The fight for payments and fintech talent is no longer just between startups and scaleups. Big Tech is in the ring - and it’s throwing its weight around. Companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Meta aren’t just dipping a toe into payments, crypto, or embedded finance. They’re building teams, launching products, and pulling top talent from across the ecosystem - often before you’ve even had a chance to make your move. So how can other firms compete? It starts with understanding what you’re really up against - and where your edge might lie.
.png)
Big Tech salaries can be hard to match - especially when they come with equity, performance bonuses, and generous perks. For many candidates, it’s not just about the number. It’s about the perceived value of the package, the long-term potential, and the security that comes with a big-name brand.
There’s no denying the gravitational pull of working for a household name. It opens doors. It boosts CVs. It feels “safe.” Particularly for candidates making the jump from traditional finance or early-career roles, the promise of stability carries weight.
Big Tech can afford to be specific. Their hiring teams know exactly what they’re looking for - and they’re not afraid to wait. That can leave other organisations fighting over a smaller pool of candidates with in-demand skills (especially in AI, cloud infrastructure, security, and regulatory technology).
From plush offices to career development platforms and internal mobility, Big Tech has the infrastructure to back up its promises. The narrative of working with “the best in the business” still holds sway for many.
The good news? You don’t have to beat Big Tech at its own game. You just need to offer something it can’t.
Candidates - especially the best ones - care about what they’re building. They want to make an impact. In smaller or mid-sized firms, product teams can see the direct results of their work. A new feature ships, and it matters. A risk model is improved, and fraud drops. That kind of impact is addictive.
While Big Tech can offer scale, many candidates find the layers of hierarchy stifling. Organisations that offer faster decision-making, more ownership, and the ability to grow laterally and vertically - quickly - can win candidates that want autonomy and growth.
You may not have Google’s budget, but you might have better tech. Working on modern infrastructure, using new languages, or building from scratch appeals to engineers and product minds alike. The chance to build, not maintain, is a strong draw.
It’s no secret that many of the tech giants are pulling employees back into the office - often multiple days a week, with limited flexibility. That doesn’t sit well with everyone, especially top talent who’ve grown used to remote-first environments and better work-life balance. You have an opportunity to lead the way here. Remote-friendly, async-capable, and built around outcomes - not presenteeism - offers the kind of modern working culture that attracts high-performers who want autonomy over where and how they work.
So how do you turn these advantages into action?
What makes your company different - and why should someone choose you? Don’t try to sound like Big Tech. Talk about your mission, your people, your pace of growth, and the real impact new hires can have. Candidates care about culture - show them what it’s really like to work with you.
You may not offer Google-level salaries, but you can still build competitive packages. Consider:
Big Tech is known for lengthy, complex hiring processes that can stretch across multiple rounds, weeks of silence, and a maze of internal approvals. That creates friction - and frustration. For companies looking to compete for talent, this is an opportunity. Move faster. Ditch the unnecessary hoops. Make it easy for great candidates to say yes. A clear, candidate-focused hiring journey not only sets you apart - it sends a strong signal about your culture and how you do business.
If you can’t always hire the perfect candidate, grow them. Upskilling programs, internal mobility, mentorship, and leadership pathways all signal that you’re invested in your people. PaymentGenes Academy, for example, supports clients in training early-career hires and developing specialist talent in compliance, AI, and more.
The best candidates aren’t applying - they’re being approached. Build talent pipelines. Engage with passive candidates. Leverage specialist recruitment partners who understand both the technical skillsets and the nuances of payments and fintech hiring. The earlier you start the conversation, the better chance you have of winning talent before Big Tech comes knocking.
Yes, Big Tech is a formidable competitor. But it doesn’t own the market.
Your ability to attract and retain top talent comes down to how well you tell your story, how thoughtfully you treat candidates, and how seriously you take the art of hiring. That’s where you can outperform even the biggest players.
At PaymentGenes, we work with ambitious companies recruiting across the payments and fintech space to build high-performing teams - fast. If you’re looking to compete more effectively for top talent, let’s talk.
.png)
When it comes to building high-performing fintech teams, one question keeps coming up: Should we hire globally or locally? It’s a conversation we’ve had with dozens of clients over the past year - and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. In a sector where talent is scarce, skills are specialised, and collaboration is key, where someone works is just as important as what they do. Here’s how we help our clients think through the remote work dilemma - and what we believe fintech leaders should consider when making these strategic hiring decisions.
.jpg)
.png)