{
  "id": 19180879,
  "title": "OPINION: Long sales cycles could be FinTech’s biggest competitive advantage",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/opinion-long-sales-cycles-could-be-fintechs-biggest-competitive",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-09T15:48:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "EU-Startups",
    "slug": "eu-startups",
    "url": "https://www.eu-startups.com/2026/11/opinion-long-sales-cycles-could-be-fintechs-biggest-competitive-advantage/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "FinTech founders raising in the UK in 2026 have faced a significant drop in investment to €2.1 billion, with deal count hitting a ten-year low. However, AI has accelerated the sales cycle, closing products that once took a year to sell much faster. For regulators, the story is different, as the sales process remains lengthy and complex, involving integrations, security reviews, and multiple approvals. This long sales cycle is a strength, not a weakness, and cannot be easily replicated by competitors. The sales process involves integrations into existing systems, lengthy security reviews, and obtaining numerous certifications. These factors contribute to a slow-moving process that is characteristic of highly regulated financial services. Founders expecting quick sales cycles will likely struggle, as the cycle becomes a predictable factor to be designed around. Building a company that can weather this slow lane is crucial, as it offers protection against naive competitors and allows the business to grow slowly but steadily. The UK market, with its stringent regulations and strong customer loyalty, provides an ideal environment for such companies to thrive.",
  "summary": "Any FinTech founder raising in the UK this year will have seen the numbers – according to KPMG’s Pulse of FinTech, investment fell to €2.1 billion (£1.8 billion) in the first half of 2026, down around two-thirds on the same period last year and the lowest since the report began in 2016. Deal count hit […] The post OPINION: Long sales cycles could be FinTech’s biggest competitive advantage…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}