UK MP says BNPL firms are “next Wonga waiting to happen”
Just 22% of the nation didn’t carry personal debt into 2021.
Lending
Starling renews search for non-bank European lender
Starling is seeing the benefits of fully utilising its UK banking licence.
Fintech funding deals globally 4-10 January 2021
Featuring Grab, Mynt, Divvy, Mambu, and SimpleNexus.
Webinar: Deep dive on ServiceNow’s purpose built product for finserv operations
How to improve customer and employee experiences. Featuring a demo of The Now Platform from ServiceNow.
Fintech funding deals globally 28 Dec 2020-3 Jan 2021
Featuring Mission Lane, Narmi, Finja, CarPay, and ZipLoan.
Santander: Digital lenders have unfair regulatory advantage post-pandemic
“The pandemic will only entrench the digital players,” says Botín.
Société Générale acquires French digital sales platform Reezocar
The bank wants to expand the car sales start-up’s insurance and financing.
The Fintech Review: 2020
We cover embedded finance, competition, open banking, and CBDCs.
Wolters Kluwer snaps up cloud-based lender eOrignal for €231m
eOriginal claims “double-digit” revenue growth over the last three years.
Capital One takes swipe against “risky” BNPL firms
“These kinds of transactions can be risky for customers and the banks that serve them.”
Mortgage automation: solving today’s business challenges with a proven tool
AVM is becoming commonplace within the mortgage process, benefitting lenders and consumers alike.
Australian lender RedZed is first live on SAP’s Cloud for Banking service
RedZed goes live on SAP package deal, hosted on Amazon Web Services.
UK fintech Updraft raises £16m to refinance borrowers’ credit debt
The fintech focuses on spend-linked borrowings.
Douugh partners with Humm Group to launch US-based BNPL product
Australian neobank plans “Credit Jar” to help users build their credit scores.
Indian challenger Finwego looks to lend to private schools
The neobank claims to work with 700 partners already.
Finleap invests in German app aggregating student finance products
German tuition is largely free, making aid for living costs scarce.
San Fran alternative lender Oportun applies for banking charter
Oportun currently has licences in 12 states.
Suncorp exec-founded neobank Alex raises AUD 10m
The funding is headed towards marketing and product development.
Blockchain-based lender Figure seeks US bank charter
Figure wants to simplify its regulatory and compliance procedures.
Mortgage platform Better.com lands $200m in Series D funding
Better claims to have funded $25bn in home loans since 2016.
Hampshire Trust Bank picks Centelli for lending RPA solution
The bank aims to reduce manual processes.
How fintechs profit from human potential
The education industry is keeping pace with offering ever more options for postgraduate education.
Chinese regulator continues to clamp down on dominant fintech players
The CBIRC’s Liang Tao warned fintech lenders at a conference in Beijing this week.
OakNorth hires new CMO and VP of customer success
The firm has placed both women in its executive leadership team.
European Investment Bank invests $80m in Lithuania’s SME Finance
The firm is charged with backing Baltic enterprises through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Banco Santander’s VC arm invests in Spanish proptech Clikalia
Clikalia’s IPO ambitions were likely a big part of Santander’s decision to invest now.
Australia Post signs business lending tie-up with Valiant Finance
Aussie businesses can now get loans from their local post office.
US fintech lender Upstart Holdings files for IPO
To date, the fintech has raised some $165 million in funding.
NerdWallet makes second acquisition in 2020 with Fundera
The deal with Fundera sees NerdWallet continue to diversify its business.
Allica CPO says incumbents and fintechs still neglect some SMEs
“The decline of branches is synonymous with decline of relationship banking,” says CPO.
Denmark’s EKF picks Calypso for its treasury software
The credit export agency selected Calypso after an “extensive” tender.
Indian start-up Payzello combines debit, credit and forex into one card
Payzello was founded by 26-year old college dropout, Pruthiraj Rath.
Ex-Volt exec joins newly branded Aussie lendtech Nano
Nano is targeting the low-risk end of the market.
Engage, empower and advance: Black voices in venture capital
Co-founder of BLCK VC and Storm Ventures associate, Frederik Groce, is on a mission.
HSBC to cut up to 300 jobs in UK commercial banking unit
The cuts are part of a wider restructuring announced in February.
Stability of financial institutions during and beyond COVID-19
How should banks provide consumers with what they need and can afford?
Monet Money to target UK’s creatives with cash flow app
The beta version of its app is expected to land in February 2021.
FCA survey shows 12 million UK adults struggling with debt payments
“Our surveys have shown that younger and BAME consumers have been impacted more than others.”
Afterpay signs up to Westpac banking-as-a-service platform
Afterpay plans to launch a savings account on the Aussie bank’s software.
European lender Capitalbox buys rival Dutch arm of Spotcap
The deal marks Spotcap’s exit from the direct lending market.
