Software engineering at the heart of fintech hiring recovery in 2025

Publié le 02/08/2025

In the first half of 2025, the UK fintech sector stood out for a significant rebound in hiring, particularly in tech and cybersecurity roles. According to the report jointly published by Morgan McKinley and Vacancysoft in May 2025, the number of professional hires in fintech is expected to grow by 32% this year. Among these positions, technology roles show an even sharper rise of 39%, with software engineers, IT specialists, and cybersecurity experts making up the largest share.

In the first half of 2025, the UK fintech sector stood out for a significant rebound in hiring, particularly in tech and cybersecurity roles. According to the report jointly published by Morgan McKinley and Vacancysoft in May 2025, the number of professional hires in fintech is expected to grow by 32% this year. Among these positions, technology roles show an even sharper rise of 39%, with software engineers, IT specialists, and cybersecurity experts making up the largest share.

Tech resurgence amid an uncertain economic context

This recovery is happening at a time when the broader UK job market is showing signs of slowdown. Indeed, job postings fell by 5% in the second quarter of 2025 compared to 2024, and now stand 21% below pre-pandemic levels, according to the Office for National Statistics. Yet fintech firms appear unusually resilient. Despite venture capital funding remaining at historically low levels, neither innovation nor hiring has stalled. Companies like Wise, Deel, Ebury, and FNZ are accelerating their tech recruitment, with some announcing workforce increases of between 40% and 120%.

Strategic maturity in the profiles sought

This momentum reflects the evolution of the fintech model: gone are the days of minimalist prototypes; the focus is now on secure, scalable, and regulated infrastructures. Technological leadership is no longer just a competitive edge but a condition for viability. Fintechs are massively bringing in specialists in cloud engineering, microservices, CI/CD pipelines, and cybersecurity resilience to meet regulatory and operational requirements. At the same time, demand for risk & compliance experts is rising sharply: regulatory roles are up by 29%, financial crime specialists by 50%, while fraud-related positions have doubled. The sector is no longer merely growing—it is structuring itself.

A strong technical core in a selective market

In this landscape, hiring is no longer about volume but about specialization. Companies favor targeted recruitment over generalist headcount. Tech?savvy profiles mastering languages like Python, Go, or Kotlin, as well as distributed systems, API design, and cloud infrastructure, are highly valued. The June 2025 report on fintech hiring in Europe shows that the payments segment is particularly dynamic, with over 1,180 vacancies posted in Q2 2025 by leading firms such as Adyen, SumUp, Worldline, Mollie, and Worldpay. This surge in the payments sector illustrates the priority now given to technical roles that ensure reliability and product innovation.

Outlook and key takeaways for the rest of the year

The forecast for the second half of 2025 confirms that this shift is strategic. Fintechs remain heavily invested in tech and security functions, despite a less favorable broader market context. Hiring in risk & compliance and cybersecurity reflects the sector’s growing maturity, as it seeks to strengthen its regulatory and technical foundations. The top priority is no longer just about launching new products, but about building robust, scalable, and carefully compliant platforms.

For professionals interested in fintech’s evolution, this period represents a key opportunity: tech teams are now at the center of growth strategies, leading to specialized recruitment, attractive packages, and a rising demand for talent capable of combining software expertise, product sensitivity, and an understanding of the regulatory landscape.

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