One of the clearest findings challenges a common assumption: compensation is not the primary reason people leave their jobs. Instead, 62.9% of respondents cite a lack of career progression as their main reason for leaving, followed by culture and leadership.

At the same time, 68.1% say salary is the key factor when considering a new role, pointing to a structural disconnect between why employees leave and what attracts them elsewhere.

This gap highlights a critical weakness in many talent strategies. While compensation remains a key lever for hiring, retention is more strongly influenced by leadership quality, growth opportunities, and day-to-day work experience.

The data also points to increasing pressure within the workforce. Nearly 30% of respondents report experiencing frequent burnout, with clear differences between working models: hybrid structures are associated with lower burnout levels compared to fully office-based setups.

Learning and development emerges as another area of tension. While 63% of professionals consider it important, 77% are dissatisfied with current offerings, indicating a gap between organisational priorities and employee expectations.

Artificial intelligence is widely seen as a structural shift rather than an immediate threat. However, the absence of a clear AI strategy is becoming a decisive factor: professionals increasingly interpret this as a signal of long-term risk when evaluating employers.

Beyond individual experience, the report highlights structural imbalances in hiring. Across a dataset covering more than 8,000 hires in 20 European fintech companies, only 25% of new hires were women. At the same time, the functions with higher female representation remain among the smallest, raising questions about long-term leadership pipelines.

Rogier Rouppe van der Voort, CEO of PCN, said the findings reflect a structural shift in how talent evaluates employers: “PCN and FIBE share the belief that it's the people that create fintech and it only moves forward when they are understood. What we found is that professional motivations are shifting faster than most organisations have noticed. Salary and funding rounds have given way to stability, purpose, and growth. AI is becoming a key lens through which candidates assess whether an employer has a credible future.”

FIBE Project Lead Lisa Dally highlighted that the implications go beyond hiring alone and speak to organisational structure and retention: “The findings show a clear shift in how professionals evaluate their careers in fintech. It is no longer just about opportunities in a growing market, but about long-term development, clarity of direction, and organisational credibility. For companies, this means that attracting talent is only one part of the equation – creating an environment where people can grow and see a future is becoming equally critical.”

The report is based on responses from more than 420 fintech professionals collected via a structured survey over three months. Data was analysed using Python-based statistical methods, allowing for cross-variable insights across compensation, career expectations, working models, and skills development. Additional qualitative input from fintech recruitment experts complements the findings.

The study is part of a collaboration between PCN and FIBE Berlin, combining market intelligence with industry dialogue.

The full report is available here.

About Messe Berlin
Berlin has been a trade fair destination for 200 years, and has been one of the most important such hubs for many decades. Messe Berlin – the state’s own trade fair company – conceives, markets and organises hundreds of live events every year. It strives to be an outstanding host for visitors at all events, generate optimal business stimuli, and provide fair conditions for everyone. This concept is reflected in the company slogan: Messe Berlin – Hosting the World.

About Handelsblatt
Handelsblatt is the largest business and financial newspaper published in German. Around 200 editors, correspondents, and permanent staff ensure up-to-date, comprehensive, and well-founded reporting. With more than 70 domestic and foreign correspondents, Handelsblatt is represented on all continents. It is indispensable reading for decision-makers at first and second management levels. According to the crossmedial "Reader Analysis Decision-Makers in Business and Administration (LAE) 2024”, Handelsblatt reaches 1,035,000 top decision-makers every trading day.

About Berlin Finance Initiative
The Berlin Finance Initiative (BFI) sees itself as the umbrella of Berlin's fintech ecosystem, uniting traditional banks and fintech companies. As the voice of Berlin's finance and technology industry, the BFI actively advocates for its diverse interests and strengthens ties to global markets. The BFI is a proud partner of de:hub FinTech Berlin and Germany Finance and was founded in 2020 by Achim Oelgarth and Caroline Wahl.