In a major move to tackle fraud and reshape digital trust, FinTech Scotland and TSB Labs have joined forces once again — this time, with a bold new initiative aimed at securing the future of online banking.
The partnership is opening its doors to fintech innovators from across the world, inviting real-time solutions that could be tested directly in a live retail banking environment. The goal? Better security, smoother user experiences, and fewer customers falling victim to scams.
Innovation With Purpose, Not Just Buzzwords
This isn’t a flashy tech tie-up meant to grab headlines. There’s real work behind this.
The FinTech Scotland-TSB Labs collaboration is built on lessons from past programmes. The earlier cohorts already birthed multiple pilot projects — tangible stuff that got out the door and into people’s lives.
Now, in 2025, the challenge has gotten sharper: stop fraud in its tracks without putting up digital roadblocks for customers.
A simple mission, but far from an easy one.
A Global Callout With a Local Focus
The duo is now throwing open applications for their 2025 innovation programme, welcoming fintech firms worldwide. If you’ve got a practical idea? Now’s the time to test it — live.
The programme unfolds in two stages. First up, structured engagements. Then, a pitch session straight to TSB decision-makers. If your solution clicks, you’re in line for a full pilot deployment.
• Deadline for applications: 25 June 2025
• Where to apply: FinTech Scotland’s official site
• Who it’s for: Startups ready to launch solutions in real banking environments
It’s not often that smaller fintech players get this kind of front-door access to a major retail bank’s ecosystem. But this initiative is designed to break that mold — and it’s attracting attention for all the right reasons.
Tackling Fraud From Three Angles
The programme isn’t just about tech for tech’s sake. It has very specific targets, laid out in challenge statements from FinTech Scotland’s Financial Regulation Innovation Lab.
Here’s what they’re after:
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Smart messaging and education: Helping banks communicate better and faster with customers when fraud risks appear.
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Empowered customer controls: Giving users more real-time say over authorised payments, with clearer insights into what they’re approving.
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Simplified resolution: Making the headache of fraud reporting feel less like a bureaucratic maze and more like a human-centered experience.
Each of these tracks reflects a common theme — putting customers in control while making the security systems work with them, not against them.
That shift matters more than ever.
Banking Security Can’t Stay Static
Fraudsters evolve. So banks have to evolve faster.
That’s the blunt thinking behind the latest collaboration, according to officials at TSB. They’ve seen how fast scams can escalate and how easily they can slip past traditional detection tools.
A spokesperson put it plainly: “Fraud is ever-evolving. We need smarter, faster, more customer-friendly ways to stop it.”
And while big banks often build their own tools, there’s a growing understanding that startups bring fresh thinking. Agility. Nimbleness. All the stuff legacy systems often lack.
This is where partnerships like this — between established institutions and newer tech disruptors — can really shine.
Scotland’s Fintech Scene Isn’t Playing Small
This programme also reflects a broader trend: Scotland’s fintech cluster is growing up — and getting more confident.
FinTech Scotland isn’t just a passive network anymore. It’s a driver. A convener. A serious player helping to export ideas and import opportunities.
From AI-enabled compliance tools to blockchain-based ID systems, the country’s startups are building real products for real problems. And with support from institutions like TSB, those solutions are now reaching customers faster than ever.
Table: Key Fintech Trends Emerging from Scotland (2023–2025)
| Trend | Description |
|---|---|
| Customer-First Fraud Prevention | Tools focused on transparency and in-app guidance for suspicious payments |
| Smart Identity | Enhanced digital onboarding using behavioural biometrics and blockchain |
| RegTech Boost | Regulatory technology simplifying compliance for banks and insurers |
| Financial Inclusion Platforms | Startups targeting underserved groups with budgeting and savings tools |
Scotland’s not just reacting to problems — it’s increasingly leading the conversation.
Why This Programme Could Actually Work
Too often, innovation challenges stay stuck at the pitch stage. A few buzzwords. Some slides. Maybe a prototype.
But the FinTech Scotland–TSB Labs programme is different.
It’s designed for action. Short timelines. Real testing. A path to live deployment.
That’s why past cohorts didn’t fizzle out — they led to working pilots. And that’s also why fintech startups are treating this opportunity seriously.
Because when the stakes are high — and let’s face it, they’re really high in fraud prevention — no one can afford to wait years for a solution.
