How Any Business Can Be A Fintech

Harnessing Embedded Finance

There was a time when launching a fintech company meant navigating an obstacle course of regulations, partnerships, and financial infrastructure nightmares. Now? Any business — whether you sell software, sneakers, or sandwiches — can integrate financial services directly into its platform and tap into the booming world of embedded finance.

What is Embedded Finance, and Why Should You Care?

Embedded finance is the seamless integration of financial services into non-financial platforms. Think Shopify offering loans to merchants, airlines selling insurance at checkout, or your landlord offering you rental insurance and even a loan to cover first, last, and deposit (if you live in NYC you know). Customers no longer need to visit a separate bank, insurance or fintech provider; the financial tools they need are built right into the existing experience.

For businesses — and let’s be clear, if you engage in financial transactions you are a business, this is a game-changer. Embedding payments, lending, insurance, or even banking services directly into your ecosystem creates:

• Better customer experiences — Frictionless transactions keep users engaged and spending.
• New revenue streams — Monetizing financial services creates opportunities beyond your core product.
• Stronger brand loyalty — A seamless experience means customers stick around longer.

How Any Business Can Become a Fintech Player

The beauty of embedded finance is that you don’t need to build a bank from scratch. Platforms like Stripe, Adyen, and others have made it as simple as plugging into their APIs. Here’s how businesses are turning financial tools into competitive advantages:

1. Embedded Payments: Making Transactions Invisible

Nobody likes a clunky checkout process. Integrating payments directly into your platform eliminates unnecessary steps. Think of Amazon’s one-click purchase — users stay engaged, and conversions soar. With Stripe’s payment infrastructure, businesses can set up seamless transactions, from subscriptions to split payments.

2. Embedded Lending: Helping Customers Grow

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services have exploded, and with good reason — customers love flexibility. Companies like Affirm and Klarna offer easy API integrations, letting businesses provide financing without taking on risk themselves. Similarly, platforms like Shopify Capital offer merchant loans based on sales data, turning cash flow into an on-demand tool.

3. Embedded Banking: Owning the Financial Relationship

Why send your customers elsewhere for financial services when you can provide them yourself? From gig economy platforms offering instant driver payouts to B2B marketplaces holding funds in digital wallets, embedded banking solutions — like Stripe Treasury — allow companies to operate as financial hubs without becoming banks.

4. Embedded Insurance: Protecting Transactions

Selling high-ticket items? Offering insurance at checkout (like AppleCare for devices) is a simple way to add value while increasing revenue. With APIs from providers like Cover Genius, businesses can offer embedded insurance in a way that feels natural and beneficial.

The Competitive Edge: Owning the Customer Journey & Experience

Traditional financial institutions are scrambling to keep up because embedded finance/insurance shifts control from banks and insurance companies to the platforms where customers already spend their time. Businesses that embrace it aren’t just adding convenience — they’re transforming their role in the customer’s financial life.

The winners in this space won’t just be the biggest companies. They’ll be the smartest — the ones who recognize that financial services aren’t just a backend necessity but a core part of the user experience.

So, if you’re attending Stripe’s conference in San Francisco, take a close look at how embedded finance is evolving. Because whether you realize it or not, your business might already be a fintech in the making.

PS — If you want to chat about our work helping large enterprises create new products or small-medium enterprises catalyze growth, we’ll be at Stripe Sessions May 6–8th or you can drop us a note!