The Influence List 2026 | The Financial Technologist

Download The Influence List 2026 to explore the companies, leadership, and trends shaping the future of financial technology and financial services.

Financial technology is advancing faster than ever, but for many firms, results are not keeping pace.

Across financial services, organisations are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, data infrastructure, and digital transformation. Yet while innovation continues at speed, the returns from that investment remain uneven, and the gap between those experimenting with change and those executing it successfully is widening.

The Influence List 2026 is the first edition of The Financial Technologist magazine for 2026, published by Harrington Starr.

Produced twice a year, The Financial Technologist is an industry-leading publication, bringing together senior voices from across financial technology and financial services to explore the trends shaping the market. Each edition is an expertly curated collection of insight, reflecting the developments, challenges, and opportunities defining the industry today.

This edition is built around one central theme: The Era of Change.

Across the magazine, a clear pattern emerges. Artificial intelligence is now treated as a strategic capability across global finance, with firms committing significant investment into infrastructure, data, and automation. At the same time, skills are evolving faster than organisations can adapt, and traditional career pathways, particularly at entry level, are being reshaped or removed.

The result is a new kind of challenge. Transformation is no longer just about implementing technology. It is about how organisations rethink talent, leadership, and capability in order to turn innovation into real performance.

At the heart of this edition is The Influence List 2026, recognising the companies driving progress across financial technology. Built in collaboration with an independent advisory panel of industry leaders, the list highlights organisations shaping the future of payments, data, AI, digital infrastructure, and financial services innovation.

Alongside this, the edition brings together perspectives from leaders across the industry, exploring themes including the changing role of artificial intelligence, the shifting nature of skills, and the growing importance of leadership in navigating complex and fast-moving environments.

Across these perspectives, one theme remains consistent. While technology continues to evolve, the defining characteristic of successful organisations is still people, from leadership teams with vision and clarity to highly skilled individuals capable of delivering change.

For senior leaders, hiring managers, and decision-makers, this is more than a magazine. It provides a clearer view of where the financial technology market is heading, and what it takes to succeed within it.

Understanding how to align innovation with talent, leadership, and execution has never been more important.

The Financial Technologist exists to bring that clarity, connecting industry insight with the realities of building and scaling teams in modern financial technology.

Download your copy to explore the first 2026 edition of The Financial Technologist magazine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Financial Technologist magazine?

The Financial Technologist is a biannual magazine by Harrington Starr, designed to reflect what is actually happening across financial technology and financial services.

Each edition brings together perspectives from industry leaders on topics such as artificial intelligence, data, market infrastructure, and the changing nature of talent. Rather than reporting on trends at a surface level, the magazine focuses on how firms are responding to them and what is separating those that are progressing from those that are not.

What is The Influence List 2026?

The Influence List 2026 is the central feature of this edition, recognising the companies that industry leaders believe are shaping the future of financial technology.

Built in collaboration with an independent advisory panel, the list reflects where real progress is being made across the market, from firms investing heavily in AI and infrastructure to those redefining how talent, leadership, and capability drive performance.

Who should download this magazine?

This edition is intended for senior decision-makers across financial technology and financial services, particularly those responsible for strategy, technology, and hiring.

It is most relevant for leaders who are navigating change, whether that is scaling teams, investing in new technology, or responding to shifting market conditions, and who want a clearer view of where the industry is heading and how others are approaching similar challenges.