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.
FinTech
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.
More than 275 accountancy firms ask UK government to plug gaps in SME aid
“Entrepreneurs face their business being crushed,” says the letter.
Robinhood is raising fresh capital at an $8bn valuation
It apparently made $60 million in March – triple what it made in March 2019.
FSB publishes consultation on stablecoin regulatory challenges
Regulatory body publishes recommendations in response to G20.
Hong Kong challenger ZA Bank picks OneSumX for regulatory reporting
The first virtual bank in Hong Kong selects Wolters Kluwer system.
Fintech investment tips: ETFs, CFD and beyond
Opportunities for traders are no less diverse in the modern market.
Santander’s money transfer fintech PagoFX launches in UK
Fees will not be incurred until 16 June 2020 for transactions under £3,000.
ThoughtSpot CEO: “We haven’t seen any cutbacks” due to our automation in banks
The banks ThoughtSpot works with are hiring more people to power its automation.
Identity verification platform Onfido bags $100m from TPG
The start-up wants to create an alternative “identity verification” layer for the internet
VibePay opens up APIs to SMEs, lands £1.25m funding
Originally planned for Q3 of 2020, the fintech brought the launch forward
Credit Kudos lands £5m Series A ahead of FCA’s credit market study
The capital raise was led by AlbionVC.
On making your bed and having a future
Giving the people who are building your future a reason to believe in you and your right for a future is survival.
