By Carolyn Badaracco

Nearly two-thirds of all payment transactions in the U.S. come through Atlanta. 

That’s an empowering statistic that should make any Georgia resident sit up straighter, whether or not their livelihoods orbit the financial technology, or fintech, sector.

According to reports from the Georgia Department of Economic Development in downtown Atlanta, these are some of the basic reasons fintech companies choose Georgia as a home base: 

•  A track record and a reputation for being Transaction Alley: Six of the nation’s top 10 largest payment processing companies have headquarters in Georgia.
• Stability: In Georgia, fintech employs more than 42,500 workers.
• Powerful infrastructure: As one example, Midtown Atlanta is home to a Federal Reserve Bank, setting the stage for faster, more secure access to payment systems and quicker regulatory guidance.

The entrepreneurs’ view, globally

Despite Georgia’s climate, the past four to five years have required grit for fintech players around the world. A February 2025 report for Forbes Financial Council—an invitation-only organization for executives in high-performing financial planning, accounting and wealth management firms—shed some light. 

The report, “Despite a Decline in VC Funding, the Fintech Industry Is on the Ups,” noted that venture capital (VC) funding fell from $229 billion in 2021 to $118 billion in 2023. 

Similarly, 2024 saw a still greater drop of investment. The report described a climate of “economic disturbance” in an “agitated market.” In an environment where entrepreneurs were looking left and right for seed funding, longtime players sensed that good would come of the situation.

The Forbes Business Council report proposed that a free-flowing VC funding pipeline could lead to hyper-growth, inefficient practices and unsustainability. The idea is that a flood of investment into startups can allow them to operate at a loss and price out smaller businesses with better products and operational processes. 

Amid this backdrop heading into 2026, some fintech startups faced choppy waters. While some faltered, according to Forbes’ report, others turned to bootstrapping and using their own funds to grow their businesses.

Where there’s difficulty, there’s positive change and growth around the corner—a universal truth that plays out time and again in business and in life.

The Atlanta environment

As fintech continues to evolve in Georgia and in Transaction Alley, a coalition of companies is committed to making sure Atlanta’s status as a global fintech center is universally recognized and cemented. FinTech Atlanta focuses squarely on opportunity.

Ania Lackey, executive director of FinTech Atlanta, laid out the tight-knit fit between fintech and Georgia.

“It’s typical of Atlanta to have the right mix of legislation, the right business acumen, and the business leadership of people with the foresight to make necessary changes that allow business to thrive,” Lackey said. 

She continued, “It goes back decades. One of the first ATMs, Tillie the All-Time Teller, was in Atlanta. One of the first internet banks had its operations here, then fast-forward, the ecosystem is thriving with a mix of large players, proven success stories like Greenlight, Cardlytics, BitPay and GreenSky, and a vibrant crop of emerging challengers like Rainforest, Arcum, Ditch and Rebillia.”

In this mixing pot, Lackey suggested, innovation can absolutely overflow heading into 2026. 

Georgia’s ability to create a network effect between scaling companies in connection with corporate and enterprise companies has a multiplier effect, as Lackey witnessed in her role, and is the basis for continued fintech innovation that moves the ecosystem forward. 

“[We are utilizing our] ability to connect entrepreneurs who are starting to build in the space with advisors and mentors … to wrap our arms around the smaller startups, bring them into the network, and [promote] those business connections,” she said.

Collaboration fortifies the entire ecosystem

According to intelligence from the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) in its 2025 state of the industry report, “Fueling the Fin in Fintech,” it isn’t just startups and early-stage fintech companies that the Georgia ecosystem is embracing. It’s banks and credit unions, as well.

“Increasingly, fintech firms are concluding that financial institutions are a highly effective revenue driver, whether as partners or customers. Banks and credit unions provide the majority of sales for 260+ companies on TAG’s Fintech Ecosystem Map,” the report said.

Georgia’s climate of collaboration—a soft-skill jewel—has historically led to fintech firsts in an ecosystem of innovation and stability. And for fintech, Atlanta is home.

“We want fintechs in the U.S. and globally to see Atlanta as a place to build and win,” Lackey said. “For international companies, our network of operator and founder ambassadors helps them plug into the ecosystem and grow.”