Founder and chief executive of global online job marketplace Freelancer Matt Barrie, has warned investors against buying in to a fintech and cryptocurrency "bubble", as he revealed long-term plans for a spin-off IPO of its fast-growing Escrow.com payments business.

Speaking to The Australian Financial Review in the wake of Freelancer's shares diving 14 per cent in one day after revelations of a rare revenue slow-down, Mr Barrie provided a robust defence of the company's long-term prospects, including his high expectations for Escrow, the payments business it acquired in 2015.