Women hold 6% of fintech CEO jobs

Women hold 6% of fintech CEO roles worldwide, and all-female founding teams received 2.3% of global startup funding in 2024 – $6.7 billion of $289 billion – according to FMIntelligence’s Women in Fintech report published Friday, March 6, 2026. The study finds female founders generated 78 cents of revenue for every $1 of capital, compared with 31 cents for male founders. Women occupy 10% to 11% of fintech board seats, and the sector’s workforce is about 30% female, versus 44% in traditional financial services.

Funding flowed mainly to all-male teams, which drew $241.9 billion in 2024. FMIntelligence projects women will hold 7% of fintech CEO positions by year-end 2026, with the workforce reaching 31% female.

Pay gaps remain large. Compensation firm Ravio reports a 33.18% overall gender pay gap in European fintech. The gap stands at 25% at growth-stage firms and about 37% at late-stage companies. In the United Kingdom’s finance sector, the gender pay gap reached 35% in 2025, up from 24% in 2024.

Participation in trading-focused segments is heavily skewed. FMIntelligence cites data showing 90.3% of global forex and CFD traders are male; in the United States the split is roughly 92% male and 8% female. A survey by Gemini indicates 69% of crypto owners are male, a share that has increased since 2022. Research from Warwick Business School shows women traders outperform men by nearly 2 percentage points per year.

Leadership attention remains a recurring theme. Sarah Barslund Lauridsen, Chief Product Officer at Nexi Group, put the issue plainly: “Gender balance remains a glaring issue; women represent half the population but not half of leadership. Real change happens fastest when it starts at the top.”

She reflected on the approach she has observed: “The most meaningful shift I’ve seen is moving away from trying to ‘fix’ women and toward addressing systemic barriers that limit who gets seen, trusted and promoted.”

The report highlights areas of progress. Gender-lens investing assets have passed $122 billion globally. Sweden directs about 15% of venture capital to women-led companies. Singapore is the only market forecast to reach gender parity in next-generation financial services roles by 2030. Hong Kong’s financial industry is nearing 45% female leadership.

Outlooks remain measured. The Founders Forum estimates gender parity in venture funding could arrive around 2065. FMIntelligence models female participation in crypto approaching 22% and gender-lens assets under management trending toward $145 billion by the end of 2026.

FMIntelligence links the slow rate of change to barriers in fundraising and corporate governance, including limited representation in investor networks, biases in pitch evaluation, and a lack of senior sponsorship. The report also points to the influence of product design and marketing: prior surveys indicate one in five women are discouraged from investing by patronizing language, and “macho” branding deters potential female customers in trading and crypto.