As AI, embedded finance and open banking reshape the sector, marketers must prioritize efficiency, trust and measurable growth
Measurement and analytics company Adjust released today The Finance App Insights Report: 2025 Edition, finding global finance apps entering a new phase of maturity in 2025 – evolving from rapid expansion to sustainable, value-driven development. In Q3 2025, finance app installs climbed 11% year-over-year (YoY) globally, on top of the 27% growth in 2024. Similarly, sessions grew another 16% YoY in Q3 2025, building on a 24% YoY increase for 2024.
While APAC saw slight install declines, the region posted session gains of +35% in H1 2025, underscoring deeper engagement and more active user base. North America showed a similar trend, posting a 15% increase in sessions despite a decline in installs.
“Financial services are built on trust, and the same principle applies to how finance apps grow,” said Tiahn Wetzler, Director, Marketing at Adjust. “Sustainable growth depends on precision, innovation and understanding where real value comes from.”
Banking apps lead in user loyalty
While day-1 retention rates for finance apps overall declined globally from 13.8% in 2023 to 12.5% in H1 2025, banking apps achieved the highest rate at 20.6% – outperforming all other subverticals. Regionally, Japan (18.6%), France (17.4%), and the U.K. and Ireland (17.2%) posted the strongest overall finance app retention rates in H1 2025.
Additional data breakdowns on install patterns, sessions and cost per installs (CPIs) include:
Payment apps continued to dominate finance app engagement from 2024 through H1 2025 – accounting for 58% of all sessions – while installs increased 4% YoY and sessions 26% YoY in H1 2025.
Crypto app installs surged 90% YoY in H1 2025, signaling renewed confidence following 2022’s market correction, while sessions saw a modest 2% growth.
Stock-trading apps recorded small but steady gains in H1 2025, with installs and sessions up 1% and 8% YoY, respectively. But user engagement rose notably in Q3, with sessions at +34%.
Average finance app session length held steady at 6.59 minutes, up from 6.29 in 2023.Crypto (11.9 min) and stock-trading (12.1 min) apps recorded the longest session durations, with India (14.4 min) leading global engagement.
User acquisition became more cost-efficient in H1 2025, as finance app CPI fell from $1.51 to $1.13. APAC averaged $0.51, driven by lower costs in India ($0.18) and the Philippines ($0.25). APAC also recorded the highest paid-to-organic ratios (1.35) with India (2.79), Indonesia (2.85), and the Philippines (3.10)
Sustainable growth powered by smarter measurement
“With the data showing finance apps shifting from rapid expansion toward sustainable, value-driven growth, marketers now face a new challenge: reaching their most valuable users at the right moment”, said April Tayson, Regional Vice President for INSEAU at Adjust. “Accurate attribution, transparent measurement and real-time insights are key to driving measurable business outcomes.”
Adjust’s advanced attribution and measurement solutions allow marketers and developers to understand performance, prevent fraud and connect user journeys seamlessly. Tools like TrueLink for deep linking and real-time, AI-powered insights from Adjust Growth Copilot, are enabling performance-minded marketers to turn data into action faster than ever.
