Key European FinTech investment stats in H1 2026:
- European FinTech funding increased 5% YoY
- UK firms secured six of the top 10 deals to dominate the European FinTech market in H1
- Ebury, Santander’s FinTech platform specialising in cross-border payments, foreign exchange risk management and trade solutions for businesses, secured a funding package of $748.1m, making it the biggest European FinTech deal of the period
European FinTech funding increased 5% YoY
European FinTech investment in H1 2026 reached $9.2bn across 386 deals, representing a 5% increase in funding compared to the $8.7bn raised across 393 deals in H1 2025.
Deal volume edged down slightly, falling by 2% year-on-year, meaning the modest rise in total capital raised was driven by a marginal increase in average deal size rather than a broader expansion in transaction activity.
The average deal value rose to $23.8m in H1 2026, up from $22.1m in H1 2025, a relatively contained movement that suggests the European FinTech funding environment has remained broadly stable across the two periods.
The overall picture is one of quiet resilience, with the sector holding its ground in terms of both capital deployed and deal activity despite the uncertain macroeconomic backdrop that has weighed on parts of the broader market.
UK firms secured six of the top 10 deals to dominate the European FinTech market in H1
The country-level breakdown of the top 10 deals in H1 2026 reflects a shift in which European markets are generating the sector’s largest transactions, with France emerging as a more prominent force and Germany ceding some of its prior standing.
UK retained its position as the dominant country in both periods, increasing its share of top deals from five in H1 2025 to six in H1 2026, underlining its positioning as Europe’s principal FinTech hub.
France was the most notable mover, rising from no representation in the H1 2025 top 10 to securing three of the largest deals in H1 2026, a significant step up that points to growing momentum among France’s larger FinTech businesses.
Germany, by contrast, saw its share fall from three top deals to one, suggesting that while it remains present at the upper end of the market, the scale of its largest transactions has moderated relative to its European peers.
The Netherlands and Malta, each of which featured once in H1 2025, did not appear in H1 2026, reflecting the continued fluidity in which markets outside the sector’s two leading hubs produce deals of the greatest magnitude.
Ebury, Santander’s FinTech platform specialising in cross-border payments, foreign exchange risk management and trade solutions for businesses, secured a funding package of $748.1m, making it the biggest European FinTech deal of the period
The round was led by Centerbridge Partners, with participation from existing shareholders Santander, Vitruvian Partners and 83North.
Santander, which has held a majority stake in Ebury since 2020, will invest $68m and retain a 55% shareholding, with the funding to be completed through two separate transactions subject to regulatory approval.
Ebury operates across 30 regulated markets, serves more than 27,000 businesses and enables payments in more than 140 currencies across 160 countries.
Its services span international payments, real-time movement of funds between subsidiaries, foreign exchange solutions and direct integration with client financial systems.
Revenues have grown by more than 30% per year since Santander’s initial investment.
The proceeds will be directed towards product development, geographic expansion and scaling AI capabilities to improve payment processing and the customer experience.
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