January 2025: Top five fintech funding rounds of the month
From emerging start-ups to established players, a number of firms across the globe have secured funding this month to fuel their growth.
Here, we run through five of the top fintech funding stories of January, featuring Highnote, LemFi, Swan, and more.
Embedded payments platform Highnote lands $90m Series B, debuts new acquiring solution
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Highnote raises $90m Series B
Highnote, an embedded payments platform specialising in card issuance and programme management for businesses, has raised $90 million in a Series B funding round led by Adams Street Partners.
The round was supported by existing investors Oak HC/FT, Costanoa, WestCap, and Pinegrove Venture Partners, and reportedly brings Highnote’s company valuation to over $750 million, a source close to the transaction told Forbes.
Highnote, based in San Francisco, US, made its market debut back in 2020 with an embedded payments platform built to enable companies to embed virtual and physical card payments, ledger, and wallet functionalities into their products.
The company has now raised more than $145 million to date, including $54 million in combined seed and Series A funding.
US fintech Brex secures $235m revolving credit facility with Citi and TPG Angelo Gordon
Expense management platform Brex has secured a $235 million revolving credit facility with Citi serving as the senior lender and investment platform TPG Angelo Gordon also participating.
The US-based fintech intends to use its new facility to expand its corporate card offering, alongside its suite of expense management, travel, banking and bill pay solutions.
Latest updates to Brex’s corporate card offering include the launch of an AI-powered accounting tool with real-time financial closing, a card management hub, and a user interface featuring over 100 enhancements, all of which were rolled out in the summer.
In addition to this new facility, Brex previously completed its third securitisation transaction in March, issuing $260 million in charge card asset-based notes, and also maintains additional warehouse facilities with Barclays Investment Bank and Credit Suisse.
LemFi lands $53m Series B to tap new markets
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LemFi bags $53 million Series B
LemFi, a US-based fintech start-up specialising in financial services for immigrants, has secured $53 million in a Series B funding round led by venture capital firm Highland Europe.
Founded in 2021, LemFi offers a range of international payment services, including multi-currency global accounts, physical and virtual cards, and cross-border money transfers to over 22 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe.
The company boasts “over one million users across Europe and North America sending money to emerging markets” such as Kenya, Senegal, Cameroon, India and Pakistan.
Headquartered in Oakland, California, LemFi will use its new funding to expand its platform and to support a global hiring spree.
Payroll software provider OnPay raises over $100m in new funding
OnPay, a US-based payroll and HR software provider, is set to expand its suite of payroll, HR and benefits solutions after securing more than $100 million in fresh funding.
The funding includes $63 million in Series B equity financing and a debt facility with MC Credit Partners.
Headquartered in Atlanta, OnPay provides modern payroll and HR solutions that equip small and mid-sized businesses across the US to manage compliance, streamline operations, and support their teams.
In a statement regarding the raise, OnPay says the funding will enable it to “scale its capabilities, further invest in product development, expand partnerships and integrations, augment customer success teams, and accelerate its go-to-market strategy”.
BaaS fintech Swan raises €42m for European expansion
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Swan plots expansion with fresh €42m Series B investment
Embedded banking fintech Swan has received €42 million in additional Series B funding.
The fintech, founded in 2019, has now raised €100 million in equity to date, according to a statement made by Benelux country lead Marnix van Deursen, who shared the update via LinkedIn.
The funds will be used to expand into new markets, per a post on its website. Swan, based in Paris, France, launched in the Netherlands in 2023 and Italy in 2024, with the UK and Belgium next on its expansion list.
To support this growth, the start-up plans to hire around 80 new team members across Europe, while refining its Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform with “tailored offerings for SMBs” and “custom card programs”.