LA fintech Ensemble is helping divorced parents navigate their kids’ finances
App features range from organising one-off expenses, to saving for college tuition.
Challenger Bank
Fair CMO Toni Harrison: Oppressors can’t be the underbanked’s saviours
Instead of shrinking, the racial wealth gap has only continued to swell and expand.
Emirati tycoon Mohamed Alabbar to chair UAE challenger Zand
Zand is still waiting on its application for a full UAE banking licence.
KeyBank launches digital bank for doctors with new offshoot at Laurel Road
KeyBank acquired Laurel Road in 2019.
German challenger pockid targeting Gen Z launches this month
Users can either sign up to Neo Beginner, or Neo Pro.
Octobank acquires Earlybase to boost sales and marketing in Europe
Czeczia-based neobank makes strategic buy.
Raising the curtain on embedded finance: the next wave of fintech is here
Embedded finance brings an entirely new set of players targeting specific segments into finserv.
Tandem Bank goes live on Mambu core platform
Tandem replaces Fiserv’s Agiliti with Mambu’s system.
ICYMI funding round-up: Butter, Spiral, SadaPay, OVEX, Ensemble & more
We’ve put together an “In Case You Missed It” (ICYMI) funding list.
Top 10 funding rounds in Q1 2021
The first quarter of 2021 has seen a handful of big rounds.
Triggers and obstacles to the development of the fintech sector in Poland
A deep dive on the benefits and challenges of the banking and payments landscape in Poland.
Penta co-founder gearing up new venture Relio for Swiss SMEs
Relio is currently in the swings of applying for a fintech licence.
Revolut withholds $90,000 from investment manager with “no real response” for months
An investment manager’s battle to receive his $90,000.
Digital challenger Minna Bank to launch in Japan by May
Minna will offer both consumer-facing and white labelled products.
Challenger Oyster Financial launches credit offering for Mexico’s SMEs
Instant credit will range from $500 to $1,500.
SoundCloud exec BianRosa joins N26 as new CPO
BianRosa will lead all product teams for the challenger globally.
Danish challenger Kompasbank lands banking licence
The neobank aims to target the SME sector in Europe.
Zopa raises £20m from internal funding round
The round was led by IAG Silverstripe and featured existing investors.
Indiana-based fintech Zoro Card builds credit through a debit card
The fintech focuses on those disproportionately affected by insufficient credit histories.
Dallas fintech Stretch to offer former prison inmates bank accounts
The start-up’s aim is to help America’s formerly incarcerated people transition back into the country’s economy.
New US bank on the block Sable aims to support new migrants
Sable offers both debit and credit accounts for new arrivals.
US de novo Lili targets freelancers with tax tools & early payments
It wants to give freelancers an “all-in-one” banking app.
Sheroes Money is banking on India’s female entrepreneurs
India is home to just two self-made female billionaires.
US fintech Sincere to target “pet parents” with debit cards
In 2019, Americans spent $95.7 billion on their pets.
Lithuanian fintech SH Payments picks Nano as new core system
Baltic Amber Systems beat “several” competitors to the deal.
UK fintechs B-North, DIEM, Encompass, and Lumio raise funding
A round-up of recent investments clinched by the UK fintech start-ups.
Canadian challenger Koho raises $56m in Series C funding round
The new funding is all headed towards building awareness in the market.
Ikigai launches in UK to disrupt the asset percentage pricing model
Ikigai is charging a flat £10-a-month fee to early access users.
Web browser Opera hires ex-PayPal and Tencent exec to lead new fintech arm
The new EVP likens Dify’s potential to PayPal’s market disruptor status.
Banking Technology March 2021 issue out now
Creating communities: celebrating women in fintech this Women’s History Month
YAP throws hat into UAE’s digital banking ring
The start-up’s partner is National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah.
Starling raises £272m to land unicorn status with £1.1bn valuation
The capital will boost Starling’s lending, launch Starling in Europe, and underpin M&A.
Video: Top fintech stories this week – 05 March 2021
FinTech Futures’ weekly news round-up.
Stori raises $32.5m in Series B funding
The round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Square finally launches bank after filing first application in 2017
Previously, Jack Dorsey’s fintech partnered with Celtic Bank for banking products.
UK chancellor to reveal £22bn infrastructure bank in 2021 Budget
The bank will offer loans to local authorities at lower rates to support new projects.
Indian start-up Zaggle registers new fintech ZikZuk to offer SMEs credit
In the next two years, ZikZuk intends to take itself across the globe.
Fintech funding deals globally 22-28 February 2021
Featuring Chargebee, Tyme, TypTap Insurance, Anchorage, and Earnix.
Ethical challenger algbra banks on tech to define it in “fintech gold rush”
“We’re building a backend on a global level,” says co-founder.
UK challengers Monument, Pockit and TreeCard bank funding
Three UK banking services start-ups have landed investment recently.
