FinTech Futures: Top five stories of the week – 15 July 2022
Here’s our pick of five of the top news stories from the world of finance and tech this week.
Digital Asset
US crypto firm Celsius files for bankruptcy protection
Celsius has initiated voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings as it looks to restructure and “stabilise its business”.
Financial Stability Board outlines need for international crypto regulation
The FSB is calling for regulation of cryptoasset activities on an international level.
Digital asset management platform Safe raises $100m
Funds will enable the firm to grow an ecosystem of applications on top of its smart contract account protocol.
Brazilian payments app PicPay to launch crypto exchange and stablecoin
PicPay sees crypto as a way to decentralise payments and other financial services.
ING spins out digital post-trade market infrastructure tech to GMEX Group
GMEX intends to combine Pyctor with its MultiHub offering.
FCA appoints six new directors as it embarks on “ambitious” new strategy
The appointments sit alongside the nearly 500 new staff hired this year.
Binance.US hires ex-PayPal exec Jasmine Lee as CFO as firm eyes IPO
Lee joins from micro-investing app Acorns, where she served as CFO and COO.
FinTech Futures: Top five stories of the week – 8 July 2022
Here’s our pick of five of the top news stories from the world of finance and tech this week.
UK fintech Mode hires Jose Sanchez Loureda as CTO
Loureda will be tasked with helping Mode enhance its digital wallet offering.
Wyre partners MoneyGram to allow crypto-to-cash conversion
It’s hoped the integration will address a “major pain point for users” in the crypto ecosystem.
Central bank digital currency (CBDC) – why go slow
CBDC will catapult society to new heights. We better get it right!
Meta calls time on digital wallet project Novi
The Novi app and Novi on WhatsApp will no longer be available starting 1 September 2022.
Cartoon: Swimming naked
A new cartoon illustrating how the shift in the market will reveal which crypto unicorns can deliver.
EU reaches agreement on crypto regulation proposal
The new regulation will help protect investors while allowing for continued innovation within the sector.
WTH are ZKPs? Making blockchain transactions private
In order to gain or have mainstream adoption of blockchain tech, it needs to be private.
Video: Bitstamp at Money 20/20 Europe – Putting trust in crypto
We chat with Bitstamp CEO JB Graftieaux to discuss how trust in and adoption of crypto varies across the world.
Video: Kraken at Money 20/20 Europe – Keeping up with cybercriminals
We chat with Curtis Ting of Kraken to discuss how financial crime is evolving in the digital asset space.
Flowdesk bags $30m in Series A funding round
Flowdesk plans on using the new funds to grow and scale its platform.
The future of crypto compliance
Exploitation by criminals has brought about a need for more regulation in the crypto world.
Citi partners METACO to develop digital asset custody capabilities
Citi will integrate METACO’s bank-grade digital asset custody and orchestration platform, Harmonize.
Blockchain paytech Roxe to go public via SPAC merger in $3.6bn deal
Roxe will merge with Goldenstone Acquisition and become a publicly traded company on Nasdaq.
Why I do want to use crypto to buy my pizza
I predict that in the medium term, we will begin to consider crypto a safe and reliable form of tender.
FinTech Futures: Top five stories of the week – 17 June 2022
Here’s our pick of five of the top news stories from the world of finance and tech this week.
Fintech Zytara partners deadmau5 to create branded banking solution
deadmau5 will join Zytara’s advisory board “to help enhance the creative direction for Zytara moving forward”.
Money 20/20 Europe: Digiseq connects the digital and physical world
At Money 20/20 Europe, FinTech Futures sat down with David Birch, chair of wearable payments disruptor Digiseq.
Jewel Bank, a new digital asset bank, launches in Bermuda
Bitbull Capital invested in Jewel Bank’s Series A round in 2022.
Crypto exchange Coinbase extends hiring pause and rescinds some job offers
The firm cites “current market conditions” as a reason behind the move.
Cartoon: Untethered
A new cartoon illustrating the potential economic risks surrounding asset-backed stablecoins.
How CBDCs will transform the way India transacts
The proposed implementation of CBDCs will completely change how the country perceives money.
KPMG UK hires Crypto UK exec to bolster digital asset services
KPMG UK says the hires will allow it to offer clients “additional high calibre expertise”.
Blockchain fintech Oasis Pro lands $27m Series A
The company’s mission is “to bridge the world of traditional finance, blockchain and decentralised finance”.
Former Meta, PayPal chief launches Bitcoin payments start-up
Lightspark aims to “explore, build and extend the capabilities and utility of Bitcoin”.
Digital assets platform Elwood lands $70m Series A
The Series A cash will go towards expanding Elwood’s product offerings and global operations.
Blockchain data platform Chainalysis raises $170m Series F
The Series F pegs Chainalysis’ valuation at $8.6 billion.
FinTech Futures: Top five stories of the week – 13 May 2022
Here’s our pick of five of the top news stories from the world of finance and tech this week.
KuCoin hits $10bn valuation with new $150m funding round
The round was led by Jump Crypto with participation from Circle Ventures, IDG Capital and Matrix Partners.
Crypto firm Talos bags $105m from investors including Citi, Wells Fargo and BNY Mellon
Existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, PayPal and Fidelity also took part in the round.
Bridging the gap between new and old payment methods
Payment experiences have changed significantly, with ‘alternative payment’ methods gaining more and more traction.
Fractional investment platform Investables readies for UK launch
Investables allows retail investors to purchase fractional shares in rare collectibles.
