The timeline spans from the 1960s to the 2020s and is divided into five periods: 1960s-1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s. Each period highlights key technological innovations, market developments, and regulatory shifts in the FinTech sector. The 1960s-1980s saw the introduction of ATMs, credit cards, core banking systems, and early consumer protection laws. The 1990s marked the advent of internet banking, the first online trading platforms, and the launch of PayPal in 1998. The 2000s introduced mobile banking, SMS-based payments, and the launch of M-Pesa in 2007. The 2010s witnessed the rise of smartphone apps, P2P lending, neobanks, blockchain, and Bitcoin. The 2020s highlight the impact of COVID-19 on digital finance, contactless and CBDCs pilots, AI/ML in finance, DeFi, tokenization, and sustainable FinTech.Evolution of FinTech: A Historical Timeline. This figure 1 illustrates the key milestones in the development of FinTech from the 1960s to the 2020s. It highlights technological innovations, market developments, and regulatory shifts across successive eras: FinTech 1.0 (electronic banking), FinTech 2.0 (internet banking), FinTech 3.0 (mobile and platform-driven services), and FinTech 4.0 (AI, blockchain, DeFi, and tokenisation). The timeline provides a visual synthesis of the sector's evolution, clarifying the historical context for subsequent analysis of FinTech domains and enabling technologies. Source: Authors' compilation based on literature [e.g. Arner, Barberis, and Buckey (2016); M-Pesa (2007); Shahid, Ahmed, Nabi, Murtaza, and Solangi (2025); Zetzsche, Buckley, Barberis, and Arner (2017); Zetzsche et al. (2020a, b)]