10. Zach Perret, CEO, Plaid

Zach Perret has revolutionised financial inclusion as Co-founder and CEO of Plaid, a pivotal fintech infrastructure company connecting thousands of financial institutions across North America and Europe. Motivated by witnessing financial exclusion in his North Carolina community, Perret created an API that enables seamless connections between bank accounts and fintech applications. Despite initial resistance from banks and a failed £4.2bn (US$5.3bn) Visa acquisition, his leadership has grown Plaid to achieving a multi-billion valuation, making financial services more accessible to millions worldwide.

9. Henrique Dubugras, Co-CEO, Brex

Henrique Dubugras, the 27-year-old Brazilian tech prodigy, has revolutionised corporate finance as Co-founder and Co-CEO of Brex. Starting his coding journey at age 12, Dubugras demonstrated early entrepreneurial prowess by founding Pagar.me at 16, which processed £1.2bn (US$1.52bn) in transactions before being sold. After dropping out of Stanford, he co-founded Brex to reimagine corporate credit cards for startups. His innovative approach to financial technology has earned him billionaire status and positions on prestigious boards including Expedia Group and Mercado Libre.

8. Arik Shtilman, CEO, Rapyd

Arik Shtilman has transformed global commerce as CEO and Co-founder of Rapyd, creating a revolutionary unified platform for international payments. After building and selling a multimillion-pound cloud computing company, he identified a crucial gap in cross-border transactions. Through strategic acquisitions, including PayU for £485m (US$616.4m), Rapyd now operates in more than 100 countries with more than 1,200 payment types. Notably, Arik achieved a historic milestone by establishing Rapyd as the first Israeli fintech regulated in the UAE, demonstrating his pioneering influence in the sector.

7. Pieter Van Der Does, CEO, Adyen

Pieter van der Does has revolutionised global payments as Co-founder and Co-CEO of Adyen, which he established in 2006 before 'fintech' became commonplace. Recognising that payment providers were operating on outdated infrastructure, he built a unified solution. Under his leadership, Adyen serves major clients including Uber, Facebook and eBay through its many global offices. Pieter champions workplace culture and recently implemented co-CEO leadership to ensure Adyen's sustained success.

6.Sebastian Semiatkowski, CEO, Klarna

Sebastian Siemiatkowski has transformed e-commerce as Co-founder and CEO of Klarna, pioneering the Buy Now, Pay Later revolution. From humble beginnings flipping burgers, he built Klarna into Europe's largest fintech, serving more than 150 million active customers and 500,000 merchants globally. Despite initial scepticism, Sebastian's vision attracted major investments from SoftBank and Sequoia Capital, previously valuing Klarna at £36bn (US$45.7bn). His leadership has secured partnerships with retail giants like H&M, ASOS and Macy's, revolutionising online payment methods worldwide.

5. Chris Britt, CEO, Chime

Chris Britt has revolutionised banking accessibility as Co-founder and CEO of Chime, one of America's largest digital banks. Drawing from his experience at Visa and Green Dot, Chris identified that traditional banks were failing younger, tech-savvy consumers. Since launching in 2012, his fee-free, mobile-first approach has attracted more than 13 million customers, predominantly millennials and Gen Z. By offering early wage access and eliminating overdraft fees, Chris has reimagined banking for the digital age, challenging traditional financial institutions.

4. Guillaume Pousaz, CEO, Checkout.com

Guillaume Pousaz has transformed global e-commerce as founder and CEO of Checkout.com, building on insights gained from his earlier ventures NetMerchant and Opus Payments. After identifying friction in international payment processing, he launched Checkout.com in 2012, securing Europe's largest Series A fintech funding at £182m (US4227m). Under his leadership, the company's payment processing volume tripled during the pandemic, leading to a £12bn (US$15.2bn) valuation. Guillaume continues to pioneer frictionless payment solutions from Dubai.

3. Kristo Käärmann, CEO, Wise

Kristo Käärmann has revolutionised international money transfers as Co-founder and CEO of Wise, transforming a personal frustration with bank fees into a global fintech powerhouse. Drawing from his experience at PwC and Deloitte, the Estonian mathematician developed a transparent, low-cost solution for cross-border payments. Under his leadership, Wise has evolved from a simple transfer service into a comprehensive international banking platform. His commitment to financial democratisation and technological innovation continues to reshape global banking, making money movement accessible worldwide.

2. Nik Storonsky, CEO, Revolut

Nikolay Storonsky has disrupted traditional banking as Co-founder and CEO of Revolut, transforming his experience as a former Lehman Brothers and Credit Suisse trader into one of Britain's most valuable fintechs. The Moscow-born physicist turned fintech pioneer combines athletic determination from his champion swimming background with technological innovation to challenge banking bureaucracy. Despite initial criticism of his intense work culture, Nikolay has evolved into a respected fintech mentor and advocate, while maintaining his ambitious vision of revolutionising global financial services.

1. Patrick Collison, CEO, Stripe

Patrick Collison has revolutionised digital payments as Co-founder and CEO of Stripe, which he launched with his brother John in 2010 at just 22 years old. The Irish-born prodigy, who taught himself programming at age 10 and won Ireland's Young Scientist of the Year at 16, transformed a simple idea — making online payments easier for developers — into a global financial infrastructure platform. Known for his intellectual curiosity and thoughtful leadership, Patrick has expanded Stripe beyond payments into comprehensive business tools, shaping how companies operate online. His vision of reducing financial complexity continues to influence how money moves across the internet.

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