Opera Limited (NASDAQ: OPRA), a Norway-based browser provider, announced on Tuesday it has appointed PayPal and WeChat Pay veteran Allen Hu as the new Executive Vice President of Dify, Opera’s fintech arm. According to Opera, Dify takes advantage of the company’s expertise in delivering cutting-edge internet browsers and consumer technology solutions to deliver an intuitive, mobile-first approach to financial services.
“Dify uses technology from the Opera browser to provide modern shoppers with the highest quality online experience by making it safer, more personal, and more rewarding.”
Speaking about his appointment, Hu stated:
“I am delighted to join Opera and truly excited about the opportunity Dify has to become a leader in fintech. Opera’s approach to initially offer its 50 million monthly active users in Europe an online in-browser cashback service as well as the Dify wallet app marks the start of many innovative financial services Dify will offer.”
The appointment of Hu comes follows Dify’s service launch in Europe. The platform’s first offering is an in-browser cashback service for online shopping as well as a Dify Wallet app, which provides Opera’s large user base with access to a personal account and a virtual Mastercard debit card.
“Dify targets a fast-growing set of ‘power shoppers’ whose online shopping experience would benefit from cashback offerings, a privacy-first shopping mode, a digital debit card and eventually, services like savings management, credit and investment opportunities.”
Opera added that the cashback service, as well as the Dify app, are currently offered in Spain in beta, with more European markets to follow in the future.
