Fintech innovation generates real value when it solves concrete business problems. It focuses on practical technology applications that improve efficiency, reduce risk, and enhance customer experience.
In a landscape where new technologies emerge at an accelerated pace, innovation in the financial sector is no longer about keeping up with trends. It is increasingly about delivering tangible impact on business outcomes and customer experience.
In Latin America, this shift is taking place in an even more challenging context, marked by varying levels of technological maturity, a strong presence of legacy systems, and growing pressure for efficiency, security, and scalability. In this environment, understanding what truly generates value becomes a competitive differentiator.
For Thiago Iglesias, Innovation Manager at Evertec and Head of Torq, the key lies in distinguishing between what is a meaningful trend and what is merely passing enthusiasm. “The main difference is the potential to solve a real pain point. It is not enough for a technology to be promising, it must deliver tangible impact on the customer journey or the business model.”
This perspective fundamentally changes how priorities are set. Instead of following hype, innovation becomes guided by applicability and results. A clear example is the evolution of artificial intelligence, which has moved beyond discourse to deliver measurable gains. Initiatives using anti-fraud models have already reduced risk in financial operations, while applications in tax processes have achieved efficiency gains exceeding 90%.
More than adopting new technologies, what is emerging is a shift in mindset. “Innovation is not about adding technology. It is about solving problems more efficiently, even if that does not necessarily involve a new technological layer.” This inversion—where the problem becomes the starting point, helps avoid non-strategic investments and increases the effectiveness of solutions.
Looking at the region’s challenges, a few themes stand out. The modernization of legacy systems remains a significant barrier, especially in light of initiatives such as Open Finance, which require integration, speed, and intelligent use of data. At the same time, technological advancement is increasing the complexity of the environment, particularly in security, where the sophistication of fraud evolves at the same pace as the solutions designed to combat it.
Another important aspect is scalability. Many challenges are shared across countries, creating opportunities to develop solutions that can be replicated across different markets. In this context, innovation is no longer isolated, it becomes a structural driver of the sector’s evolution.
This shift also redefines how success is measured. More than tracking trends, the challenge lies in turning them into solutions that work in day-to-day operations. “The real challenge is not identifying trends, but successfully transforming them into solutions that perform in everyday reality.”
Looking ahead, Torq is expected to evolve further as an integration agent within this ecosystem, connecting different fronts of innovation and amplifying what already exists both within and outside the organization. “The future of innovation lies in the ability to orchestrate, connecting what we already do well with what the ecosystem is developing, in order to accelerate value creation.”
In this context, Torq’s role is strengthened as an orchestrator, capable of integrating startups, partners, and technologies into Evertec’s portfolio, accelerating solution development and expanding its impact across multiple markets.
In this landscape, competitive advantage is no longer defined solely by access to technology, but by the ability to apply it strategically, transforming complexity into simplicity and trends into tangible results.
“In the end, innovation only makes sense if it generates value—for the business, for the market, and, above all, for customers.”
