For fintech founders who know they need treasury management but don’t know where to start
After seeing countless fintech startups struggle with treasury management, here’s my roadmap for building treasury operations from scratch:
Start with the Foundation: Cash Visibility
Your first priority isn’t fancy investment strategies – it’s knowing where your money is, when it moves, and what’s coming next. Set up daily cash reporting across all accounts and build a 13-week rolling cash flow forecast. This single step will save you from more headaches than any other treasury initiative.
Separate Your Cash Buckets
Not all cash is created equal. Establish clear segregation between operating cash (3-6 months expenses), regulatory capital requirements, customer funds (if applicable), and growth capital. This will allow you to make utilisation of cash more efficient if you can comfortably segreate between the cash you can and can’t use.
Automation vs. Critical
Automate routine payments and reconciliations, but maintain manual approval workflows for anything above your comfort threshold. Start conservative – you can always increase automation limits as you build confidence in your controls.
Seek as much automation as possible to give as much time as possible for strategic planning.
Build Your Banking Relationships Early
Don’t wait until you need credit or specialised services. Establish relationships with 2-3 banks that understand fintech businesses. Sometimes having a “fintech bank” or “challenger bank” in your bank panel can simplify processes than dealing with the larger incumbents for everything.
Create Your Treasury Policy Framework
Document your investment parameters, approval thresholds, and risk tolerances before you need them. Include counterparty limits, investment duration guidelines, and escalation procedures. This isn’t about perfect policies – it’s about having a framework that grows with you.
Focus on Compliance from Day One
Treasury compliance isn’t optional in fintech. Establish your regulatory reporting cadence, documentation standards, and audit trails early. The cost of retrofitting compliance is exponentially higher than building it correctly from the start.
The Reality Check
You don’t need a full treasury team on day one, but you do need someone who understands that treasury is more than “keeping track of bank accounts.” Whether it’s a fractional treasurer, a finance hire with treasury experience, or upskilling your CFO, ensure someone owns this function strategically.
The biggest mistake I see? Treating treasury as an afterthought until funding gets tight or regulators come calling. By then, you’re building the plane while flying it.
