Top 10 Fintech Startups in the US in 2026

2026-03-06 - 03:33

Forbes has released its annual Fintech 50 2026 list, highlighting the most promising private companies reinventing finance through technology in the US. This year’s selected firms have continued to innovate and grow rapidly despite a tough market, subdued valuations, and a constrained funding environment. They have demonstrated strong revenue growth, impactful product innovation, and high‐quality leadership. In 2026 again, business-to-business (B2B) banking dominates the Fintech 50 list with eleven entries. Almost every B2B banking firm that appeared in the previous edition returned for 2026, indicating sustained growth and continued innovation. Notable examples include Mercury, a neobanking platform serving more than 200,000 companies and entrepreneurs; and Ramp, a corporate credit card startup with annualized revenue of US$1 billion. Following B2B banking, software providers serving Wall Street firms and large enterprises are the second largest category in the Fintech 50 list with nine companies. These include Antithesis, a Virginia-based autonomous software‐testing company serving trading firms like Jane Street; and Maybern, a New York-based fund management infrastructure for private equity, private credit, and real estate firms. Collectively, the 2026 Fintech 50 have secured US$19.6 billion in funding, according to Forbes, with individual totals ranging from US$2.3 billion for Ramp and Polymarket, to companies that have yet to raise external capital, such as Increase and Hyperliquid. This illustrates a wide spectrum of growth stages. Among these ventures, the following 10 are the most heavily funded US fintech startups on the list. These companies, which have secured a combined US$12.7 billion, are all unicorns valued at US$1 billion or more, and are transforming verticals including digital banking, payments, real estate and insurance. Top 10 Fintech Startups in the US Ramp Ramp platform and offerings, Source: Ramp Founded in 2019 and headquartered in New York City, Ramp operates a finance operations platform that integrates corporate cards, expense management, bill payments, accounting automation, procurement, travel, treasury, and more. The company serves more than 50,000 companies across over 200 countries including Webflow, Applied Intuition, and Stanley Steemer, and has raised US$2.3 billion in funding to date, making it the most well-funded US fintech company in the Fintech 50 2026 list. Its valued at US$32 billion. Polymarket Polymarket illustration, Source: Polymarket Based in New York, Polymarket is a prediction market platform that allows people to speculate on the outcomes of various events such as political elections, sports games, and cryptocurrency prices. Its recent milestones include a strategic investment of up to US$2 billion from Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and the acquisitions of QCEX, an exchange and clearinghouse, and Dome, a Y Combinator-backed startup building unified infrastructure for prediction markets. Polymarket is valued at US$9 billion, and has secured about US$2.3 billion in funding to date. Stripe Stripe checkout, Source: Stripe Stripe builds economic infrastructure for the Internet, providing businesses with software to accept payments and manage their businesses online. The firm serves more than 5 million businesses directly or via platforms, with companies running on Stripe generating US$1.9 trillion in total volume in 2025, equivalent to roughly 1.6% of global GDP. With dual headquarters in San Francisco and Dublin and additional offices worldwide, Stripe was valued at staggering US$159 billion in its tender offer for employees and shareholders in February 2026, making it one of the valuable fintech startup in the world. It has raised US$2.2 billion in funding to date. Kalshi Kalshi banner, Source: Kalshi Founded in 2019 and based in New York, Kalshi is a prediction market platform that allows investors to trade on almost anything with economic relevance from inflation, to fed rates, to unemployment, to will the government shut down across over 3,500 markets. The platform records weekly trading volumes surpassing US$1 billion, underscoring soaring activity. Kalshi has raised about US$1.6 billion in funding, including a US$1 billion Series E secured in December 2025. The startup is valued at US$11 billion. Bilt Bilt platform, Source: Bilt Launched in 2021 and based in New York, Bilt is a membership and loyalty program for renters that allows members to earn rewards on rent and homeowner association (HOA) payments while building a path to homeownership. The Bilt Alliance, developed in partnership with some of the nation’s largest residential owners and operators, now encompasses over 5.5 million homes and 45,000 merchants. In 2025, Bilt processed more than US$100 million in housing spend, and is expected to cross US$1 billion in revenue by Q1 2026. The startup is valued at US$10.75 billion, and has secured about US$850 million in funding, including a US$250 million round in July 2025. Coalition Coalition mockup, Source: Coalition Founded in 2017 and based in California, Coalition is an insurance provider designed to help prevent digital risk. The company combines comprehensive insurance coverage and cybersecurity tools, helping businesses manage and mitigate potential cyber attacks. It offers its insurance products to policyholders in the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia. Coalition also provides automated cyber alerts, expert guidance and advice, and third-party risk management to businesses worldwide through its cyber risk management platform, Coalition Control. Coalition has raised US$800 million in funding to date, including a US$30 million equity investment in March 2025. It is valued at US$5 billion. Plaid Plaid Link, Source: Plaid Founded in 2013 and headquartered in San Francisco, Plaid operates a data network that allows consumers to connect their financial accounts to the apps and services they want to use. Plaid works with thousands of fintech companies like Venmo and SoFi, several of the Fortune 500, and many of the largest banks, allowing these businesses’ customers to interact with their bank accounts, check balances, and make payments through different financial technology applications. Plaid has raised US$735 million in funding to date, including a US$575 million round in April 2025. The startup was valued at US$8 billion in its last employee share sale in February 2026. Human Interest Human Interest mockup, Source: Human Interest Founded in 2015 and based in San Francisco, Human Interest offers an embedded retirement technology platform that allows payroll providers, financial institutions, accountants, and other financial services providers to embed retirement plans into their products. The company is transforming the way these plans should work, eliminating transaction fees, offering a cash-back incentive program for plan participants, and offering the first-of-its-kind money-back customer experience guarantee. Human Interest claims it serves nearly 50,000 companies, covering roughly 2 million employees. The startup has secured US$725 million in funding, including a US$50 million investment in August 2025. It is valued at US$1.33 billion. Socure Socure RiskOS, Source: Socure Founded in 2012 and based in Nevada, Socure is a platform for digital identity verification, compliance, and fraud prevention solutions powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. Serving more than 3,000 customers in 190 countries across financial services, government, gaming, healthcare, telecom, and e-commerce, Socure’s customer base includes 18 of the top 20 banks, the largest HR payroll and workforce providers, the largest sportsbook and prediction market operators, over 130 public sector organizations, and more than 600 fintech companies. In 2025, Socure generated US$315 million in annual recurring revenue and completed over 5 billion identity verifications. The company also launched RiskOS following the successful acquisition of Effectiv, extending its platform into real-time risk monitoring, and expanded its view into real-time buy now, pay later (BNPL) monitoring through the acquisition of Qlarifi. Socure has raised US$650 million in funding to date, and is valued at US$4.5 billion. Mercury Mercury for accountants, Source: Mercury Founded in 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, Mercury provides a banking platform for startups, entrepreneurs and individuals, offering tools for cash management, payments and financing. It serves more than 200,000 customers with US$650 million in annualized revenue. Mercury has raised US$500 million in funding to date, including a US$300 million Series C in March 2025. It’s valued at US$3.5 billion. In December 2025, Mercury applied for a national bank charter, aiming to become a fully regulated bank. Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by freepik via Freepik