For CFOs of fast-growth FS and FinTech scale-ups, the long-term goal is often an eventual sale, merger or IPO. But the path to that exit is shaped by the choices you make today, especially when it comes to tax. Structuring decisions that feel tactical now can have a major impact on how cleanly and efficiently you can exit later. Get them right, and you can reduce friction, increase valuation, and attract the right buyers or investors. Get them wrong and you risk last-minute deal delays, unexpected liabilities, and lower proceeds.
The power of early structuring
Exit readiness is not something you can switch on a year before the deal. Every funding round, employee share scheme, IP registration, and cross-border transaction creates a paper trail that will be scrutinised in due diligence. Decisions about how your group is structured, where your intellectual property is held, and how you manage VAT can all affect the ease of sale and the price you command.
Early alignment with a tax strategy designed for growth and eventual exit allows you to make day-to-day decisions that keep you flexible. That means minimising unnecessary entities, avoiding double taxation risks, and ensuring that ownership structures are simple enough for an acquirer to understand and inherit.
Real-world FS and FinTech pitfalls
Intellectual property ownership
In tech-driven FS and FinTech businesses, IP is often the most valuable asset. But if your patents, trademarks or proprietary code are held in the wrong entity or country, transferring them at exit can be expensive and time-consuming. Buyers want clarity on who owns what and where.
Share options
Employee equity incentives are a core part of attracting and retaining talent. However, poorly structured share schemes can create tax liabilities for both the company and employees at exit. This can deter buyers or require costly clean-up work during due diligence.
VAT disputes
FinTech products often operate across multiple jurisdictions with differing VAT rules, especially for digital services and financial products. Misinterpretations or unresolved disputes can slow down a transaction or give buyers leverage to reduce their offer price.
The silent value drag
Some tax risks do not explode into view until due diligence, when the other side is actively looking for problems. At that point you are in a defensive position trying to justify past decisions under pressure. The reality is that many of these issues could have been identified and addressed years earlier without jeopardising relationships or valuation.
Future-facing tax planning is about seeing tax not just as a compliance obligation but as a strategic enabler. When tax risk is managed proactively, you reduce uncertainty for investors, shorten the due diligence process, and present a cleaner, more attractive business profile.
What CFOs should prioritise now
- Review ownership and group structure regularly to ensure it aligns with exit goals
- Stress-test employee share schemes against potential exit scenarios
- Audit VAT treatment for cross-border or complex products and resolve any disputes early
- Build tax governance into board reporting, so decisions are documented and defensible
- Maintain a tax risk register, so issues are tracked monitored and addressed over time
Positioning today for tomorrow’s exit
In a fast-growth FS or FinTech environment tax complexity ramps up quickly – often faster than the internal finance function can scale. Working with advisors who understand both the regulatory landscape and the commercial realities of exits means you can navigate decisions with confidence. The right partner will not just handle compliance, but will help you make structuring choices that keep every future option open, whether that’s selling to a strategic acquirer, entering new markets or going public.
Your exit story is already being written in the contracts you sign, the structures you build, and the way you record your decisions. Make sure that story is one buyers will want to read.
If you are planning for a future exit and want to discuss what you need to look out for, HaysMac’s My Tax Partner service helps to ensure you are well positioned to achieve your goals.
Acting as your embedded strategic tax director, we help FS and FinTech CFOs make today’s structuring decisions with tomorrow’s exit in mind. That means cleaner due diligence, fewer surprises, and a stronger valuation story when the time comes.
Through regular agenda-led reviews, we surface risks early, document tax positions clearly, and ensure your tax strategy evolves in step with your growth. With My Tax Partner, you gain the confidence that your future exit is being planned for now, leaving you free to focus on scaling the business.
