CBInsights’ AI 100 report examines the world’s high-potential private AI companies, highlighting Fintech as one of the key verticals driving innovation.
Selected from over 17,000 companies using proprietary Mosaic Scores, investor quality, market traction, and software buyer interviews, the 100 high-potential firms highlight the transformative role of AI across industries.
With AI funding surpassing $170 billion in 2024, led by firms like OpenAI and Anthropic, the research report emphasizes that early-stage startups seem to be reshaping fintech through vertical AI agents, data solutions, and governance platforms.
Fintech stands out with startups leveraging AI to address high-value problems in financial services, from fraud detection to automated compliance.
Vertical AI applications, which tailor solutions to specific industries, have surged, capturing $1.1 billion in funding in 2025 so far, outpacing horizontal and infrastructure categories.
This shift reflects fintech’s rich data availability and regulatory momentum, making it a hotspot for AI-driven innovation.
The report notes that vertical AI agents, which automate tasks like customer support and process orchestration, are reshaping how financial institutions and other service providers operate, offering specialized intelligence that integrates into existing workflows.
A standout fintech mentioned in the report is Auquan, named one of four finance-focused startups in the AI 100.
Auquan’s platform uses AI to streamline data curation and preparation, enabling financial institutions to process unstructured data for predictive analytics and decision-making.
By transforming complex datasets into AI-ready formats, Auquan addresses pain points in fintech, such as real-time risk assessment and market analysis.
Its recognition underscores the growing demand for data solutions that enhance AI model accuracy in finance.
AI governance is another critical fintech focus area, as regulatory compliance remains a top priority.
The report highlights governance platforms like Credo AI, which automate risk management and ensure ethical AI deployment.
With 46% of strategy professionals citing security as a barrier to generative AI adoption, fintech startups are prioritizing machine learning security (MLSec) to protect against sophisticated AI-powered attacks.
For instance, solutions like Zama’s privacy-preserving machine learning enable secure data processing, crucial for fintech applications handling sensitive customer information.
Mozilla Ventures’ Mohamed Nanabhay emphasizes governance as a competitive advantage, allowing fintech firms to deploy AI faster while mitigating risks.
The rise of AI observability platforms also benefits fintech, addressing issues like model hallucinations and output inaccuracies.
Companies like Arize provide tools to monitor and improve AI performance, ensuring reliability in applications such as automated trading or credit scoring.
These platforms are vital for fintech, where precision and compliance are vital.
Looking ahead, the report predicts AI’s evolution into physical applications, such as industrial humanoids, but fintech’s immediate future lies in vertical AI and data infrastructure.
As CBInsights notes, the explosion of vertical applications signals a maturing AI ecosystem where fintech startups are not just competing on technology but on their ability to solve industry-specific challenges.
With 60% of AI 100 winners at Series A or earlier, the fintech sector is poised for disruptive growth, driven by agile, innovative players.