More Than Just a Trophy: The Role of Industry Awards in Boosting Fintech Brand Reputation

81% of financial service customers say trust is the deciding factor when choosing a provider. That’s higher than price, higher than convenience, and even higher than innovation.

Why Awards Matter in Fintech

In fintech, you can build a payments platform in just a few weeks – but winning the trust of customers, investors, and partners can take years. That’s because in an industry that moves billions daily, trust isn’t just added value, it’s the very foundation of adoption.

So, how does a relatively new player compete with established giants who’ve had decades to cement their reputations? One shortcut is to borrow credibility, and one of the most effective ways to do that is through industry awards.

More than just shiny trophies on a shelf, the right awards can open doors to boardrooms, sway procurement decisions, attract investors, and even tip the scales for hesitant customers.

They’re not only about recognition – they’re a strategic asset.

• Trust is harder to build than technology.
• Awards act as shortcuts to credibility.

Awards as Social Currency

Awards are not just shiny logos you can slap on a website; they’re status markers that shape perception. In fintech, dozens of brands promise speed, security, and innovation; but an award signals, “We’re not just saying we’re good – the industry agrees.”

This taps into a powerful bias known as the authority effect: people instinctively trust third-party validation more than self-promotion. A study found that brands endorsed by credible third parties see a 24% boost in perceived trustworthiness compared to those relying solely on their own marketing.

For a prospective client evaluating two payment providers or a bank considering a technology partner, the presence of a ‘Best Payments Innovation’ or ‘Banking Tech Award Winner’ badge can be enough to tip the decision before the request for proposal process even starts.

Awards create a psychological shortcut, reducing perceived risk – and in finance, reducing risk is often the fastest way to win business.

• Awards as status markers, not just logos.
• The authority effect: 24% boost in trustworthiness with third-party validation.

Insider’s View: What Judges Really Look For

Winning – or even being shortlisted – can elevate a fintech’s brand but understanding what judges value is key to maximising that effect. Blue Train’s Founder and CEO, Jeff Banks, has judged multiple PayTech Awards and some insider tips on how entries translate into stronger market recognition.

Credibility Through Clarity

Judges reward entries that clearly demonstrate impact. Showing tangible results – like customer success stories, market adoption, or measurable efficiency gains – shouts credibility.

Strong Narrative

A compelling story can make or break an entry. Judges are drawn to entries that follow a clear, logical narrative: the challenge, the solution, and the results. Framing your fintech’s journey as a story with a beginning, middle, and impactful conclusion helps judges connect with your achievements emotionally and intellectually.

A strong narrative not only makes your entry memorable, but positions your company as thoughtful, strategic, and purpose-driven.

Differentiation Matters

With so many fintechs competing, judges look for what sets a company apart. Highlighting innovative approaches, unique solutions, or bold strategies doesn’t just win points; it positions your brand as a market leader. This benchmarking effect can attract investors, partners, and customers – even before the final winner is announced.

Evidence Builds Trust

Strong brands back claims with data. Judges notice entries supported by testimonials, metrics, or case studies – substance over fluff. This evidence-driven approach helps a fintech amplify credibility when sharing the recognition externally.

Brand-Led Promotion

Judges respect brands that champion their own achievements. Leveraging awards through campaigns, PR, and social media ensures recognition reaches the right audience, accelerating brand visibility and long-term impact.

The Ripple Effect of Recognition

Before a trophy is even in sight, there’s value in being shortlisted. Recognition at this stage signals credibility – it tells the market, investors, and potential customers that your fintech has been independently benchmarked against competitors and deemed worthy of attention. This validation can open doors to new business opportunities, strengthen trust with existing clients, and attract top talent.

Being shortlisted also creates a platform for brands to take control of their own story. Proactive promotion through PR, campaigns, and social channels means that this achievement doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s not just about waiting for the industry to celebrate you – it’s about amplifying the recognition to your audiences and maximising impact.

Once a fintech wins, the impact doesn’t stop at the trophy. The effects ripple through the entire ecosystem, touching every part of the business – often in ways that compound over time.

Media Magnetism: PR & Visibility

‘Award-winning’ is catnip for journalists, analysts, and industry bloggers. It’s a shorthand headline that makes stories more clickable and coverage more credible.

This isn’t just ego-boosting PR – it’s visibility that can reach investors, customers, and potential partners you didn’t even know were watching.

Investor Validation: Traction & Competence

Venture capital and private equity firms love external proof points. An award is a public signal of traction, competence, and market respect.

For investors, it’s not just prestige – it’s a sign you’re executing well enough to earn industry applause.

Customer Trust Boost: Lowers Perceived Risk

For both B2B buyers and consumers, switching financial providers feels risky. An award offers third-party reassurance that the risk is worth it.

In B2B fintech, procurement teams often cite awards and industry recognition in internal justification documents – making it easier for champions inside a client organisation to advocate for you.

Talent Pull: 13% More Inbound Job Applications

Top engineers, compliance experts, and salespeople want to work at companies where the industry nods in approval.

LinkedIn data shows that companies publicising award wins see a 13% increase in inbound job applications in the quarter after the announcement. For growing fintechs, that’s a competitive edge in a tough hiring market.

The Trophy Hierarchy: Not all Awards Are Created Equal

Not every award delivers the same punch. The value of a win depends on who’s giving it, who’s watching, and how much weight it carries in your market.

Global Prestige: Global Banking & Finance, Finovate

Top-tier awards – like the Global Banking & Finance Awards or Finovate Awards – carry serious clout.

They’re recognised by investors worldwide and often come with high-profile ceremonies, media coverage, and networking opportunities that extend your influence well beyond your home market.

Specialist Credibility: Blockchain, Regtech, Sustainable finance

Niche awards target specific sectors – blockchain, regtech, sustainable finance – and can be just as valuable if your growth depends on winning over those specialist audiences. They speak directly to the people who matter most in your space.

Customer-Choice Power: Grassroots Trust

Community-voted awards are the grassroots trust signals money can’t buy. When actual customers put your name forward, it’s a public endorsement that no marketing campaign can fully replicate. For challenger brands, these can be game changers.

Award Inflation: Dangers of ‘Pay-to-Play’

Not all awards are created with equal rigour. The more you collect from questionable or ‘pay-to-play’ sources, the more each one dilutes your credibility.

In the eyes of investors and partners, a trophy shelf crammed with dubious accolades can do more harm than good.

Turning a Win into a Growth Engine

Winning is the spark; amplification is the fuel. The moment your name is announced, the clock starts ticking on how effectively you can turn that recognition into real business outcomes.

Integrate Visibly: Website Hero Banners, Investor Decks & Product Splash Screens

Your award shouldn’t be hiding in a press release archive. Make it impossible to miss – feature it on website hero banners, onboarding flows, product splash screens, and investor decks. The more places people see it, the more it reinforces credibility.

Tell the Story: Tie the Award to Customer Impact

Don’t just state you’ve won – explain why it matters to your audience.

“Voted Best Mobile Banking UX” is good; “Voted Best Mobile Banking UX – saving customers an average of 12 minutes per transaction” is better. Tie recognition to a tangible customer benefit.

Squeeze the Moment: Amplify Via PR, Thought Leadership & Social Media.

Strike while the win is fresh. Handled strategically, a single award can generate months of momentum – far more than the few seconds it takes to walk on stage. This means booking media interviews, publishing thought leadership tied to the award theme, and running award-focused social media campaigns.

Mini Case Study: Copecto’s Pay360 Awards 2025 Shortlist

When our client, Copecto – a sustainable financial services provider – was shortlisted at the Pay360 Awards 2025, they went beyond just the entry. By launching a targeted social media campaign around the shortlist, Copecto amplified its recognition across LinkedIn, positioning the organisation as a sustainability leader in fintech. What could have been a fleeting announcement instead became a brand-building moment with lasting visibility.

The Hidden Dangers of Chasing Trophies

Awards can be powerful credibility boosters – but only if they’re the right ones, for the right reasons. Chase them blindly, and you risk doing more harm than good.

The Vanity Trap: Chasing Irrelevant Awards

Collecting awards without strategic relevance is like buying expensive are you can never display – it looks impressive on paper, but does nothing for your business. Every award should align with your target audience, growth goals, or investor priorities.

Pay-to-Play Stigma: Risks to credibility

Some awards are little more than paid marketing packages. When it’s obvious you’ve ‘bought’ recognition, trust evaporates.

In fintech – where transparency is already under scrutiny – this can erode credibility faster than a bad quarterly report.

The Spotlight Effect: Scrutiny After a Big Win

A win can draw as much scrutiny as it does praise. Regulators, customers, and competitors pay closer attention after a big announcement, looking for cracks in your product, service, or compliance record.

From Symbol to Strategy

An award win is only as powerful as the story behind it. Crafting that story takes strategy, storytelling, and an insider’s view of what judges really want to see.

That’s exactly where Blue Train Marketing can help.

Our founder is a judge for some of the biggest awards in the industry, giving us rare insight into how entries are scored – and why some sparkle while others sink into the ‘no’ pile. We’ve helped fintechs shortlist and win at prestigious ceremonies like the Banking Tech Awards, the PayTech Awards, and a host of niche industry prizes.

Use Case: Payments Fintech

One fintech we partnered with wanted to raise its profile and credibility in a crowded payments market. Over the course of 12 months, we built and executed a tailored awards strategy. That meant:

• Conducting in-depth research into the most relevant awarding bodies and categories.
• Immersing ourselves in their proposition and speaking directly with customers to bring authentic insights into submissions.
• Writing and submitting entries every month, aligned with business priorities and market positioning,

The result? Multiple shortlists across the year – and six major wins between 2024 and 2025, including recognition at the UK FinTech Awards, PayTech Awards, and Banking Tech Awards. Those accolades not only validated their innovation but also amplified their visibility with customers, investors, and partners.

Ready to Turn Recognition into Revenue?

Whether you need end-to-end entry creation or just help polishing your submission, we’ll work with you to frame your achievements in a way that gets noticed – and gets results.

If you’re ready to turn recognition into revenue, let’s talk about your next award win.