Dominican Republic in the face of the fintech revolution: growth, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance
The evolution of fintech in Latin America has been one of the fastest economic and technological transformations of the past decade. In this context, the Dominican Republic has established itself as one of the most dynamic ecosystems in the Caribbean, positioning itself as the eighth country in Latin America in terms of the number and growth of financial technology companies, growing from just 6 fintechs operating in 2018 to more than 100 currently operating in the country.
This growth has been driven by innovation in payments, lending, and financial services, which undoubtedly foster financial inclusion. Today, the Dominican fintech sector is more diverse, more mature, and more integrated with traditional banking, reinforcing its positive impact on the country’s economy.
However, this rapid digital transformation also brings new risks and challenges, especially in terms of cybersecurity and regulatory compliance, aspects that are now critical to the sustainability of the sector.
Alongside this growth, cybersecurity in the Dominican Republic has gained prominence. Digital transformation has come hand in hand with an increase in digital threats affecting both the public and private sectors.
In the first half of 2025 alone, the country was targeted by 233 million attempted cyberattacks. This figure clearly highlights the importance of cybersecurity and confirms that the Dominican Republic is a frequent target of increasingly complex and sophisticated large-scale cyberattacks.
For fintechs —which operate with sensitive financial data and digital transactions— this scenario represents a critical risk, forcing them, without exception, to adopt protective measures and comply with certain security standards.
Beyond regulatory compliance, cybersecurity must be understood as an inherent component of the lifecycle of any fintech, from the platform design phase through scaling and international expansion.
Practices such as periodic pentesting and continuous monitoring of the digital perimeter make it possible to identify real vulnerabilities. These actions not only reduce technical risk, but also strengthen business resilience and its ability to operate securely in highly exposed environments.
In this scenario of ongoing threats, security and regulatory compliance are not optional.
However, more mature fintechs no longer approach security solely as a response to regulatory requirements or certifications, but rather as a continuous discipline that enables early detection of exposed assets. Controlled penetration testing has become standard practice for organizations seeking to grow securely and convey trust to their customers.
The adoption of ISO 27001 in Latin America remains low in smaller countries, and the Dominican Republic is no exception. Currently, the country has fewer than a dozen certifications compared to the hundreds in the Colombian and Mexican markets. Nevertheless, interest in ISO 27001 is growing, and its adoption represents a clear competitive advantage in terms of trust, operational maturity, and access to international markets.
For fintechs that process payments, PCI DSS is a mandatory standard that is gaining increasing importance, although there is still significant awareness work to be done. Fintechs that fail to comply with this standard face substantial fines and a loss of customer trust.
The Dominican Republic is experiencing a pivotal moment for its fintech ecosystem. The country has moved from an incipient market to a dynamic, competitive one with strong growth potential. However, in an increasingly hostile digital environment, security and regulatory compliance are not a brake on growth; on the contrary, they are a significant competitive advantage and the fuel that can accelerate organizational growth.
Integrating continuous pentesting and digital perimeter monitoring as part of the business strategy allows fintechs to anticipate incidents, protect their reputation, and demonstrate operational maturity to customers, partners, and investors, regardless of whether a regulation or certification requires it at a given time.
Fintechs that invest today in cybersecurity, compliance, and best practices will be better prepared to scale, attract investment, and consolidate themselves as trusted players. Ask us, and we will guide you so you can achieve this and stand out with your organization.