For fintech startups, the first five years of the decade have been a roller-coaster ride. At the outset, companies were awash in easy money, then a harsh funding winter befell them, causing numerous startups to fold. Last year, the industry stabilized and is now looking mature relative to the current funding frenzy around AI and prediction markets. Venture capital investment for private fintechs increased by 35% to $53 billion in 2025, marking the first gain in four years, though that sum remains well below the $152 billion raised in 2021, according to CB Insights.AI companies continue to monopolize venture capitalists’…