Speak Finance, Not Bro: Why Fintech Needs to Rewrite the Script for Women

In the UK, women hold 43% of the nation’s wealth, a figure that's growing year on year. And by 2025, UK women are expected to control over 60% of household wealth. They’re launching businesses faster than ever before, making key financial decisions in the boardroom and at home.

So why does so much B2B fintech marketing still speak in a tone, visual language, and message that assumes the default decision-maker is male?

Despite the data, financial marketing continues to reflect outdated assumptions and misses the mark on understanding the female lens of finance. The motivations, the pain points, and the emotional and practical realities behind financial decision-making. Add to that the sheer lack of visible representation in creative output, and it becomes clear: This isn’t just a representation problem. It’s a missed revenue opportunity.

How Women Really Engage With Finance

Here’s what we know about women in the UK when it comes to financial decision-making:

- Women are more likely to research financial products online but less likely to feel confident in what they find.

- They’re more likely to seek out advice and are generally more willing to pay a premium to meet an advisor face-to-face.

- They take fewer risks, favouring ETFs and lower-cost strategies over aggressive trading.

- They think holistically and practically. Real-life planning (retirement, healthcare, family provision) tends to lead over portfolio performance.

So why doesn’t marketing reflect that? Still, too many campaigns speak to short-term wins, hard ROI, and an urgency to act. They miss the chance to connect with decision-makers who want clarity, reassurance, and confidence.

This isn’t about creating a softer tone. It’s about creating a smarter one.

Audience vs. Output

UK fintech has exploded with over 2,500 fintech firms operating here and more VC investment per capita than anywhere in Europe. But the marketing remains oddly narrow. A scroll through campaign after campaign shows a sea of navy blue, serious men, and vague messaging about ‘optimising wealth performance’.

Here’s the disconnect:

- Women in the UK are more likely than men to research financial products online, but less likely to trust or engage with what they find.

- Nearly 70% of women feel misunderstood by financial services marketing, according to a Starling Bank study.

- Representation in marketing still lags far behind reality: even when women are in the room making financial decisions, they are rarely reflected in the campaigns designed to influence them.

What I See in the Room

I work with a lot of brilliant female marketers in fintech; strategic, commercially savvy, and deeply embedded in the sector. But when it comes to who signs off on creative or drives the big decisions, it’s often still men around the table.

I’ve also noticed that a lot of financial creative has a very specific tone, what some might call bold or confident, but often lands as cold, transactional, and traditionally masculine. That might sound subjective, but I think it’s one of those things you feel, not just see. And I know

I’m not alone in feeling it.

As a woman engaging with financial brands myself, I know how quickly financial comms can alienate. There’s a nervousness around money for many of us, not because we’re uninterested, but because the industry has rarely spoken our language. We often want to fully understand before committing, ask more questions, and weigh longer-term impacts. And yet, much of the marketing is sharp, short, urgent; designed to push action, not build confidence.

That lack of empathy isn’t just a missed tone, it’s a missed sale.

Tactical Shifts: What Better Looks Like

Rebuild your audience profiles

Throw out the lazy 'male CFO' stereotype. Map buying groups, not job titles. In most UK businesses, financial decisions are shared often across genders and functions. Talk to both.

Tactic: Run a mini audit of your CRM or LinkedIn lead data. How many women are interacting with your brand versus how many your marketing actually shows?

Reframe risk and reward

Women aren’t more risk-averse, they assess risk differently. Most female investors prioritise sustainable, long-term gains and clarity of outcomes. Your messaging should reflect that.

Tactic: A/B test CTA language. Swap 'Maximise ROI' with 'Plan smarter growth' or 'Build lasting value.' Track how different segments respond.

Fix your creative lens

No more stock photos of handshakes and brooding men by glass buildings. Show women in positions of power authentically. That means founders, tech leads, portfolio managers, not models pretending to ‘collaborate’.

Tactic: Create a brand style guide that includes inclusive visual representation as a non-negotiable. Set a benchmark: at least 50% female-identifying representation across all creative assets.

Don’t just speak to women. Speak with them.

Host panels, collaborate with female fintech leaders, co-create content. The UK has a vibrant network of women-led VC firms, fintech startups, and angel investors. Put them front and centre.

Tactic: Build a partnership campaign with female-founded fintechs. Share thought leadership. Invite co-authored blog posts or LinkedIn Lives.

So What Now?

This isn’t about ‘pinking’ your brand. It’s about relevance. Respect. And reach.

The next generation of UK wealth holders isn’t waiting to be invited. They’re building, buying, and investing. The question is: will your marketing reflect that or just be ignored?
If fintech wants to connect with the real decision-makers, it’s time to drop the default and widen the lens.

Speak finance, not bro.

Because women don’t just control a share of the wealth, we’re defining the future of it.