by Hannah Duncan

The shimmering FF Awards are some of the most celebrated trophies in fintech history. Not only because they are beautiful – an obviously sleek and elegant addition to any mantlepiece. Nor because they are presented by celebrities at one of the most exclusive industry red-carpet events. But because they are so genuine. 

Free to enter, rigorously peer-reviewed and carefully judged by the biggest fintech names globally – the awards are as transparent as the glass they are made of. They cannot be purchased or schmoozed. And they represent a unique opportunity for fintechs to showcase their work, based on merit alone. 

In the words of editor-in-chief and host, Ali Paterson, “We are aggressively anti-pay-to-play”. Ali feels this so strongly; the Wi-Fi password at the glittering event was even “FUCKPAYTOPLAY”. In elegant gold foil lettering, of course.  

F**k pay to play philosophy 

As bizarre as it seems, collecting an award today is not that cheap. The UK Fintech Awards charge £350 to enter. Likewise, the Europe Fintech Awards cost €350. Winning a Business Awards UK prize comes with an “acceptance fee” of £375 plus VAT. And that’s before we get to the big guns. Unbelievably, some “awards” allegedly charge upwards of $18,000. Not to mention table fees stretching into tens of thousands of pounds.

Pay-to-play awards are a grey area. While some seem reasonable, others are prohibitive for fintechs on a budget. And in certain cases, the price tag can raise an eyebrow about the validity of the proceedings. 

“Awards are about credibility and that’s lost if you pay for them”, agrees Daniel Lowther, Senior Vice President at The Hoffman Agency. While he acknowledges that some events need to generate revenue sometimes, he maintains that reputation is paramount. “One of the reasons we sponsored the awards is that the team at FF delicately struck this balance,” he continues. 

A room full of legends 

The f**k pay to play philosophy didn’t only apply to the awards. Almost all of the guests have been personally invited by Ali himself. 

Cleverly, this simple concept has elevated the FF Awards into one of the most sought-after industry parties of the year. It’s even become something of a social barometer, with invitations as eagerly anticipated as the award nominations themselves. 

As always, the hall was a vibrant kaleidoscope of famous fintech faces and rising stars. Rebellious, yet exclusive. Step inside and you’ll hear the likes of the legendary Jim Marous clinking glasses with inspirational CEO and founder Megan Caywood. The iconic Joanne Dewar, co-founder of Project Nemo, sharing a joke with fellow co-founder Suresh Vaghjiani, CEO of CLOWD9. It’s a place for curiosity, connections, and industry-changing conversations. 

“The FF Awards are a watercooler moment … on steroids!”, laughs Joanne. “Amongst the hugs, compliments, toasts and jovial small talk, there’s an intensity of micro conversations”. Opportunities sparkle as brightly as the drinks, and fresh ideas ricochet off the walls as much as the camera flashes. 

Nerf-guns, Kiss Cams and Awards 

After a delectable dinner and warm words from Ali himself, the ceremony soon got underway… with all the classic pomp, circumstance and sense of occasion. Videos blared, lights rolled and glasses refilled. A full string orchestra played nostalgic movie hits, as comedian Max Fosh hit the stage full throttle. 

Max had the audience roaring as he marched them through hilarious stories and scandals. Salaciously, he came well-armed, yielding a fluorescent orange nerf gun for winners whose acceptance speech drag on for too long. 

Notably, Daniel delivered a keynote which hit a home run across the 500 guests. “Daniel Lowther’s speech really resonated with me about the rollercoaster fintech has been on”, elaborates Senior Partnerships Manager at mmob and all-round legend, Olivia Minnock. 

“From heady beginnings in the mid 2010s (cue some muttering from the Payments crowd who have been around much longer) to lofty heights in 2019-21 to the Annus Horribilis of 2023. If you made it to the 2025 Awards, you’re in it for the long haul”, Olivia adds. The rebellious power of fintech certainly fizzled across the evening. 

One by one, the winners strode to the stage, accompanied by exquisite live music and each accepting the trophy in their unique ways. While some offered a simple “cheers mate!”, others delivered heartfelt messages of thanks to the community. 

Poor Tom Bentley, CRO of 10x Banking had the nerf gun pointed straight at him by none other than TV legend Anna Richardson, who burst onto the stage via a Coldplay-style Kiss Cam. “It was both one of the most exhilarating yet scary moments of my fintech career!”, reveals Tom. “ I can’t wait for next year!”. 

Put your hands up for fintech

Once all the awards were safely stowed in the arms of the winners, Britpop icons Reef made a powerful entrance. After a tense baseline that made every glass tremble, they flew themselves into hits. But none was so popular as their top-10 smash “Place your hands”. 

Much-loved fintech advisor and consultant, Sarah Kocianski was one of the guests shredding-up the floor.  For her, the live music is “major highlight of the FF Awards and this year was no exception”. 

Believe it or not, dancing is an excellent networking technique. One study found that dancing in groups helps to bond us, and even make us more likely to remember personal details from expressions to eye colours. 

“It’s a brilliant place for the fintech community to let their hair down and to get to know each other in an energetic and relaxed environment”, Sarah adds. “And it’s even better when everyone knows the words!”. 

Even I took a break myself from quote-grabbing to swirl around the dance floor, leading to an incredibly pale photo that I can only describe as “Hannah, the ghost of 90s hits past”. But as Olivia wisely adds, being “personally victimised by the FF News photographer” is all part of the fun. 

Fintech comes out fighting 

Moves busted, glasses drained and conversations left to be continued, the night was a roaring success. But more than that, it was about showing resilience in the face of adversity. There’s no doubt the current environment is tough. Economically. Politically. Legally. Sustainably… and any other way you can imagine. 

It’s a tense time. And all of us (myself included) have been left with battle bruises this year as we try to navigate the space. But the FF Awards are a unique opportunity to bring us together. 

As Zumo’s fabulous Sales and Marketing Director, Amelie Arras elaborates, “The end of 2025 finally feels like the industry lifting its head again”. She speaks about, “a real dynamism humming through the room”. Olivia agrees, commenting, “events like this remind me how much support is out there”. 

OUR FAVOURITE RED CARPET ANSWERS: 

I couldn’t resist pulling red carpet guests aside with a few quickfire cheeky questions! Here are some of the most memorable answers. 

The FF Awards are aggressively anti-pay to play. Tell me one thing you’d never pay for? 

• “Flowers!” Amelia Ruiz, TSYS
• “PR… Because I do it myself”, Daniel Lowther, The Hoffman Agency
• “I would never pay someone to stand in a queue for me”, Adam Beasant. 11:FS

If your company was a movie, what type would it be? 

• “We’re nominated for Invisible Security, so it would be something like James Bond, 007”, Samuel Leong, Flagright
• “First Direct would be a Marvels movie! With all the characters and all the fun”, Saira Khan, First Direct, HSBC
• “An epic space opera!” Alex Jones and Tobin Broadfoot, Keyless
• “Wonder woman!”,  Payal Raina, Fintech Marketing Community

See all the winners of the FF Awards 2025 here