With 10 years having passed since the Financial Crisis, many consumers have not fully recovered from its effects on their financial health. Individuals now demand a best-in-class customer experience in banking that goes beyond convenience, access, and design -- to deliver improved financial wellness, as consumers urgently focus on building savings, improving credit, and other long-term financial goals.

Legacy institutions and brokerage firms no longer have dominant control over the wealth management sector due to the disruptive forces of FinTechs who cater to all customer segments with similar offerings at a fraction (or no) cost.  These companies are allowing individuals to start building wealth now at a young age through multiple financial options.

APIs are responsible for fueling the enormous value and cutting-edge changes in technology, most notably driving FinTech’s robust progress across multiple areas in financial services.

Forbes FinTech50 showcases the 50 most impactful companies in the FinTech industry (for the US) when it comes to innovation and growth, across multiple sectors such as real estate, lending, payments, blockchain, and personal finance.  Half of the list belongs to firms operating out of the San Francisco Bay Area.

An emerging area that is growing heavy support from customer demand for change is real estate, specifically in solving the critical issue of homeownership.  Plagued by slow, inefficient, and restrictive processes from lending institutions, users are looking for solutions to solve this major financial need.