5 Fintech Trends That Will Reshape How You Sell in the Boardroom

Financial institutions are under pressure to compete like fintechs. They're no longer looking for just another vendor. They want partners who help them adapt quickly, differentiate through experience, and maintain control over their future. Fintechs that understand these shifts will win more deals at the executive table.

Here are five trends shaping how fintechs need to sell in 2025.

1. AI Must Be Operational, Not Aspirational

Every fintech claims to use AI, but financial institutions are past the buzzwords. Executives want to know exactly how AI-enabled workflows reduce fraud, lower support costs, or accelerate underwriting. It’s not enough to mention AI in the pitch. You need to show the operational levers it pulls and the dollars it saves.

• Boardroom Message: "Here’s where AI is embedded in the workflow, what it automates, and how it drives down cost per account, shortens decision time, or flags high-risk activity earlier."

2. FIs Want to Build Their Own Fintechs—And Own the Customer Relationship

Banks and credit unions aren’t just buying fintech tools anymore. They’re launching their own payment products, small business tools, and embedded finance plays to compete directly. To do that, they need headless and API-driven platforms that give them control over the experience, brand, and data, without relying on rigid, opinionated software.

• Boardroom Message: "We give you the control to build and brand your own fintech experiences. So you don’t just participate in the value chain, you own it."

3. Core Modernization is Fueling the Shift to Composable, API-First Architectures

Financial institutions—and the core providers that serve them—are shifting toward API-first, modular platforms. This isn’t just a technical evolution. It’s a structural one. FIs want the ability to plug in new capabilities, replace underperforming vendors, and experiment without being locked into legacy systems. Core platforms are responding by exposing more services via APIs and embracing composable design.

• Boardroom Message: "Our platform was built for interoperability, so you can integrate faster, de-risk change, and adapt as your core evolves."

4. Shorter Contracts Reflect Faster Change Cycles

Five-year contracts no longer align with how financial institutions evaluate vendors. FIs are becoming more agile in how they buy, test, and scale fintech partnerships. Procurement teams are rewarding solutions that prove value fast and can be rolled out incrementally.

• Boardroom Message: "We earn trust through delivery, not lock-in. That’s why our contracts are short, our deployments are fast, and our outcomes speak for themselves."

5. Front-End Modernization is No Longer Optional

It used to be that strong features could make up for dated, friction-filled UX. Not anymore. As fintechs that launched a decade ago reinvent their user experiences, even a three-year-old interface looks out of step. To buyers, outdated UX doesn’t just signal design debt, it raises concerns about the flexibility, scalability, and long-term viability of the underlying technology.

• Boardroom Message: "We’ve reimagined the experience to reflect not just where the market is but where it’s going. Our platform is research-backed and designed for high conversions."

Winning in 2025 Means Selling Differently

Product features aren’t enough. To win enterprise deals, fintechs must frame their offering around what financial institutions care about most: adaptability, speed, control, and user experience.

At Praxent, we help fintechs modernize faster, so your platform sells better.

Want to learn more? Let’s talk.