Why this is important to Wisconsin businesses: The integration of new technologies is creating opportunities for investment, research, and cross-sector collaboration.
Ireland is emerging as a global hub for financial technology, or fintech.
Dublin, Cork, and Limerick are challenging the world’s traditional financial centers such as London, New York, and Hong Kong.
According to IDA Ireland, the government’s investment promotion agency, over the past four decades, an increasing number of financial institutions have set up operations in Ireland, including major international banks, investment management firms, insurers, and payment companies.
Meanwhile, the ecosystem of companies providing the fintech sector with essential services has expanded, as well, offering technology support, software development, cybersecurity, anti-money laundering, and investor relations.
Across Ireland, fintech encompasses more than 430 financial services companies with a total of more than 50,000 employees, IDA Ireland says. Among them are 17 of the top 20 global banks and 11 of the 15 biggest insurance companies.
Fintech companies in Ireland were involved in deals with a total value of nearly $238 million in 2024, according to the global accounting firm KPMG, which projected even higher totals for 2025. Notable deals in 2024 included the $109 million acquisition of Dublin-based SoftCo and funding rounds for CleverCards and CreditLogic.
Ireland’s fintech sector continues to build momentum in 2025, Ian Nelson, head of financial services and regulatory at KPMG Ireland, told the Irish Times. He called it “a strong vote of confidence in the depth and quality of Ireland’s fintech sector.”
Fintech services in Ireland include online and cross-border payments, digital banking, payment gateways, digital remittances, and blockchain-based solutions. Consumer adoption is high: 71% of Irish adults use fintech services, compared to a global average of 64%, as of 2022, according to the Irish Tech News service. Digital wallets, peer-to-peer payments, and mobile banking are widely embraced, creating a strong market for continued innovation.
The Irish government has played a key role in fostering fintech growth. Its Ireland for Finance strategy promotes international financial services, including support for fintech and blockchain applications. A €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion USD) investment from 2024 to 2028 aims to further develop digital and tech skills. The Central Bank of Ireland has also launched an Innovation Hub and developed a regulatory sandbox to support safe experimentation with new financial products.
Wisconsin companies providing technologies or services in the fintech sector may find opportunities to participate in Ireland’s growing prominence in the field.
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