Beyond Bitcoin: why developing nations should look to stablecoins
With stablecoins, emerging economies could potentially build more inclusive and fairer monetary systems.
Financial Inclusion
KreditBee extends Series D funding round with additional $100m
The news follows KreditBee’s $80 million fundraise as part of its Series D funding round last month.
FinTech Futures: Top five stories of the week – 6 January 2023
Here’s our pick of five of the top news stories from the world of finance and tech this week.
Akulaku secures $200m from Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
The funding will support Akulaku’s anticipated growth as it looks to provide banking services across Southeast Asia.
Japan’s Smartpay launches open banking digital payments service
Smartpay claims it is the first digital consumer finance firm to utilise Japan’s open banking system.
Indian fintech start-up SarvaGram bags $35m Series C funding
Founded in 2018, SarvaGram last raised $10 million in a Series B funding round in 2021.
Welcome.Place, Enfuce, Epassi, Visa partner for refugee prepaid card pilot
The goal is to provide a service that assists 50,000 Ukrainian and other refugees by the end of 2023.
Reasons to be hopeful for 2023
Perhaps, the universe has a plan hiding in plain sight. The glimmers of hope that are just around the corner…
2022: Top five payments stories
FinTech Futures takes a look back at some of the year’s top developments and stories in payments.
Top five fintechs and neobanks of 2022
FinTech Futures takes a look back at some of the year’s top new fintechs and neobanks.
Fintech Galaxy snaps up Egypt’s Underlie to boost regional open finance
Fintech Galaxy will leverage Underlie’s open banking APIs expertise to speed up market penetration in Egypt.
White paper: How mortgage-as-a-service levels the playing field for minority and first-time homeowners
How industry leaders leverage mortgage-as-a-service to increase minority and first-time homeownership.
Jordan Kuwait Bank taps Codebase for digital onboarding and instant credit services
The bank will utilise Codebase Technologies’ Digibanc platform.
The What the FinTech? podcast | Season three’s jailed buzzwords
We run down all the buzzwords our podcast guests wanted gone from the industry this year.
My dollars matter
Branch closures hurt not only consumers, but also small businesses and their local communities.
Visa to invest $1bn in Africa to boost digital transformation
Visa says the move will enable “greater access” to digital payments in the region.
GCC fintech Now Money taps ThetaRay for AML Sonar solution
Now Money provides mobile banking services to the financially underserved, including low-fee cross-border remittances.
MICT completes acquisition of African agri-fintech firm Tingo
MICT owns “100% of the operating business and assets” of Tingo after snapping up Tingo Mobile.
What the FinTech? | S.3 Episode 19 | Canada’s evolving banking landscape
In this episode, we’re joined by Amreen Sodhi, head of digital product, payments and loyalty at Scotiabank.
Collaboration and partnership will improve money movement for the unbanked
Digital platforms can be the glue to help facilitate collaboration, reduce friction and minimise distribution costs.
Getting banked: financial services and the US cannabis industry
We chat with Michael Beird of Infused Banking about how banking is changing for US cannabis businesses.
ICYMI fintech funding round-up: BondIT, Paywatch, 1fs Wealth and more
A handy round-up of the recent funding endeavours of fintech companies across the globe.
Avant secures $250m in debt and equity from Ares Management
Avant CEO Matt Bochenek says the funds from Ares will “further fuel our credit portfolio and next-gen platform”.
Challenger bank Tonik acquires paytech firm TendoPay
Through the acquisition, Tonik aims to augment its lending portfolio.
US challenger bank Greenwood secures $45m funding
The latest round brings the total capital raised by the challenger to $88 million to date.
Singapore fintech Finbots.ai signs digital bank client in Asia
The firm has signed up Mongolia’s first neobank, M bank, to help build out its digital lending business.
Fintechs Canada launches to drive innovation in the country’s fintech sector
The not-for-profit association is looking to work with policymakers in a “whole-of-government” approach.
Danish financial edtech Female Invest buys trading platform Gaia
Gaia Investments is a trading platform with a focus on sustainable and ethical investing.
ICYMI fintech funding round-up: Atoa, Djamo, Flourish, Hardbacon & Nine25
A handy round-up of this week’s fintech funding news from around the world.
Thailand and Vietnam launch QR code cross-border payments link
The payments link between the two nations is designed to “enhance consumption and tourism”.
Kenya’s DeltaPay taps Provenir for data and risk decisioning platform
DeltaPay leverages alternative data to expand financial access to affordable consumer credit.
The empathy deficit
As the cost of living continues to rise, what will banks do? What should they do?
UBS partners iProov for automated customer biometric ID onboarding
With face verification tech, UBS key4 customers can onboard remotely in five minutes, iProov says.
Credit card financial inclusion fintech Mercury hires Jason Whiting as CFO
Whiting will join Mercury Financial from Barclays where he served as head of strategy for the Americas.
Evolution and revolution in global remittances
Flexible solutions for remittances are needed now more than ever to service evolving customer needs.
Private market exchange ADDX bags $20m in expanded pre-Series B
The latest equity round brings total funds raised by ADDX since 2017 to around $140 million.
UAE investment fintech Baraka lands $20m Series A
The start-up offers investors access to more than 6,000 US stocks and ETFs.
How blockchain technology is opening up fractional investing
Blockchain tech can power access to alternative assets such as art, real estate and wine.
Mastercard partners bpost and Nickel to launch inclusive card options
Belgium’s bpost and France’s Nickel will offer Mastercard’s True Name option to customers.
Fintech mortgage lender Gen H secures £600m partnership with The Nottingham
The funding will enable Gen H to speed up the rollout of its mortgage products.
