What RFI Global does

RFI Global is a UK-headquartered, privately held data and insights company dedicated exclusively to the financial services sector. The firm operates a hybrid research model combining syndicated subscription products with bespoke research services, supported by a proprietary annual data engine of roughly 200,000 consumer interviews and 60,000 business interviews spanning 49 markets. Its client base comprises Tier-1 global banks (HSBC, Standard Chartered, Citibank, Bank of China, RBC, Commonwealth Bank, Lloyds) and payments networks (Visa, Mastercard), sold through a direct enterprise sales motion with regional coverage across ANZ, Asia, the Americas, and EMEA including the Middle East.

The product portfolio is composed of an integrated core platform layered with several acquired and sub-branded businesses. MacroMonitor (acquired 2022) provides US financial datasets on transactions, channels, assets, investing, retirement, and life insurance. Atlas and Pulse Panel (acquired 2023 from DBM) deliver Australian consumer sentiment indices and a managed research panel. iSky Research (acquired October 2025) adds digital UX intelligence and real-user journey mapping for mobile banking. The company also operates the Banking Uncovered podcast, The Banknote newsletter, and recurring Banking & Finance Awards programs in Australia and the UK. RFI is ISO 27001 certified (NQA-UKAS) and holds a private limited company structure (Retail Finance Intelligence Limited) with subsidiaries in the UK, Australia, Singapore, the US, and Canada.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring syndicated research subscriptions combined with professional-services-style bespoke engagements sold on a quote-based enterprise pricing model; customer concentration leans on named global banks and payments networks, with broader mid-tier engagement implied by the awards franchise and panel operations. The business has grown through three completed acquisitions since 2022 and a leadership transition in October 2023 when Matt Lawrence succeeded founder Charles Green as CEO.

Name

RFI Global

Legal name

Retail Finance Intelligence Limited

Website

https://rfi.global

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

RFI Global is a UK-based, privately held data and insights company dedicated exclusively to financial services, offering syndicated and bespoke research across 49 markets to global banks, payments networks, and insurers through direct enterprise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Services Market Research

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Syndicated Market Research (Panels, Omnibus, Tracker Studies) (MPAAALAB), Competitive Intelligence & Benchmarking (BPAHALAB)

Keywords

• Financial market research
• Consumer insights
• Syndicated research
• Banking analytics
• Customer research

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Syndicated Research Subscriptions: Hybrid syndicated solutions combining the scale of syndicated research with the precision of bespoke insights for financial services leaders. Clients receive actionable market intelligence to drive innovation, enhance customer experience and accelerate growth.
2. Bespoke Research Services: Custom research solutions tailored to specific client needs in financial services, providing targeted insights for strategic decision-making.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RFI Global conducts large-scale consumer and business market research exclusively for the financial services industry, combining syndicated research subscriptions with bespoke research engagements. The company is powered by 200,000+ consumer interviews and 60,000+ business interviews conducted annually across 49 markets, delivered alongside sub-brands including MacroMonitor (US financial datasets), Atlas and Pulse Panel (Australian consumer sentiment tracking and research panel), and iSky (digital UX intelligence).

Product overview

RFI Global is a global data and insights company dedicated exclusively to financial services. The company operates a unified platform supported by multiple specialized products and acquired brands. The core offering combines hybrid syndicated research solutions that blend syndicated research scale with bespoke insights precision. Key products include: MacroMonitor (acquired US financial data provider) for US-specific datasets integrated across 49 markets; Atlas and Pulse Panel (formerly DBM Atlas and DBM Connect, acquired in 2023) for consumer sentiment tracking and research panel management in Australia; and iSky (acquired in 2025) for digital UX intelligence and user journey mapping. The portfolio spans industry reports (Global Fintech Evolution, Global Digital Banking, Global Neobank reports), regional analyses (UK Business Banking, Australian BNPL studies), and proprietary syndicated research covering over 200,000 consumer interviews and 60,000 business interviews annually. The company also runs award programs (Australian Banking & Finance Awards, UK Banking & Finance Awards) and produces the Banking Uncovered podcast series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pulse Panel: Research panel (formerly DBM Connect, rebranded to Pulse Panel in April 2023) managed by RFI Global for market research studies about banking and insurance products.
• MacroMonitor
• Atlas
• iSky
• The Banknote
• Banking Uncovered

Products and services

• Hybrid Syndicated Research Solutions Research solutions combining syndicated scale with bespoke precision, backed by deep financial services expertise to build a complete, actionable view of evolving consumer and business behaviors. Targeted at financial services leaders.
• MacroMonitor US-focused financial services data provider offering extensive US financial datasets integrated with RFI Global's data and insights across 49 markets. Covers transactions, channels, assets, investing, retirement, and life insurance.
• Atlas Consumer sentiment tracking platform (formerly DBM Atlas) providing insights into Australian consumer optimism and financial wellbeing, including the Atlas Sentiment Index for agribusiness and general consumer sentiment tracking.
• Pulse Panel Managed research panel (formerly DBM Connect) of Australian residents and business owners participating in market research studies about banking and insurance products. Panelists receive survey invitations via email and are rewarded for participation.
• iSky Digital UX intelligence solution providing real-user journey mapping and benchmarking for financial services, enabling analysis of mobile banking UX, app features, security, personalisation, and customer engagement.
• Australian Banking & Finance Awards Annual awards program benchmarking and celebrating the best performers in Australian banking and finance based on independent customer research.
• UK Banking & Finance Awards Annual awards program benchmarking and celebrating the best performers in UK banking and finance based on independent customer research for retail and business banking.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research covers 49 markets globally with 200,000+ consumer and 60,000+ business interviews annually

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ipsos: Ipsos is a global market research firm with a dedicated financial services practice delivering syndicated and bespoke consumer insights across banking, insurance, and payments. RFI Global competes most directly with Ipsos's FS team for the same enterprise banking clients and similar hybrid syndicated/bespoke contracts.
• J.D. Power: J.D. Power is a specialist consumer research and benchmarking firm heavily focused on banking, insurance, and financial services customer satisfaction. Its awards and syndicated benchmarking studies are directly comparable to RFI Global's Banking & Finance Awards programs and Pulse Panel offerings.
• MaritzCX: MaritzCX (formerly Maritz Research) specializes in customer experience research and benchmarking for financial services, automotive, and other verticals. It is a direct specialist competitor to RFI Global in FS customer experience insights and syndicated benchmarking programs.

Broad incumbents

• Forrester Research: Forrester is a global research and advisory firm covering digital strategy, customer experience, and financial services. While broader in scope than RFI, Forrester competes for enterprise FS research budgets, particularly around digital banking, CX, and emerging technology trends.
• Kantar: Kantar is one of the world's largest consumer insights and market research firms, serving global brands including financial institutions. It competes with RFI Global on syndicated and bespoke financial services research, though its FS focus is less specialized than RFI's vertical-only positioning.
• NielsenIQ: NielsenIQ is a global consumer intelligence firm providing data and insights across retail, FMCG, and adjacent verticals. Its scale and methodology in consumer research make it a comparable broad incumbent that financial services clients may consider alongside specialists like RFI Global.
• Gartner: Gartner is a global research and advisory firm serving IT, financial services, and other enterprise buyers with syndicated research, benchmarks, and advisory. It overlaps with RFI Global's enterprise FS client base but operates primarily in technology and adjacent research rather than consumer FS behavior.
• Circana (formerly IRI): Circana is a large-scale consumer insights and market intelligence firm providing data, analytics, and syndicated research across industries. While it overlaps with RFI Global on consumer research methodology, it is more focused on retail and CPG than financial services.

Others

• Accenture Research: Accenture operates a global research arm publishing financial services and consumer banking insights, often bundled with broader consulting engagements. It is adjacent rather than directly competitive, as its research supports implementation work that RFI Global does not perform.
• Deloitte Insights: Deloitte's research and insights practice publishes syndicated research on banking, insurance, and capital markets trends for enterprise clients. It is an adjacent ecosystem player whose FS thought leadership competes for the same executive mindshare as RFI Global's reports and podcasts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rfiglobal
• Xx.com/rfiglobal

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RFI Global