January 12, 2025 @ 10:32 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) launched the Supervisory Incubator for Distributed Ledger Technology to help banks responsibly unlock the transformative potential of distributed ledger technology (DLT). The Incubator is a supervisory arrangement designed to help banks maximize the “potential benefits” of DLT adoption by… Read More

January 12, 2025 @ 9:13 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

dLocal, the payment platform connecting merchants to emerging markets, announced it has been granted the Authorized Payment Institution license from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom. This positions dLocal to offer payment services in the UK, bolstering its commitment to compliance and… Read More

January 12, 2025 @ 8:14 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Central Bank of Ireland has launched its first “innovation sandbox programme,” introducing seven private-sector ventures focused on tackling financial crime. The initiative provides a controlled environment for testing new technologies, enhancing collaboration between the central bank and the fintech sector, and advancing solutions to… Read More

January 12, 2025 @ 7:24 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

SC Lowy has reportedly decided to accelerate its pivot towards private credit, an area “rich” with various opportunities in Asia and the Middle East, that will pave the way for the “gradual” wind down of its open-ended liquid Primary Investments Fund (PI). Initially launched as… Read More

January 12, 2025 @ 7:17 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The digital lending market in the Philippines, which includes registered non-bank digital lenders and digital banks, is projected to surpass $1 billion by the second half of 2025, according to a new analysis by Digido. The growth reflects strong consumer demand for online financial services… Read More

January 12, 2025 @ 1:31 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Airwallex, a payments and financial platform for global businesses, has recntly announced its partnership with Carwow, the online car-changing marketplace. Following the integration of Airwallex’s Scale Native API, Carwow can now process “payments for those enterprise dealer groups who purchase cars from thousands of private… Read More

January 12, 2025 @ 1:21 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

This past week, Fazeshift, an AI agent for accounts receivable, announced it raised $4 million in seed funding led by Gradient, Google’s early-stage AI fund. The round also included investments from Y Combinator, Wayfinder, Pioneer Fund, Ritual Capital, Phoenix Fund, and such angels as Terrence… Read More

January 12, 2025 @ 1:09 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Mantle, the blockchain ecosystem behind Ethereum layer 2 (L2) Mantle Network and Ether liquid staking protocol mETH Protocol, announced the integration of Ethena’s USDe and Mantle’s mETH on Compound, one of the DeFi lending protocols. This integration supports Mantle’s commitment to fostering synergy within its… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 6:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Six years after its market launch, Trade Republic has reportedly doubled its customer base to 8 million. Collectively, these customers manage assets worth 100 billion euro, making Trade Republic the “largest broker” in Europe and strengthening its position as the savings platform. The introduction of… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 6:31 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Kadena, the “scalable” Layer 1 Proof of Work (PoW) blockchain, announces a strategic partnership with Ownera, a Fintech enabling distribution and trading of tokenized assets through their global interconnectivity network. This collab integrates Kadena’s blockchain tech with tokenization applications using Ownera’s FinP2P routers to “connect… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 6:29 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Lemonway, a European payment institution, announces the launch of Online Onboarding, a solution designed to streamline the merchant onboarding process for marketplaces. As explained in the update, online onboarding eliminates the need for marketplaces to manage new customer onboarding, allowing them “to focus on business… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 6:15 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

This week, Deep Vector, an AI platform for analyzing underwriting documents, closed its seed round of $1.5M, co-led by Aperture Venture Capital and InsurTech NY. Deep Vector helps insurers and brokers translate the influx of analog documents used for underwriting risk—claims loss runs, Acord forms, motor… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 6:09 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

nsave, the provider of “compliant” accounts abroad to people from countries with high inflation, announced the launch of an investment product, enabling people at risk of financial exclusion to “protect and grow” their wealth. The company confirmed an $18mn Series A investment led by TQ… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 6:05 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

The following information was provided by Patrick Skjennum, the co-founder and CTO of anti-money laundering company Strise 1. Evolving sanctions evasion tactics will drive advanced AML capabilities As criminal networks increasingly leverage decentralized finance platforms, unregulated cryptocurrencies, digital twins and synthetic identities to evade sanctions,… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 5:55 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

TCB Pay, a provider of corporate cards and payment solutions, is pleased to announce the expansion of its services to include Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments. As explained in the announcement, this service cements TCB Pay’s position as an innovator in payment technology, delivering “flexibility,… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 5:52 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Following its 2024 Article IV Consultation with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recognized Hong Kong’s strong standing as an international financial center and endorsed its pathway towards fiscal consolidation. This affirmation came via a concluding statement released… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 11:22 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Spring Financial, a Canadian financial technology company simplifying the lending process for everyday Canadians, announces the launch of Bloom, an AI-driven financial concierge mobile app for everyday Canadians. Bloom redefines financial management by harnessing Artificial Intelligence to make banking, spending and “budgeting completely transparent and… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 11:21 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

This week, the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) unveiled its new “Repair, Reform, and Thrive” plan for the 119th Congress and the incoming Trump administration to address what it said are “the nation’s broken banking regulations and kickstart economic growth in local communities.” The… Read More

January 11, 2025 @ 11:19 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

As Bitcoin’s price surges, it is attracting more thieves. According to the FBI, in 2022, crypto scams resulted in north of $2.57 billion in losses. The average victim lost $54,000. The increasing intersection of cryptocurrency popularity and evolving fraud tactics highlights the critical need for… Read More