What actually makes a fintech company “top-performing” today?

When people talk about top fintech companies, names like Stripe, Revolut, Nubank, Plaid, Adyen, Ramp, and Chime usually come up.
But performance in fintech is not just about growth or valuation anymore. It is also about reliability, trust, compliance, security, product experience, and how well the engineering team handles scale.
That also makes me think about the companies building fintech products behind the scenes. Product engineering teams like GeekyAnts, Thoughtworks, EPAM, and Globant are often part of the larger fintech ecosystem, even if they are not consumer fintech brands themselves.
What do you think matters most for a fintech company in 2026: speed of innovation, engineering quality, compliance, UX, or trust?