Fintech Virtual CISO: Close the Enterprise Deals You're Losing to Security Questionnaires

Build the compliance programme your next funding round demands. A fintech CISO from a tier-1 bank costs $300,000-$450,000 a year. Our vCISO service starts at $3,300/month.

PCI DSS. SOC 2. DORA. GLBA. FCA. Your fintech faces more compliance frameworks simultaneously than almost any other industry. You need a CISO who already knows them - not one who will learn on your budget.

Book a Free Call Virtual CISO Overview
PCI DSSSOC 2DORAGLBAFCAISO 27001
Fintech virtual CISO - security leadership for financial technology companies
$300K+Annual Cost of a Fintech CISO Hire
20+Years Financial Services Security Experience
90Days to Audit-Ready SOC 2 Programme
10+Fintech Compliance Frameworks Covered
$0Payment Before Approved Work
Fintech virtual CISO compliance framework overview covering PCI DSS, SOC 2, DORA, and GLBA

Three Compliance Regimes. One Company. Zero Margin for Error.

Fintech companies operate at the intersection of three brutal compliance regimes simultaneously: financial services regulation, payment card industry standards, and general data protection law.

A SaaS company needs SOC 2. A healthcare company needs HIPAA. A fintech company needs SOC 2 and PCI DSS and GLBA and potentially DORA and FCA regulations - all at the same time, all with different control requirements, different audit cycles, and different penalties for non-compliance.

This is why a general-purpose vCISO fails in fintech. They know one or two frameworks. You need someone who can manage ten simultaneously without letting any of them slip.

Fintech compliance - digital wallets and payment security

The Fintech Compliance Stack We Manage

Every one of these frameworks has specific security controls, documentation requirements, and audit cycles. We manage all of them as part of a single, integrated compliance programme.

PCI DSS

Mandatory if you touch card payments, even through a processor. Scope determination, SAQ completion, and control implementation.

SOC 2 Type II

Required by every enterprise customer and most institutional investors. Not Type I, not "in progress" - the completed report.

GLBA Safeguards Rule

Mandatory for US companies handling consumer financial data. Risk assessment, access controls, encryption, incident response.

FCA/PRA Regulations

If you are FCA-authorised or processing UK payments. Operational resilience, data security, and outsourcing requirements.

DORA

Digital Operational Resilience Act - mandatory for EU financial entities from January 2025. ICT risk management, incident reporting, resilience testing.

ISO 27001

Required by EU banking partners and large enterprise customers. Information security management system with continuous improvement.

State Money Transmitter Requirements

State-by-state security requirements for companies handling money transmission. Each state has different standards.

SOC 1 Type II

Required if your platform affects customers' financial reporting. Controls over financial transaction processing.

FFIEC Guidance

If you are a bank technology provider or BaaS platform. IT examination handbook, cybersecurity assessment tool, authentication guidance.

Open Banking / PSD2

API security, strong customer authentication, and third-party provider requirements for payment services in the EU and UK.

What Enterprise Customers Demand Before They Sign

Your enterprise prospect loved the demo. Then procurement sent this list. If you cannot produce every item, the deal stalls - and the competitor who can produces it instead.

Vendor Security Questionnaire

SIG Lite, CAIQ, or bespoke 200-question version. Completed, accurate, and defensible under follow-up questions.

SOC 2 Type II Report

Not Type I, not "in progress" - the completed report covering a minimum observation period with clean auditor opinions.

Penetration Test Report

Conducted by an independent firm, less than 12 months old. Application, API, and infrastructure scope.

Information Security Policy

Documented, board-approved, version-controlled. Covering access control, data protection, incident response, and acceptable use.

Business Continuity & DR Plan

Documented business continuity and disaster recovery plan with RTOs, RPOs, and evidence of regular testing.

Incident Response Plan

With breach notification SLAs that match your customer contract requirements and regulatory obligations.

Vendor Risk Management Programme

Documented third-party risk management process showing how you assess and monitor your own vendors and subprocessors.

Annual Security Training Evidence

Proof that all employees complete security awareness training annually, with completion tracking and assessment results.

Named CISO or Security Officer

A named security leader they can contact. Not a general inbox - a specific person who owns your security programme.

We produce every item on this list. As your fintech vCISO, we serve as the named security officer, build the compliance programme, manage the audits, complete the questionnaires, and ensure you always have current, defensible documentation ready for any enterprise prospect.

Eight Outcomes You Can Measure

Not promises. Not capabilities. Specific outcomes that change your business trajectory.

01

Win enterprise deals your security questionnaire is currently blocking

Every completed questionnaire, every SOC 2 report shared, every pen test result delivered removes the objection standing between you and signed contracts.

02

Get SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 - not a promise, a completed report

We manage the entire programme from gap analysis through auditor selection, evidence collection, remediation, and final report delivery.

03

PCI DSS compliance scoped, validated, and documented

Correct scope determination, appropriate SAQ completed, controls implemented, and evidence maintained for your acquirer and enterprise customers.

04

FCA, DORA, or GLBA compliance documented before your regulator asks

Proactive regulatory compliance that demonstrates good faith and prevents enforcement actions.

05

Series B or growth round closes without the "fix security first" condition

Investors perform security due diligence. A mature security programme with documented compliance removes the condition that delays or kills funding rounds.

06

Developers ship faster because security is solved - not a recurring argument

Clear security requirements, automated checks in CI/CD, and pre-approved architecture patterns mean your engineering team stops debating security and starts building.

07

Customer and payment data is genuinely protected - not checkbox-protected

Real security controls tested by independent penetration testers, not just documentation that says the right things. Your customers' data is actually safe.

08

Scale security as you scale product - without re-hiring for every new requirement

New market? New regulation? New enterprise customer requirement? Your vCISO scales with you without recruitment cycles, onboarding delays, or knowledge gaps.

What's Included in Your Fintech vCISO Engagement

Three pillars of security leadership. Every item below is included - not an add-on, not an upsell.

Governance & Leadership

Strategic Security Leadership

  • Named CISO for your organisation
  • Board and investor security briefings
  • 20+ security policies written and maintained
  • Enterprise risk register
  • Annual security strategy
  • Incident command and response
  • Vendor risk assessments
  • Employee security awareness training
Compliance Programme

Multi-Framework Compliance

  • SOC 2 / ISO 27001 / PCI DSS / GLBA programme
  • Security questionnaire completion
  • Penetration test management
  • Vulnerability management programme
  • Data classification framework
  • Data Protection Impact Assessments
  • Audit preparation and auditor liaison
  • Compliance calendar and deadline tracking
Technical Security

Hands-On Security Controls

  • Cloud security architecture (AWS/Azure/GCP)
  • Endpoint protection programme
  • Identity and access management
  • Network security architecture
  • API security review
  • Secure SDLC implementation
  • Logging, monitoring, and alerting
  • Encryption and key management
Fintech vCISO engagement delivering compliance program management and security leadership

Why Fintech Companies Choose Atlant Security

20+ years of financial services security experience - we know the regulatory landscape because we have worked inside it
We manage PCI DSS, SOC 2, GLBA, DORA, FCA, and ISO 27001 as a single integrated programme - not six separate projects
Fixed pricing with no payment before approved work - you know exactly what you will pay before we start
Security questionnaires completed in days, not weeks - unblocking the enterprise deals in your pipeline right now
SOC 2 audit-ready programme in 90 days - not a roadmap, a programme with controls operating and evidence collecting
We serve as your named CISO for vendor due diligence, investor questions, and regulatory inquiries
100% vendor-agnostic - we recommend what is right for your architecture, not what pays us commissions
We work across US, UK, EU, and international jurisdictions - wherever your fintech operates
Security that enables your development team to ship faster, not slower - clear requirements, automated checks, pre-approved patterns

The Cost of Doing Nothing vs. Doing It Right

Every month without a security programme is a month of lost enterprise revenue, increased regulatory risk, and growing technical debt.

Full-Time Fintech CISO

$300K-$450Kper year
  • 6-month recruitment cycle
  • 3-month onboarding before productivity
  • Benefits, equity, and retention costs on top
  • Single point of failure if they leave
Recommended

Atlant Fintech vCISO

From $3,300per month
  • Productive from day one
  • 20+ years fintech security experience
  • All compliance frameworks included
  • No payment before approved work
  • Scale up or down as you grow

No CISO at All

$0upfront
  • Enterprise deals lost to security gaps
  • Funding rounds delayed or conditioned
  • Regulatory fines and enforcement risk
  • Breach costs average $4.88M (IBM 2024)
Trusted fintech virtual CISO partner with 20+ years of financial services security experience

Stop Losing Enterprise Deals to Security Questionnaires

Book a free 30-minute call. Tell us about your fintech product, the compliance frameworks you need to address, and the enterprise deals in your pipeline. We will tell you exactly what you need, what it costs, and how fast we can get you there. No payment before approved work.

Book Free Strategy Call alexander@atlantsecurity.com

Frequently Asked Questions About Fintech Virtual CISO Services

What is a Fintech Virtual CISO?
A fintech virtual CISO is an experienced Chief Information Security Officer who works with your company on a fractional basis rather than as a full-time hire. They provide strategic security leadership, compliance programme management, board-level reporting, and hands-on oversight of your security controls - all tailored to the financial services regulatory environment. You get the same expertise a tier-1 bank CISO brings, without the $300,000-$450,000 annual salary.
How is a fintech vCISO different from a general vCISO?
Fintech operates under compliance regimes that do not exist in other industries. PCI DSS, FCA/PRA regulations, DORA, GLBA Safeguards Rule, FFIEC guidance, state money transmitter requirements, and Open Banking/PSD2 security standards are all specific to financial services. A general vCISO will spend months learning these frameworks. A fintech vCISO already knows them and can start delivering results from day one.
What does a fintech vCISO do day-to-day?
Day-to-day responsibilities include completing enterprise security questionnaires, managing SOC 2/PCI DSS/ISO 27001 compliance programmes, overseeing penetration tests, maintaining and updating security policies, managing incident response readiness, conducting vendor risk assessments, briefing the board and investors, and coordinating with auditors and regulators. The exact split depends on your company stage and immediate priorities.
How quickly can we get to SOC 2 Type II?
SOC 2 Type II requires a minimum 6-month observation period during which your controls must be operating effectively. The full process from programme launch to completed Type II report typically takes 9-12 months. We can get you SOC 2 Type I audit-ready in approximately 90 days, which demonstrates your controls are designed correctly and is often sufficient to unblock enterprise deals while the Type II observation period runs.
Does PCI DSS apply to us if we use Stripe or Adyen?
Yes. Using a payment processor like Stripe or Adyen reduces your PCI DSS scope, but it does not eliminate your obligation. You still need to complete the appropriate Self-Assessment Questionnaire, implement specific security controls, and document your cardholder data environment. Scope determination is critical - getting this wrong means either unnecessary compliance costs or dangerous gaps in your security posture.
What is DORA and does it apply to us?
DORA is the EU Digital Operational Resilience Act, which became mandatory for EU financial entities from January 2025. It applies to banks, payment institutions, e-money institutions, investment firms, crypto-asset service providers, and their critical ICT third-party providers. If you are a fintech operating in the EU or providing technology services to EU financial entities, DORA likely applies to you. It requires ICT risk management frameworks, incident reporting, digital operational resilience testing, and third-party risk management.
How much does a fintech vCISO cost?
Pricing is based on your company size, regulatory complexity, and the number of hours per month you need. We use transparent fixed pricing - you receive a detailed proposal with exact costs before any work begins. There is no payment before approved work. A full-time fintech CISO costs $300,000-$450,000 per year. Our vCISO service starts at $3,300 per month.
Can you help us pass a security questionnaire immediately?
Yes. This is often the first thing we do for new clients. Enterprise security questionnaires (SIG Lite, CAIQ, or bespoke 200+ question versions) are frequently blocking active deals. We can step in, complete the questionnaire based on your current security posture, identify any gaps that need immediate remediation, and get you through the vendor approval process as fast as possible.
What if we have a security incident?
Incident response is included in our vCISO service. We provide an incident response plan, conduct tabletop exercises, and are available outside normal business hours if an incident occurs. For fintech companies, incident response also means managing breach notification obligations under GLBA, FCA, DORA, GDPR, and state-level regulations - each with different timelines and requirements.
Do you work with fintech companies outside the US and UK?
Yes. We work with fintech companies across multiple jurisdictions including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, UAE, and others. Financial regulation is jurisdiction-specific, so we tailor our compliance programme to wherever you operate and wherever your customers are located.
What is the difference between a vCISO and a cybersecurity consultant?
A cybersecurity consultant delivers a defined project - an audit, a penetration test, a compliance assessment - and then leaves. A vCISO becomes embedded security leadership for your company. They attend board meetings, own your security programme, manage ongoing compliance, respond to incidents, and evolve your security posture as you grow. A consultant gives you a report. A vCISO gives you a security programme.
What does board reporting look like?
We provide monthly or quarterly security dashboards covering current threat landscape relevant to fintech, compliance programme status across all applicable frameworks, security programme maturity scores, open risks and remediation progress, incident metrics, and upcoming regulatory deadlines. Reports are designed for a non-technical board audience and map directly to business risk.

Related: Virtual CISO Services - SOC 2 Readiness - IT Security Audit - Contact Us