How to sell to CTOs at Fintech companies in Germany
CTOs in fintech companies in Germany are primarily measured on system uptime and security compliance. They respond to outreach that addresses specific technical challenges like integration issues or security vulnerabilities. Demonstrating an understanding of the regulatory landscape and how it impacts their technology stack can prompt a response from them.
Written and maintained by the SoloRiff team, who build outbound software and run outbound with it. The figures below are our own: we measured 570 fintech company domains over public DNS on 2026-09-03. Last updated 2026-09-03.
What actually hurts
- system downtime
- security vulnerabilities
- regulatory compliance pressure
- integration challenges
The playbook
- 01
Identify recent tech failures
Search industry news for fintech companies in Germany that have recently experienced system outages or security breaches. Use sources like TechCrunch or local fintech news sites. Tailor your outreach to address how your solution can prevent similar issues.
- 02
Analyze their tech stack
Use LinkedIn or company websites to determine the technologies the target company is currently using. Look for outdated systems or platforms that may be vulnerable or inefficient. Mention these in your outreach to show you understand their current challenges.
- 03
Highlight compliance challenges
Research recent changes in German fintech regulations that may affect your target’s operations. Reference specific compliance issues in your outreach, such as GDPR impacts or new banking regulations. This demonstrates your awareness of their regulatory pressures.
- 04
Connect through mutual contacts
Check LinkedIn for shared connections who can introduce you. If you find a mutual contact who has experience in fintech, ask them for an introduction. A warm introduction can significantly increase your chances of engagement.
- 05
Follow up with insights
After your initial outreach, send a follow-up email with insights specific to their tech needs or industry trends. Include a brief analysis of how similar companies have successfully addressed their challenges. This positions you as a knowledgeable resource rather than just a salesperson.
Can fintech companies even receive your mail?
We measured the DNS of 570 fintech companies, sampled evenly across company sizes, to see how many authenticate their own email. It matters in both directions: a domain that does not authenticate is a domain whose team is used to mail going missing — and if your own domain is in the gap, yours is the mail going missing.
Publishes a DMARC policy of quarantine or reject — the domain actually asks receivers to act on failures.
The gap is the finding: 34.3% of 1–10-person companies against 92.2% of the largest — 58 points apart. Small companies are where the unauthenticated domains are, and small companies are who most cold outreach is aimed at.
Where does your domain sit?
Same three lookups, run live against your domain. Nothing is stored and nothing is emailed to you.
How this was measured
Company domains were sampled within employee-count bands, then queried over public DNS for SPF (TXT at the apex), DMARC (TXT at _dmarc.) and MX. One domain per company, deduplicated. Anyone can reproduce any single row of this with dig.
DKIM is deliberately absent. A DKIM key lives under a selector that cannot be enumerated from outside the domain, so a company with flawless DKIM under a name we did not guess would be counted as having none. That would measure our guess list, not the industry.
Domains with no MX record are excluded rather than counted as failures — parked and redirect-only domains would otherwise drag every figure down and make the result an artefact of the sample.
Sampled within bands, so this describes the population of companies, not of employees: a 10-person company counts once, as does a 10,000-person one. Each band is at least 60 domains; bands below that are not published. Figures are percentages of the sample, not of the whole industry, and we publish no company names — only counts.
Measured 2026-09-03. Re-measured monthly.
The full census across every industry — sortable, with sample sizes, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0.
Subject lines that fit
- Addressing your recent tech challenges
- Insights on fintech compliance
- Improving system uptime
Questions
- Why do CTOs in fintech ignore cold emails about security solutions?
- CTOs often receive numerous cold emails daily, making them selective about which ones to engage with. If the email does not immediately address a specific pain point or demonstrate an understanding of their unique challenges, it is likely to be overlooked.
- What are common objections from CTOs regarding new technology?
- CTOs may express concerns about integration with existing systems, potential disruptions to operations, or the long-term costs associated with adopting new technology. Addressing these objections upfront in your outreach can improve your chances of a response.
- How can I make my outreach stand out to a fintech CTO?
- Personalization is key. Reference specific challenges related to their recent projects or industry trends. Highlight your understanding of the regulatory landscape and how your solution can help them navigate compliance issues effectively.
- What timing works best for reaching out to fintech CTOs?
- Reaching out early in the week, specifically on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, tends to yield better results. Avoid Fridays when many decision-makers are wrapping up their week or may be less focused on new opportunities.
Or have it run itself
SoloRiff does every step above on its own — finds the companies, finds the people, writes each of them individually, and handles the replies. Drop your URL and watch it work before you sign up for anything.
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