The global financial services sector is an ocean of investment opportunity, worth over $33 trillion today, and expected to grow to over $44 trillion over the next few years.
But it's not an easy place to build a business. Giant banks and other incumbents wield immense power over new entrants, and that's before companies must navigate the industry's regulatory hurdles.
That said, some companies have gotten a foot in the door and are now putting up impressive growth, a reflection of their innovative products and services, and how they are resonating with consumers.
Here are four fantastic fintech stocks that stand out from the crowd, genuine disruptors that, if their growth continues, could generate outsize investment returns as they expand and change their respective industries. The best part? You can buy a share of each for about $260 right now.
Image source: Getty Images.
1. A rapidly growing digital bank
SoFi Technologies (SOFI 1.87%) could be the fastest-growing bank in America. The company's customer count has surged from just over 1 million in early 2020 to over 11.7 million today. The secret? A digital footprint888888888888888888888888888888888888888 and a super app that bundles all of SoFi's available products and services into a one-stop shop you can access on your smartphone. SoFi started in the student loan business, which helped it build name recognition with younger consumers.
Now, SoFi has boatloads of momentum. The company has grown significantly from customer growth alone, and still has tremendous opportunities to cross-sell to its users. The typical SoFi customer uses less than two products on average. The company is also profitable now, indicating that it has become a sustainable business that could have years of rampant growth ahead.
2. The company that made investing cool
Robinhood Markets (HOOD 0.79%) broke into a competitive investment industry by offering zero-commission trades, a previously unfathomable idea. It was so successful that it has become the industry's norm. Since then, Robinhood has become a notable competitor in the brokerage landscape, with over 26 million funded accounts.
The company is known for an innovative user interface, though it has also drawn criticism at times for gamifying stocks and options trading. Robinhood still lags far behind industry giants in total platform assets, with $298 billion. Still, its asset base is growing quickly as its offerings expand and wealth transfers from older generations of investors to millennials and Gen Z investors, whom Robinhood tends to attract.
3. Changing how lenders evaluate credit
Upstart (UPST 1.90%) is trying to break the stranglehold that credit scores have on consumers. According to Upstart, most Americans cannot access traditional prime credit despite approximately 80% of consumers having never defaulted on a loan. Upstart's software uses artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate creditworthiness for borrowers. The company began in personal loans but has expanded to automotive loans and home equity lines of credit.
The company makes money primarily by referring loans to a partner network of over 100 banks and credit unions for a fee. Upstart has faced some adversity. Interest rate volatility caused problems for the company in 2022 and 2023, and the company is still holding some loans on its balance sheet as it works on proving its technology to institutions that would buy the loans Upstart issues decisions on. If Upstart can instill enough confidence in its models, the sky could be the limit.
4. Turning the insurance industry upside down
Lemonade (LMND 4.08%) is an underdog in a ruthlessly competitive insurance industry. The company landed on the map by doing things entirely differently from its competitors. It embraced a digital footprint, eschewing the traditional agent model market for AI-powered chatbots that handle sales and customer service in seconds, often faster than it takes to get a human agent on the phone. It's a public benefit corporation that essentially caps its profits, donating leftover premiums after a certain point to charities, helping build its brand image.
Customers continue to flock to Lemonade. Its customer count rose by 24% year over year in the second quarter to 2.69 million. Plus, its loss ratio, a metric of how efficient an insurer is at underwriting its policies, has improved over time, and Lemonade is gradually offering new types of insurance to its customers. There is a lot to like here, even though the company is still a fraction of the size of its competitors. If Lemonade can continue to execute and attract new customers, the stock has significant long-term upside from its current $4 billion market value.
