💼 The CEO of a $6 Billion Fintech Explains How the Huge Risk He Took With Thousands of Banks Paid Off Big

Published: May 22, 2025 | By: InforNews Business Desk

In the fast-paced world of fintech, where startups rise and fall in a matter of months, taking risks is often part of the game. But for Michael Grant, CEO and co-founder of the $6 billion fintech giant FinLink, one bold move involving thousands of traditional banks set the company on a trajectory few could have predicted.

🚀 A High-Stakes Bet on Legacy Banks

Back in 2018, when most fintechs were building technology to disrupt and replace banks, Grant made an unconventional decision — to partner with them instead.

“Everyone else was trying to beat the banks. We decided to empower them instead,” Grant said in a recent interview with InforNews. “We knew they had the customers, the licenses, the trust. What they lacked was modern technology.”

That strategy led FinLink to approach over 3,000 regional and community banks across the United States with a simple pitch: integrate our API-driven financial tools and we’ll help you compete with the likes of PayPal, Chime, and Venmo.

📊 From Skepticism to Billion-Dollar Growth

The pitch wasn’t an easy sell. Many traditional banks were wary of third-party technology providers. But FinLink’s model — which included zero upfront costs and a revenue-sharing agreement — started to turn heads.

By the end of 2019, FinLink had onboarded 500 banks. By 2021, that number had ballooned to 2,300, as the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the demand for digital banking.

“We were essentially offering banks a plug-and-play fintech platform,” Grant explained. “They didn’t have to spend millions or wait years to modernize.”

💡 The Product: FinTech-as-a-Service

FinLink’s platform enabled banks to offer mobile banking, peer-to-peer payments, instant lending, and even cryptocurrency services — all under their own branding.

This “white-label” fintech model quickly became a game-changer. Banks maintained their customer relationships while gaining the capabilities of modern neobanks — without building anything from scratch.

📈 Funding and Valuation

In 2024, FinLink raised a Series D round of $350 million led by Tiger Global and Andreessen Horowitz, valuing the company at $6 billion.

“What impressed us was their scalability and impact,” said venture capitalist Laura Chen. “They weren’t disrupting banks — they were transforming them from within.”

🌍 International Expansion & The Future

Having saturated the U.S. market, FinLink is now expanding to Europe, Latin America, and parts of Asia where community banking still plays a vital role.

Grant believes the future of banking is collaborative: “Fintech doesn’t have to be a threat to legacy institutions. When you blend the old and new, that’s when real innovation happens.”

🧠 Key Takeaways for Entrepreneurs

• Think differently: Don’t always follow industry trends. Find the gaps others ignore.
• Leverage trust: Legacy institutions often have what new players lack — customer loyalty.
• Partnerships can scale faster than disruption: FinLink’s model proved speed and scale can coexist with collaboration.

🔚 Conclusion

What started as a risky bet against conventional fintech wisdom turned into one of the biggest success stories in modern banking. With thousands of banks onboard and global expansion underway, FinLink and its CEO are showing the world that bold, unconventional strategies — when executed correctly — can change the game.

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