Top 10: FinTech Leaders in the US
The financial technology sector has undergone a transformation over the past decade, fundamentally altering how individuals and businesses manage money, make payments and access financial services. Traditional banking structures are being reimagined through digital innovation, whilst new entrants are challenging established financial institutions with novel solutions from mobile payments and digital banking to cryptocurrency and embedded finance.
This evolution has given rise to a new generation of leaders who are reshaping the financial services landscape. These executives represent a diverse spectrum of the industry, from established payment giants and traditional banking technology providers to innovative startups and cryptocurrency pioneers. Their organisations are at the forefront of addressing critical challenges in financial inclusion, digital transformation and technological innovation, whilst navigating complex regulatory requirements and changing consumer expectations.
10: Immad Akhund
Co-founder and CEO, Mercury
Immad Akhund co-founded Mercury in 2017, creating a digital banking platform specifically designed for startups and technology companies. Before Mercury, he founded several startups and worked as a partner at Y Combinator. Under his leadership, Mercury has developed specialised banking services for the startup ecosystem, including tools for venture debt, treasury management and international payments. Immad has focused on building features specifically tailored to the needs of high-growth technology companies and their founders. He has been particularly vocal about the importance of providing modern banking infrastructure for the innovation economy.
9: Zach Perret
Co-founder and CEO, Plaid
A former consultant at Bain & Company, Zach Perret co-founded Plaid in 2013, creating a platform that connects financial accounts to applications and services. Under his leadership, Plaid has become a crucial infrastructure provider in the fintech industry, powering many popular financial applications. Zach has guided the company through significant growth, including a planned acquisition by Visa that was ultimately cancelled due to regulatory concerns. He has focused on expanding Plaid’s services beyond basic account connectivity to include identity verification and payment initiation.
8: Jason Wilk
Co-founder and CEO, Dave
Jason Wilk co-founded Dave in 2016, creating a financial services app focused on helping users avoid overdraft fees. Prior to Dave, he founded several other startups and worked as an angel investor. Under his leadership, Dave has expanded its services to include banking, credit building, and income advancement. The company went public via SPAC in 2022. Jason has positioned Dave as a champion for financial health, particularly focusing on younger consumers and those living paycheck to paycheck, and has emphasised the importance of financial education and transparent banking services.
7: Jack Dorsey
CEO, Block
Jack Dorsey, best known as Twitter's co-founder, has led Block (formerly Square) since its founding in 2009. After stepping down as Twitter’s CEO in 2021, he has focused exclusively on Block’s operations. Under his leadership, Block has evolved from a simple mobile payments company into a diverse financial services firm encompassing peer-to-peer payments (Cash App), cryptocurrency initiatives (Spiral) and music streaming (Tidal). Jack has been particularly passionate about cryptocurrency adoption, implementing Bitcoin-focused projects within Block. His management style reportedly emphasises transparency and decentralisation, reflected in Block's corporate structure and product development approach.
6: Alfred F. Kelly Jr.
Former CEO and Executive Chairman, Visa
Alfred F. Kelly Jr served as CEO of Visa from 2016 to 2024, and concluded his role as Executive Chairman in February 2024. Before joining Visa, he spent 23 years at American Express in various executive roles, including President from 2007 to 2010.
During his tenure at Visa, Kelly oversaw the company's digital transformation and expansion into new payment technologies. He led Visa through significant acquisitions, including Currencycloud, and strengthened the company's position in emerging markets and cryptocurrency services. Between his roles at American Express and Visa, he served as CEO of Intersection, a technology and digital media company, and led the 2014 NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Company. In March 2024, he joined Berkshire Partners as an Advisory Director. Today, he serves as a Trustee of several institutions including New York Presbyterian Hospital and Boston College, and chairs the Board of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation.
5: Eric Glyman
Co-founder and CEO, Ramp
Having previously founded Paribus, which was acquired by Capital One in 2016, Eric Glyman co-founded Ramp in 2019. As CEO, he has led the company's rapid growth in the corporate card and spend management sector. Ramp has differentiated itself by focusing on helping businesses save money through spend analysis and automation. Ramp has expanded its services to include bill payments, vendor management and accounting automation, with Eric emphasising building a product-led growth strategy and maintaining a focus on technological innovation in financial services.
4: Dan Schulman
Former President & CEO, PayPal
Dan Schulman served as PayPal’s President and CEO between 2014 and 2023, leading the company through its separation from eBay in 2015. Prior to PayPal, he held executive positions at American Express, Virgin Mobile and Priceline. Under his leadership, PayPal expanded beyond its original online payment service to include mobile payments, cryptocurrency trading and small business lending. Today, he serves on various boards including Verizon's board of directors. Known for his practical management style, Dan practises Krav Maga and has applied its principles to business leadership. He announced his retirement as CEO of PayPal in 2023, marking the end of his transformative tenure at the company.
3: Michael Miebach
CEO, Mastercard
Michael Miebach became CEO of Mastercard in 2021, succeeding Ajay Banga. His career at Mastercard began in 2010, where he held various leadership positions including Chief Product Officer. Prior to Mastercard, he worked at Barclays Bank and Citibank across multiple regions including Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Under his leadership, Mastercard has expanded its focus beyond card payments to embrace digital payments, blockchain technology and open banking. Michael has championed financial inclusion initiatives and driven Mastercard’s expansion into digital identity and cybersecurity services, and has particularly emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships in advancing financial technology – steering the company through significant technological transformations.
2: Patrick Collison
Co-founder and CEO, Stripe
As the co-founder and CEO of Stripe, Patrick Collison has led the company to become a major player in the financial technology sector. Stripe, founded in 2010, is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses, processing over US$1tn in payment volume in 2023. Under Patrick's leadership, Stripe has expanded its services to include payment processing, financial connections and data pipeline tools.
The company has also made strategic acquisitions, including Paystack, the Nigerian financial technology company and TaxJar, the tax automation platform, to enhance its capabilities and expand into new markets.
The company serves millions of businesses, from startups to large enterprises, helping them accept payments and grow their revenue. Stripe was valued at approximately US$65bn in 2023, making it the largest private fintech company in the world.
1: Brian Armstrong
Co-founder and CEO, Coinbase
Brian Armstrong co-founded Coinbase in 2012, establishing what would become one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges globally. Prior to Coinbase, he worked as a software engineer at Airbnb and founded an education company called UniversityTutor. Under his leadership, Coinbase became the first major cryptocurrency company to go public, listing on NASDAQ in 2021.
Brian has been a prominent advocate for cryptocurrency adoption and regulation, often engaging with policymakers and regulators. He has maintained a focus on compliance and security in an industry often plagued by controversy, and has implemented various initiatives to make cryptocurrency more accessible to mainstream users, including educational programmes and simplified trading interfaces.
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