funding fell by 20% to $33.7 billion, the size of the deals that did happen tells a different story.

The median deal size shot up by 33%, hitting $4 million in 2024. That’s a big jump across all regions, but the biggest leap was seen in the banking sector, where the median deal size surged 70%, reaching $8.5 million.

The takeaway? Investors may be pulling back overall, but they’re still putting their money where they see the most growth potential. It’s a shift toward larger bets on more established companies or those poised for significant scale.

Another positive is M&A activity. While fewer fintech deals are happening, mergers and acquisitions have jumped by 6% year over year, with Q4’24 seeing a 24% increase in exits. Stripe’s $1.1 billion purchase of stablecoin platform Bridge was the headline deal, but it’s clear—companies are buying up fintech players to diversify capabilities and build full-service platforms.

Investors are also leaning into more mature players, particularly in banking. Mid- and late-stage banking deals rose sharply in 2024, making up 38% of total deal volume in the sector (up from 21% in 2023).

With regulatory uncertainty and a shift in banking technology, investors opt for established solutions that can weather the storm.

And, if there’s a silver lining to 2024, it’s payments tech.

It remains a bright spot in the fintech ecosystem, with five of the top 10 equity deals in Q4’24 going to companies revolutionizing payment solutions.

From mobile payment apps to cross-border payment platforms, it’s clear that the push to digitize commerce is stronger than ever.

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That wraps up today’s edition—thanks for reading! Until next week, keep innovating and challenging the status quo. See you Tuesday!

Love,

Nicole 💜