Want your fintech to survive 2026?

A lot of founders end up grinding away without a good plan, and that usually just leads to feeling burnt out. To avoid that mess, it’s important to figure out which areas really need fixing instead of just pushing yourself harder.

Start by taking a good look at what you’re currently doing. Understanding where things are falling short will help you decide what to tweak and improve.

If you’re in the fintech world, especially in payments, UPI, or digital wallets, you’ll notice there’s always a ton of demand for fresh ideas.

But just working harder isn’t going to cut it. You need to zone in on a few key changes that can really drive growth and have a real impact on your business.

If I was building a fintech venture today, I would zero in on three main priorities right off the bat. These would keep me focused and help me make real progress in a competitive scene.

The 3 Things I'd Prioritize (and Why)

1) Regulatory Compliance and Licensing (Why: It’s the Baseline for Existence)

What to do:

a) Identify each license and approval required for your exact business model (RBI Payment Aggregator for payments, NBFC for lending, PPI license for wallets, FIU-IND registration if handling high-value transactions, SEBI registration for wealth/investment platforms).​

b) Map your product roadmap to regulatory frameworks before launch, not after scaling.

c) Build relationships with regulators, subscribe to official circulars, notifications, and updates from RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, FIU-IND, and ensure someone is responsible for tracking these changes.

d) Ensure that you submit all applications and paperwork for licenses ahead of time - even if you’re using a partner’s rails, understand your exposure and formalize it.

Why:

Without the correct regulatory permissions, you can be forced to halt operations regardless of user traction, funding, or merchant adoption.

India’s fintech sector is seeing tight enforcement - such as recent RBI actions against unlicensed players. Regulatory compliance is not just a box to tick; it’s table stakes. Ignore it, and everything else falls apart.​

2) Data Protection, KYC/AML, and Customer Trust (Why: It’s the Foundation for Growth)

What to do:

a) Implement robust KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) systems - automate checks wherever possible and keep them in line with RBI and FIU-IND requirements.​

b) Make data privacy and security central to your design: consent management, data localization (store financial data in India), encryption for data at rest and in transit, and a clear breach response plan.

c) Train your team: Ensure every employee understands compliance obligations and has access to up-to-date training.

d) Build a clear, transparent grievance redressal system with rapid customer support for fraud, errors, or complaints.

Why:

If you can't safeguard data and detect financial crime, you’ll lose licenses, investor confidence, and customer trust. Data protection laws (DPDP Act) and KYC/AML failures can result in million-dollar fines, criminal prosecution, and permanent trust erosion.

In India's digital payment and lending market, compliance and user trust are the only sustainable growth engines.​

3) Scalable Technology and Systems (Why: It’s How You Outlast and Outperform)

What to do:

a) Design infrastructure for reliability, scalability, and easy audit—think automated reconciliation, detailed transaction logs, and compliance-friendly reporting.​

b) Integrate with payment rails (UPI, NEFT, IMPS, RTGS, AEPS) and leading APIs (Razorpay, PhonePe, Paytm, etc.) for speed, regulatory alignment, and UX excellence.

c) Institute internal controls: Have automated systems for monitoring failed transactions, anomalies, downtime, and compliance risks.

d) Set up regular system reviews for product, legal agreements, and regulatory updates - don’t leave this to chance.

Why:

Random or manual operations quickly break down as transaction volumes grow.

Fintech leaders like PhonePe, Paytm, and Razorpay build with robust, audit-ready tech.

You need technology that serves customers at scale, fits regulatory requirements, and helps you iterate quickly when markets or regulations change.​

In Summary

You can't just hustle on everything - especially in fintech, where even a tiny mistake can take you down in no time.

You've to nail down regulatory compliance and licensing. Without that, you're pretty much invisible.

Then there's data protection, KYC/AML, and building customer trust. Skip these, and you won’t be able to grow.

Also, make sure your tech and systems can scale. If they can't, you'll hit a wall before you even have a chance to expand.

If you keep your eyes on these three things, everything else seems to fall into place. It’s about making real improvements, not just grinding away without direction.

That’s the smart way to grow in fintech.