Fintech & Corporate Finance · C-Suite · 15 to 21 years typical
General Counsel (Fintech) Salary
Annual base compensation, national and by market, from 258 named sources. Every figure below says where it came from.
| Market | Multiplier | P25 | P50 | P75 | P90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | 1.40× | $365,000 | $440,000 | $520,000 | $600,000 |
| San Francisco, CA | 1.30× | $340,000 | $410,000 | $480,000 | $560,000 |
| Boston, MA | 1.25× | $325,000 | $395,000 | $465,000 | $540,000 |
| Palm Beach, FL | 1.25× | $325,000 | $395,000 | $465,000 | $540,000 |
| Miami, FL | 1.23× | $320,000 | $385,000 | $455,000 | $530,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 1.20× | $310,000 | $380,000 | $445,000 | $520,000 |
| Washington, DC | 1.20× | $310,000 | $380,000 | $445,000 | $520,000 |
| Seattle, WA | 1.15× | $300,000 | $360,000 | $425,000 | $495,000 |
| Chicago, IL | 1.05× | $275,000 | $330,000 | $390,000 | $450,000 |
| Dallas, TX | 1.00× | $260,000 | $315,000 | $370,000 | $430,000 |
Time to fill 36 weeks for comparable searches, estimated from rouka's benchmark set.
Fintech GCs increasingly combine product, regulatory, and commercial responsibilities, with heightened focus on consumer protection and international structuring. Competition from Big Tech and financial institutions keeps GC compensation elevated.
What does a General Counsel (Fintech) do?
The General Counsel (Fintech) operates within fintech companies, financial services firms, and corporate finance functions, building financial products, managing compliance, or driving operational growth. Professionals in this role typically bring 15 to 21 years of relevant experience. Classified at the C-Suite level, this position draws from a very tight candidate market with an estimated pool of 10-25 qualified professionals, making targeted sourcing and competitive compensation critical for successful placements.
What drives General Counsel (Fintech) compensation?
The median (P50) compensation for a General Counsel (Fintech) is $315,000, with the 25th to 75th percentile range spanning $260,000 to $370,000. Pay variation across this range is primarily driven by company stage and funding (startup vs. growth vs. public), regulatory complexity, geographic market, technical specialization (payments, lending, crypto, regtech), and equity compensation structure. Demand is holding stable, with compensation levels expected to track broader market adjustments.
General Counsel (Fintech) career path
Professionals who move into General Counsel (Fintech) roles most commonly come from traditional banking, management consulting, software engineering, regulatory bodies, or corporate finance at public companies. From this position, the typical trajectory leads toward C-suite positions at fintech firms, VP-level roles at larger financial institutions, or founding their own financial technology venture. The average tenure in this role is approximately 3.7 years, with an annual turnover rate of 16%.
Hiring a General Counsel (Fintech)?
A search playbook for this seat: compensation positioning against the band above, the sourcing map, and the interview framework.