ING-backed Yolt app plugs into American Express
YTS said it was processing 14 million API calls on average per week.
FinTech
Portuguese government gets one step closer to approving fintech sandbox
The sandbox is part of the government’s Action Plan for Digital Transition.
University of Oxford & Mastercard team up on cyber skills programme
It will feature research, content and data from renowned academics and industry leaders.
How to shift gender balance in fintech
More than a third of fintechs in our sample did not have a single woman on their board.
Tech for good
Highlighting how tech companies have come to the rescue during the COVID-19 crisis.
The Inclusion Foundation launches to tackle financial exclusion
#FinancialInclusionMatters has been created to show support for TIF’s work and spread the word.
Monzo applies for US banking licence
Monzo applied to the US OCC for the licence on Monday.
SoFi acquires Hong Kong stock trading app 8 Securities
“Hong Kong, a financial capital of Asia, is ripe for innovation,” says SoFi’s CEO.
Saudi Arabia’s fintech sandbox welcomes nine more start-ups
The sandbox is home to 30 fintechs.
Nordic API Gateway lands $5m from Danske Bank and DNB
The fresh capital will initiate an “aggressive growth” plan to achieve pan-European coverage.
The in-between places
#LedaWrites has given me an expansive place where I could reflect, peel back and grow.
Swedish fintech Bokio lands $8m and merges with competitor Red Flag
The fintechs will have a combined user base of more than 80,000 customers.
Israeli fintech BioCatch raises $145m in Series C
More than 40 financial institutions use BioCatch’s technology.
Glafka Capital implements Valk’s Corda-based solution
R3’s Corda platform underpins 40 other investment banks.
Challenger Zelf to launch banking offering solely through messenger apps
“We have migrated into the top screen time for Gen Z’s and millennial’s,” says founder.
Looking beyond the coronavirus trading boom
Some trading apps see their future in the saving market.
Aquis Exchange selects big xyt’s Liquidity Cockpit
Aquis looks to support its market analytics following a bumper 2019.
Google plans debit card launch in the US
Google is preparing to launch an Apple Card rival soon.
Milan picks Soldo’s prepaid cards to distribute coronavirus aid
The cards are loaded with money from Italy’s €400 million Solidarity Fund.
Why the virus that stopped the world, opens a door for tech start-ups
During these difficult times the survival of many companies will depend on their ability to adjust to a new reality.
UK fintech Zeux lets users shop on Amazon through its banking app
The feature is currently in beta.
World Fintech Report 2020: “Traditional banks are at a critical juncture”
“They must embrace Open X or risk becoming irrelevant,” says John Berry, CEO of Efma.
Curve bags former PSR CEO as advisor on regulation strategy
Nixon managed the PSR for five years until last year.
Klarna exec jumps back into banking as CIO of Bluestep Bank
Klarna’s former VP of Engineering says he can’t wait to build “a mortgage bank for all”.
Singapore’s new blockchain industry group BAS launches
The group is the result of a merger between two 2018-founded entities.
Crypto Finance raises $14.5m in Series B funding
The new capital will help the firm gain a Swiss broker-dealer licence.
Explained: Protecting your ideas
Does your fintech need a patent? Does your invention need protection, or will you need something else?
Harnessing new technologies to stop today’s modern account takeover threats
Pairing face-based biometrics with certified liveness detection to crack down on ATO fraud.
Certified liveness detection a must for FCA recommended customer selfies
How to comply with the legislation and ensure that appropriate safeguards and additional checks are in place.
Trade Republic lands $62m in Series B funding
German firm secures one of the largest Series B funding rounds the region has ever seen.
UK government launches £1.25bn coronavirus Future Fund for start-ups
Start-ups can apply for loans between £125,000 and £5 million.
Spendesk co-founder departs after 12 month-long discussions
The remaining co-founders Ardant and Guilhem are gearing up to double the team again.
Varo Money takes on Moven’s consumer accounts
Accounts with Moven will shut on 30 April 2020.
Snoop launch a month early “to help households during coronavirus”
The fintech is headed by ex-Virgin Money CEO Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia.
All things equal
Understanding where the industry stands at present in terms of the gender gap is essential to trying to address it.
The rise of P2P FX
P2P initiatives aimed at helping corporates transact more efficiently will continue to gain traction.
Video: Top fintech stories this week – 17 April 2020
FinTech Futures’ weekly news round-up.
What the Fintech? Episode 3 | Digital disruption: Bitcoin and stable coins
Tune in to hear what Gemini’s MD for Europe, Julian Sawyer, thinks about digital currencies.
Stripe bags $600m in fresh funding to hit $36bn valuation
Stripe recently added Zoom as one of its main customer.
Revolut lets staff swap pay for shares in the challenger bank
Revolut’s co-founders Storonsky and Yatsenko are forgoing their salaries for a year.
