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Report: UK Fintechs Ramp Up Recruitment in 2025

15:54 PM, May 27 2025

UK fintechs are set to increase professional hiring by 32% this year despite increasingly challenging economic headwinds, according to new research from Morgan McKinley.

The global recruitment firm’s latest Fintech report, delivered alongside Vacancysoft, has revealed that fintech employers are proceeding with their strategic hires, even as venture funding continues to underperform historical norms, with high volatility tempering investor confidence.

Nationwide, fintech employment is expected to increase by almost 20%, with the UK fintech sector on course for a 31% rise in professional vacancies, reaching 16,575 roles.

That optimism is being led by product expansion, operational scaling and the maturing of several fintech firms from startup to post-revenue stages, driven by regulatory shifts, cyber reforms and a potential renewal of UK–EU financial services.

Unsurprisingly, the continued upheaval of financial and tech regulations has caused a spike in risk and compliance hiring, with the study projecting a 29% rise in 2025, marking the third consecutive year of growth.

Demand for financial crime experts is expected to rise by 50%, while fraud-related roles are predicted to double, driven by increasing operational complexity, particularly for firms with cross-border exposure.

As regulators push beyond basic compliance towards active oversight, fintechs are stepping up their game, looking to bring in seasoned professionals to reinforce internal controls and prepare for future authorisations and licensing requirements.

Meanwhile, technology-related hiring is forecast to grow by 39%, especially within engineering, IT management, development and cybersecurity, fuelled by changes introduced under the UK Government’s flagship Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which Morgan McKinley said will cause a surge in demand for IT professionals.

Other specialist roles are also seeing some notable increases. The study predicts that IT analyst positions in fintech will rise by more than 30%, while IT infrastructure roles could increase by as much as 70% over last year.

As fintechs begin the process of replacing legacy systems to meet rising compliance expectations, these system resilience and threat mitigation skills will continue to be highly sought after.

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“The data tells a clear story: despite subdued venture capital flows, demand for specialist talent remains robust,” said Mark Astbury, director at Morgan McKinley UK.

“This isn’t a hype-driven rebound, it’s a grounded response to real-world pressures. Fintech firms are hiring to meet rising regulatory expectations as they grow, to counter increasingly sophisticated financial threats, and to build more resilient digital infrastructure.

“Looking ahead at the rest of 2025, the message is clear: fintech hiring is purposeful and focused. The shift from reactive to proactive talent acquisition is redefining how firms invest, not just in products, but in people.”

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