For FinTech businesses, cyber security has become inseparable from growth, compliance and customer trust. In this article, Arcanum Cyber Security Consultant, Claire Greathead, explains the value of ISO 27001 as the leading information security framework for organisations operating in the finance industry.
The UK’s FinTech sector has undergone dramatic growth over the past decade with research showing a 181% increase in registered companies between 2015 and 2025. But as the sector has grown, so too have the expectations placed upon it. FinTech businesses are handling more sensitive information, integrating with increasingly complex technology ecosystems and facing greater scrutiny from customers, partners and regulators.
The question for most FinTech businesses, therefore, isn’t whether they need a structured approach to information security. It’s which framework provides the most appropriate foundation. In many cases, the most obvious answer lies in ISO 27001 certification.
Turning compliance requirements into a structured approach
FinTech businesses in 2026 face overlapping requirements covering areas including data protection, operational resilience, risk management and third-party security.
The danger is often when companies approach each requirement independently and fail to take a joined up approach. This can create duplicated processes, fragmented policies and a situation where compliance becomes a series of exercises rather than part of the organisation’s everyday approach to security.
ISO 27001 provides a framework around which these requirements can be managed more systematically.
Certification doesn’t automatically make a FinTech compliant with every regulation relevant to its activities. However, implementing an effective Information Security Management System (ISMS) creates many of the processes organisations need to demonstrate good security governance and take strides towards an improved risk posture.
Risk assessment, access control, incident management, supplier security, employee responsibilities and continual improvement all become part of a structured approach under ISO 27001 rather than individual initiatives.
That becomes particularly valuable as regulatory expectations evolve to meet emerging threats.
Customers increasingly want proof
Trust has always been fundamental to financial services, but customers are increasingly reluctant to accept security assurances at face value – thanks, in part, to regular news reports relating to breaches hitting organisations around the world.
Enterprise customers, financial institutions and technology partners want evidence. That is reflected in procurement processes, where FinTech businesses can face extensive security questionnaires and due diligence covering everything from data handling and access controls to incident response and business continuity.
ISO 27001 provides independently verified evidence that an organisation has implemented a recognised approach to managing information security.
That can have a direct commercial benefit, too. Rather than security becoming an obstacle during procurement, certification can help answer questions before they’re asked and provide prospective customers with greater confidence in the organisation they’re considering working with.
For FinTech companies looking to win larger contracts or move further into regulated financial services supply chains, that assurance can become increasingly important.
Building security that scales with the business
FinTech organisations can grow rapidly. In recent years, well-funded start-ups have developed new and innovative solutions at a rapid pace and taken a minimum viable product (MVP) to market with a view to iterating over time and building new functionality over the subsequent months and years.
While moving fast is a popular and proven model for technology companies, it does present a significant problem: security processes aren’t always implemented at the same pace as the innovations. In fact, security is often retrospectively worked on rather than baked in to development from day one.
This is where a Secure by Design approach can be particularly valuable. By considering security requirements, potential threats and appropriate controls from the earliest stages of product and system development, FinTech businesses can identify and address vulnerabilities before they become embedded in their technology environment.
That becomes particularly important as a business scales from a relatively simple technology environment to one involving multiple cloud platforms, software applications, APIs, suppliers, remote employees and significant quantities of sensitive information. Without effective governance, that expansion can introduce security gaps.
ISO 27001 provides a mechanism for continually identifying and managing those risks. Responsibilities are defined, risks are assessed, controls are implemented and access is reviewed continuously.
In the same vein, suppliers are evaluated, incidents are planned for and performance is monitored on an ongoing basis.
Crucially, the process doesn’t end when certification is achieved. Continual improvement is fundamental to the framework, helping security arrangements evolve alongside the organisation.
Managing an increasingly interconnected supply chain
Few FinTech businesses operate within a closed technology ecosystem. Cloud providers, payment processors, SaaS platforms, developers, data providers and outsourced services can all play a role in delivering a financial product.
Those relationships may create efficiencies and accelerate growth but they also introduce dependencies. An organisation can have strong internal cyber security and still be exposed through weaknesses elsewhere in its supply chain.
ISO 27001 places supplier relationships within the wider information security risk management process. It encourages organisations to understand who can access their information and systems, assess the associated risks and establish appropriate security requirements.
With third-party cyber risk attracting increasing attention from regulators and customers, that visibility matters.
More than a certificate
There is an obvious commercial value to achieving ISO 27001 certification. It can strengthen tender submissions, support conversations with investors, provide reassurance to prospective customers and demonstrate security maturity.
But treating ISO 27001 purely as a badge misses its greatest value. Implemented properly, the framework provides the infrastructure for managing information security as the organisation grows.
For FinTech businesses, that means bringing compliance, risk management and customer assurance together rather than treating them as separate challenges. And that is why ISO 27001 is increasingly difficult to consider a ‘nice to have’.
As scrutiny of cyber security, operational resilience and supply-chain risk continues to increase, FinTech businesses need to demonstrate that information security is being managed systematically.
ISO 27001 provides a recognised way to do exactly that – helping organisations meet growing compliance expectations, build trust and create a stronger foundation for secure growth.
Get in touch with Arcanum today and we can support you on your journey towards ISO 27001 certification. Book a consultation today.