Innovation and Growth

The Dutch FinTech sector has propelled innovation in financial services into high gear. This is partly driven by new legislation that provides FinTech companies the opportunity to introduce new financial services to the market, such as the Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2), the law enabling open banking services in the Netherlands.

Over the past four years, the number of FinTech companies in the Netherlands has grown by an impressive 35%, demonstrating the vibrancy of the FinTech services market in the country.

Favorable Climate for FinTechs in the Netherlands

According to the EY report, the Netherlands provides an excellent home base for FinTech companies. The combination of a robust digital infrastructure, advanced technological skills, and a population proficient in English and digitally literate makes the Netherlands an ideal location for FinTech innovation.

Types of FinTech Services

The EY report reveals a diverse range of FinTech services in the Netherlands, offering a broad spectrum of financial solutions. The most common categories include:

1. Financial Software (21%)
2. Payments (16%)
3. Regtech & Digital Identity (12%)
4. Cryptocurrencies (11%)

The last category is the fastest-growing, with a 7% increase since the previous report in 2019. The other categories can be found in the report.

Partnerships

Establishing a presence among established players and large corporations is challenging for emerging FinTechs. Interestingly, the report highlights that FinTechs are seeking each other out and strengthening their position by forming partnerships and investing in creating an ecosystem to collectively penetrate the market. This collaborative approach is recognizable, as we, too, have a strong partnership with RiskQuest to accelerate our joint ambitions.

International Ambitions

While the Netherlands provides an excellent climate for FinTech companies, its domestic market is relatively small compared to surrounding countries. The EY report suggests that the Netherlands can serve as an ideal springboard for international expansion. This aligns with our own aspirations to eventually venture beyond borders.

Our Conclusion

It's definitely worth reading the entire report. The outlook is promising for the FinTech sector. It's motivating to see how the industry is thriving and how entrepreneurs are addressing challenges such as regulatory pressure and a tight labor market. The EY report also provides recommendations for the government to further stimulate growth. This could help the Netherlands progress compared to countries like France and England. Ultimately, it's the ambitious entrepreneurs standing at the forefront of innovation, daring to push boundaries and break longstanding patterns by doing things differently. We feel in good company as fellow FinTechs. Here's to a bright future for FinTech and EnableNow!

Want to Learn More?

If you'd like to learn more about Open Banking and the possibilities it can offer for your organization, please feel free to contact us.