Next Frontier Industry Spotlight

Fintech

Financial Technology

What is FinTech?

Financial technology (Fintech) is used to describe new tech that seeks to improve and automate the delivery and use of financial services. ​​​At its core, fintech is utilized to help companies, business owners and consumers better manage their financial operations, processes, and lives by utilizing specialized software and algorithms that are used on computers and, increasingly, smartphones. Fintech, the word, is a combination of "financial technology". (Investopedia) That’s what FinTech essentially is – a hybrid industry that is using the advantages of technology to better deliver an existing product or service.
At-A-Glance

$26.5t 

Global Market Size
(2023)

13k

FinTech start-ups registered in the US as of 2023

140k

FinTech workers needed in 2024

25%

Portion of the Fintech market that includes digital payment, one of the biggest fintech products

FinTech Pathways

Everything you need to know to begin your own FinTech career!

 Questions to Consider

  • Do you enjoy the intersection of finance and technology?
  • Are you open to keep learning new technologies every few months and willing to keep up with the fast pace of the tech world?
  • Can you think of new and innovative ways of delivering existing products and services?
  • Are you able to work in an unstructured business environment that feels like a start-up?
  • Are you a multi-disciplinarian who can combine finance, tech, legal, marketing, and other business skills to succeed?

 Top FinTech Careers

  • Data Scientist: A data scientist is a professional responsible for collecting, analyzing and interpreting extremely large amounts of data. In the world of fintech, trillions of online transactions flow through the global banking system that need to be properly analyzed and converted into meaningful information. (Source)
  • Cybersecurity Specialist: Cybersecurity Specialists provide security during the development stages of software systems, networks, and data centers. Cybersecurity is especially important to fintech companies, which stand to lose the most when it comes to the reputational damage that a cyber security breach can cause. 
  • Blockchain Engineer: A blockchain engineer is a software developer or computer programmer who designs and builds blockchains, which is a digital ledger of transactions and a system of recording information in a way that makes it difficult or impossible to change, hack, or cheat.

Top FinTech Companies

  • Coinbase
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Ant Financial
  • Klarna

Related College Majors 

Although FinTech is still a relatively new field, specifically-designed FinTech majors are starting to become more common! Additionally, the following majors/hard skills should be your best bet:
  • Computer Science
  • Micro/macroeconomics
  • Finance
  • Cybersecurity
  • Machine Learning/AI

Crypto University
Learn all of the crypto basics with this free video series from Coinbase! Crypto University is on a mission to get the world onchain and crypto forward through education. 
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Next Frontier Industry Roadmap:
Fintech

Want to start a career in fintech but don't know where to begin? Start here!

  1.  Do your research

Make sure you're well-versed in the basics. What is financial technology? What's driving it? Who are the innovators? What types of fintech jobs exist? What are the major fintech companies? If you're interested in a specific company, be sure to learn about its culture and values. This can make a huge difference in your job search! 

2. Hone your "soft" skills

  • Critical thinking: The amount of data and the tools available to extract and analyze that data are ever-growing, thus making critical thinking skills a must.
  • Adaptability: Fintech is a rapidly evolving industry, and in order to be successful, one must always be aware of which skills are needed to keep up with the pace of innovation. Never hesitate to learn new things, even if they don't seem immediately relevant to your current position! Agility is key in this non-traditional field.
  • Solid communication: The disruptive and fast-moving nature of FinTech means that skilled employees with a high emotional quotient are more likely to succeed than those who have only technical skills. (Source)

3. Learn the essentials

Although fintech degrees are slowly becoming more common, a degree in Computer Science with a minor in finance can provide a strong foundation. You should also:
  • Be well-versed in financial fundamentals
  • Have strong programming skills in Java, JavaScript, C++, C#, Python and SQL

4. Build your portfolio

There a quite a few ways your can bolster your fintech portfolio. For instance, one possible way is finding your target employer's project on GitHub and contributing to that project in noticeable ways. Open-source projects are a good place to start before moving on to something novel.
Also make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date with your latest experiences and accomplishments and optimized using our Base 11 LinkedIn Optimization Guide.

5. Gain hands-on experience

Whether you want to work for a fast-paced startup or a more established and traditional company, internships in fintech can vary widely. Figure out what type of work culture and values you most align with and go from there! Coinbase is a great example of a fast-growing global fintech company to work for, and also happens to be a Base 11 Game Changer partner. Learn more about their mission and opportunities here! 

6. Engage your community

Cultivate your network with a Base 11 community of like-minded individuals that you can connect with today using the community feature built right into this platform! We have a thriving community of students, early-career adults, and professionals on our discussion forums who can share insights, give advice, and help you on your STEM journey.
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Featured FinTech Partner
Coinbase is a secure online platform for buying, selling, transferring, and storing cryptocurrency. Base 11 is proud to have welcomed Coinbase as our first FinTech partner in 2020! 

Additional Resources

Tools to help you unlock your inner potential and excel in FinTech!

Jobs & Internships

Exclusive opportunities including academic and professional internships as well as jobs from our Next Frontier Partners 

Courses & Training

Free and discounted courses and training programs designed to accelerate members into the STEM career of their dreams

Innovation Challenges

Solve real-world problems posed by top companies in STEM and earn cash prizes as well as potential employment opportunities

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