If I could go back in time and pick a business to start early, I think it would be something in the fintech space. Maybe it's because of how money and technology has become like best friends these days, but I can't help but admire people who saw the future way before some of us did.
Fintech is everywhere now. From the apps we use to send money, to the platforms we use for investing, even budgeting apps that help people manage small income. It’s amazing how much growth this space has seen, and honestly, if I had the right exposure earlier, maybe I would have jumped into the game too.
I remember back then when mobile banking just started getting popular in my area. People were still scared to link their bank cards to their phones. Fast forward to now, almost everyone I know uses their phones for everything money related. Transfers, savings, investment, loans, it's all on the screen now. And the funny thing is, most of the apps and platforms we use were built by people who just saw a need and filled it.
One of the first fintech ideas that really blew my mind was PiggyVest. I mean, look at how they turned a simple idea like saving money into something digital and addictive. You just open the app, save, and before you know it, you’re building habits. Same thing with Cowrywise, Kuda, Opay, palmpay and others. They didn’t reinvent the wheel, they just made it smoother and digital.
What I admire most about fintech founders is how they understand the average person’s problem with money and make solutions that fit their lifestyle. Some apps are now even giving investment opportunities with as little as 1000 Naira. Back then, you must wear tie and walk into one big financial office just to ask about investments.
But this is not just about saving or investing. It’s about how fintech has made it possible for normal people to access financial services without stress. In places where traditional banking fails or slows down, these platforms are filling in the gap. That alone is one big achievement.
Now imagine being someone that invested or built in that space when it was still small. You’ll not just be solving real life problems, you’ll also be cashing out. Many of these platforms now have millions of users, and if they decide to go public or attract investors, the returns are heavy. That's why I say I regret not starting early.
But hey, it's never too late. Even though I didn’t start a fintech company, I’m now more open to learning about how money and tech works together. I’ve even been watching some crypto fintechs coming up with amazing tools like Web3 wallets and decentralized lending. Platforms like Hive too are showing us that finance can be social, not just technical.
My advice to young people now is this don’t ignore what’s happening in the fintech space. Whether you’re a developer, a business person, or even a regular user, just pay attention. There’s always a way to fit yourself in. You can be a founder, a writer, an affiliate, a tester anything. The key is to stay informed and be ready.
Sometimes, I feel like tech is the new oil. The people who understand how it works and where it's heading are the ones who will enjoy tomorrow. And fintech? That might just be the currency system of the future not just on Earth, but maybe even beyond.
I even imagine a time where humans are living in space colonies, and traditional banks won't follow us there. What we’ll have instead is decentralized finance
borderless, permissionless, and powered by blockchain. Maybe we will send crypto across planets or borrow digital tokens from a DAO on Mars. I know it sounds like sci-fi, but the way things are going, that future isn’t as far as we think.
So even though I missed the early wave, I’m slowly finding ways to plug into this digital world. Fintech might just be the bridge between now and whatever future money looks like. And who knows, maybe someday I will build something that works across galaxies too.
