With whopping funding rounds and several new unicorns born, Europe’s fintech startups raised more than €9bn in 2019, according to data from Dealroom.

It’s not just the money that has been grabbing attention though, this year fintechs across the region expanded to younger audiences, chased clients on their US rivals’ home turf and popped up in unexpected places, showing potential for the European ecosystem well beyond London.

Here are seven fintech must-reads from Sifted in 2019, to recap some of the year’s highlights.

1. Europe’s digital banks are taking on the US

Monzo, N26 and Revolut are chasing the US market. We took a dive into their strategies to compare and contrast.

2. The biggest raises this year

Which European fintechs are pulling in the most money and who are their investors?

3. Europe is strong at fintech innovation, Revolut’s Storonsky says

The US may be a more developed market for almost all areas of startups and tech, but not fintech, says Revolut founder Nikolay Storonsky. He says Europe is winning the fintech innovation battle.

4. How Lithuania became a mecca for fintech

The UK is often named Europe’s fintech capital, but Lithuania seems to be after that title.

5. Is it time for the “Spotify of banking”?

A big “rebundling” in fintech has been predicted for some time, similar to what happened in the music industry. Is it beginning?

6. Generation Z is the new target

Generation Z, defined as those born after 1996, represents both a lucrative and under-served market for fintech startups.

7. Meet the fintech startups born out of a financial crisis

When a financial crisis hits town it may be the perfect timing to kick-off your startup. This definitely proved true in Iceland.