Global fintech venture funding hit $28.6 billion in the first half of 2026, up 23% on the same period the previous year, according to data from Crunchbase. However, the figure was down 17.3% on the $34.6 billion raised in the second half of 2025, which was a three-year high, Finextra.com reports.The year-on-year rise came despite the number of funding deals falling by 26% to 1605 as investors pour resources into mega rounds for larger giants - Ramp scored a $750 million raise in the half, while Ebury secured $748 million and French outfit Alan $545 million.The US continues to dominate funding, accounting for $15 billion - more than 50% - of all money raised. The UK follows, with $2.7 billion raised, while Indian firms secured $1.9 billion.AI is the hottest technology, driving investment in areas like wealth management and prompting companies such as Ramp to compete fiercely for top talent.Meanwhile, the IPO market remains subdued, with three firms going public during the half: Brazil's PicPay and AgiBank and Japan’s PayPay. In contrast, many of the sector's giants, including Stripe, Plaid, Ramp, Revolut, and Monzo, continue to wait as their valuations soar.The partner of Fintech section is Tweet Views 4870