Who Are The Top 50 Fintech Influencers To Follow?

After extensive research of more than 25 hours, this is the best of the best list I could have ever prepared.

Well here is a complete well-researched list of the Top 50 Fintech Influencers. Below is the name list along with their LinkedIn profiles by which you can directly follow/connect with them. The following list has been prepared in the descending order of their followers on LinkedIn. The Top 10 among them have been discussed in depth with a snapshot of their career and interest in the fintech domain.

Introduction

India’s financial technology sector has been expanding rapidly during the past 12 months. People that have shared their insights to improve the Fintech and Digital Finance Ecosystem are the driving force behind the Industry.

These people have recognized the pandemic as a chance to broaden their collaborations with other financial institutions and promote the widespread use of digital technologies. Their goals are setting the tone for the entire ecosystem.

Marketing, money, and even the best way to shoot a selfie with your brand new smartphone—all of these topics and more are being driven by influencers. They are the ones pushing for change and facilitating investment in the technologies and fields that produce desirable outcomes.

Top 50 financial technology thought leaders to follow.

These influencers rely heavily on social media to spread their message. Then there is the influence-providing backbone of blogs, podcasts, newsletters, speaking engagements, and the like, which spreads the word far and wide.

Discuss the Top 10 Movers and Shakers with me!

1. Ankur Warikoo

With a fan base of over 20 million Ankur has developed a strong online community. With more than 15 years under his belt, he has established himself as an entrepreneur, best-selling author, online instructor, and content developer. Inspiring millions of people to go after their dreams, his books have topped the Nielsen bestsellers list in India. He also started Webveda, a website where more than 350,000 people globally can take courses on topics like business management and personal development.

When it comes to personal finance, startups, careers, and education, he is a prolific content creator who has amassed a following of over 9 million people across multiple social media platforms.  Additionally, he is a mentor to and investor in early-stage companies, particularly consumer online firms. He is drawn to teams with a high tolerance for risk, a thirst for knowledge, and a willingness to try new things.  His goal is to educate the public so that they may make decisions in life based on information rather than guesswork.

Read: A Complete Overview Of Decentralized KYC Solutions

2) Alex Xu

With almost 5 million fans Alex has won over the minds and hearts of many people. Alex Xu is a novelist and software developer. He has a best-seller on Amazon’s “Distributed Systems & Computing” shelf with System Design Interview.

An Insider’s Guide. As of the end of 2020, translations of his book into seven languages (including Traditional Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Spanish, Polish, Simplified Chinese, and Korean) will have been completed.

Read: Trust in Banking Explained With 10 Live Examples

3) Linas Beliūnas

Whether you’re interested in digital innovation, the future of technology, or the intersection between artificial intelligence and finance, he’s the man to follow. Linas is an ambitious business developer, sales expert, and FinTech strategist who wants to make a difference. In a positive way. His undergraduate degree is in Economics (with a double emphasis in Economics and Politics), but he has been interested in and/or employed by the Financial Services industry ever since his freshman year.

He was able to get a head start on my career and try my hand at a variety of professions and financial institutions (including Western Union, Danske Bank, and Norne Securities) because of this. He has been in the FinTech industry for over six years now, and he strives to improve and expand his knowledge every day.

Read: Top 15 Business AI Tools For You

4)Lex Sokolin

With 3,000,000 people rooting for him, Lex still has a long way to go. Prior to my current role as Chief Economist at ConsenSys, he served as the company’s CMO and Global Fintech Co-Head. He has worked on AI, blockchain, AR, and VR. AdvisorEngine, a financial management platform with roboadvisor DNA, was bought by Franklin Templeton, where he served as COO and drove product design and corporate development.

Additionally, he served as CEO of NestEgg, a roboadvisor that uses algorithms to provide investment advice. He has written for numerous publications like the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, the Financial Times, CNBC, Reuters, American Banker, ThinkAdvisor, Financial-Planning, and Investment News in order to develop his perspective on Fintech and Futurism. Money2020, LendIt, Techonomy, General Assembly, In|Vest, T3 Enterprise Edition, and the FPA are just a few of the conferences where he has shared his thoughts on the future of technology.

Read: Unleashing The Power: How Tech Giants Harness Generative AI Chatbots

5)Jim Marous

Jim is followed by 2,500,000 people. The #1 retail banking podcast, Banking Transformed, is hosted by Jim Marous, who has been named one of the top five banking influencers for a decade.

We have an insight from Jim himself on a one-on-one interaction-

“The fintech space is as active and dynamic as ever, with changes happening faster than ever. The power of this list of influencers is that people across the world can access insights about the future of fintech simply by following the content created and shared by these leaders.”

Marous is also a sought-after international keynote speaker, co-editor of The Financial Brand, and owner and publisher of the Digital Banking Report. Marous provides guidance on all aspects of financial services’ transition to digital. CNBC, BBC, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Financial Times,

The Economist, The American Banker, Accenture, Harvard Business Review, and Cheddar have all featured Marous, and he has spoken in front of audiences ranging in size from seven to seven thousand. Jim has also served as a financial policy advisor to the White House.

Read: How Can Banks Stay Competitive With A Secured IT Security Infrastructure?

6)Efi Pylarinou

Approximately 2 million people follow Efi. Dr. Efi Pylarinou is a veteran of Wall Street and a former academic who is now recognized as a top global thought leader in the fields of fintech and technology.  She is one of Onalytica’s “Who’s Who in AI” top 20 professional influencers for 2021 and one of their “Top 20 Fintech Influencers” for 2021 and 2022. According to Refinitiv for both 2019 and 2020, she is the most influential woman in the world of finance and data.

Awards Magazine also included him in their list of the Top 100 Tech Influencers.  She has a Ph.D. in Finance and is, therefore, an authority in her field; she is also a host, author, and speaker. She is a member of the Faculty of The Fast Future Executive, where she gives presentations on topics related to the future of finance and money.

Read: Unlocking the Potential of Crypto Assets in the Lending Space

7)Aakash Gupta

Aakash has more than 1.7 million followers. Chief Product Officer of Apollo. Proven success leading big PM teams at Google, Epic Games, Affirm, and other companies to expansion. Wharton Business School graduate with a background in economics and high school coding competition experience. When there are too many product releases, they don’t affect the right KPIs.

His approach to product management is just the opposite. He is an expert in influencing business results. This holds true for both business-to-consumer and business-to-business SaaS offerings, both fundamental and PLG. In addition, he publishes the largest paid newsletter in the world aimed at computer professionals. 

Read: “Fintech Ascend: Unveiling The Top 20 Influencer Marketing Software Of 2023”

8)Oliver Bussmann

Over a million people are following you. Senior Technology Executive Oliver Bussmann has been a leader in the High Tech and Financial Service industries at UBS, SAP, Allianz, Deutsche Bank, and IBM for more than 30 years. Oliver is a Change Agent who can lead large-scale, cross-cultural, trans-continental transitions that unite people, produce tangible results, and set businesses apart from the competition.

In the fields of financial technology, blockchain, enterprise mobility, and cloud computing, Oliver is a recognized leader. One of the first chief executive officers to recognize the potential of social media to grow his company.

Read: The Fintech Revolution: Accelerating Bank Performance In The Dynamic Landscape Of 2023

9)Marcel van Oost

Almost a hundred thousand devotees. His life has been full of ups and downs, but now he is a connector in the FinTech industry. He’s a FinTech connector based in Amsterdam.

Not only for himself but for the whole FinTech industry, which presumably includes you and me! He helps us stay on top of the rapidly evolving FinTech industry by providing us with daily material and news updates.

Read: Understanding The Role Of Decentralized KYC Solutions For Today’s Businesses

10)Panagiotis Kriaris

Getting closer and closer to a million. He has spent his whole professional life at the intersection of business and technology, holding executive positions in fields as diverse as FinTech, payments, retail, e-commerce, and digital projects.

Having held major positions in Commercial/Corporate/Small/Medium Enterprise Banking, Retail Banking, Payments, and FinTech, among other areas of the financial sector. His focus during the past few years has been on innovation, strategy, business growth, strategic partnerships, and the creation of new enterprises and products.  He is a well-known expert in the field of finance, and as such, he is frequently invited to speak at conferences and other events all around the world.

Conclusion

We have an insight from Jim himself (host of Banking Transformed podcast) on a one-on-one interaction in which he discussed the role of a fintech influencer and why are they important.

“Fintech influencers play a pivotal role in shaping the perspectives, knowledge, and strategies of leaders in retail banking and the broader financial services industry. Their impact extends across various dimensions:

Acting as thought leaders and evangelists for innovation – They promote awareness and understanding of new fintech developments and trends, and why they matter for the future of banking and financial services.

Providing insights and analysis – Through blogs, videos, podcasts, and other formats, they offer valuable perspectives on the strategic implications of fintech for incumbents. This includes assessing threats, identifying opportunities, and recommending potential responses.

Sparking discussion and debate – As respected voices, they stimulate conversation and examination of fintech issues across the industry through social media, conferences, and advice to mainstream media.

Challenging the status quo – Their outside-in view questions conventional wisdom and pushes banks and financial firms to re-examine assumptions about customers, capabilities, and competitive landscapes.

Highlighting real-world examples – They showcase inspiring case studies of fintech innovation and disruption in action to make the possibilities tangible. Educating on new tech – From blockchain to AI to open banking APIs, their simplified explanations help demystify complex technologies for non-technical executives and professionals.

Providing strategic counsel – Banks, vendors, regulators, and startups leverage their expertise via advisory roles to stress test strategies and transform business and operating models.

Amplifying other voices – By engaging the broader fintech community, highlighting diverse perspectives, and mentoring emerging influencers, they enrich the discussion. In summary, prominent fintech influencers serve a vital role as provocateurs, educators, analysts, and strategists guiding the financial industry to harness new technologies for the digital era.

The goal of most fintech influencers is to help incumbents evolve.”

Read: Understanding Financial Wellness: Top 15 Software Picks For 2023

 [To share your insights with us, please write to pghosh@itechseries.com ]