June 20, 2024 @ 11:56 am By Michael Wong  |  

Celcoin, a player in the Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) financial technology market in Brazil, has announced raising $125 million in its latest funding round led by global growth equity investor Summit Partners. The funding aims to bolster Celcoin’s expansion plans and reinforce its commitment to providing financial… Read More

June 16, 2024 @ 3:59 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Mbanq has announced a strategic partnership with IG Tech Cambodia, a Fintech developer in Southeast Asia, to create IG Finlink Cambodia, with Mbanq holding a majority ownership stake. The alliance signifies Mbanq’s ambitious expansion into the ASEAN banking technology and Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) markets. Initially focusing… Read More

June 16, 2024 @ 3:52 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Fhenix, an Israel-based company specializing in Layer 2 blockchain technology that leverages fully homomorphic encryption (FHE), has successfully closed a $15 million Series A funding round. The round was led by Hack VC, with additional investments from Dao5, Amber Group, Primitive, GSR, Collider, and Stake… Read More

June 15, 2024 @ 10:19 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has released the first edition of the ‘Practical Guide on Venture Capital and Private Equity in Malaysia’ early this week, aiming to clarify the Malaysian policy landscape for fund managers, service providers, and investors in these sectors. The guide provides… Read More

June 15, 2024 @ 9:12 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Qiro Finance, a Singapore-headquartered decentralized finance (DeFi) startup founded by Akshay Poshatwar and Nishikant Bahalkar, announced a successful $1.2 million funding round to develop a decentralized credit protocol aimed at bridging the significant credit gap in emerging markets. The startup said it is innovating at… Read More

June 15, 2024 @ 7:15 pm By Michael Wong  |  

BayaniPay, a US and Philippines-based global payments automation process provider announced that it has raised an additional $3 million in funding to expand its international payment capabilities. This capital injection, led by Wavemaker Partners, PTGB, and Talino Venture Studios, will be used to finance the… Read More

June 15, 2024 @ 10:08 am By Michael Wong  |  

Ant Group, the Fintech arm of Chinese tech major Alibaba, ramped up its research and development expenditures to a record 21.2 billion yuan ($3.05 billion) last year, according to its latest sustainability report. This move highlights the company’s increasing focus on technology innovations, including artificial… Read More

June 15, 2024 @ 9:21 am By Michael Wong  |  

AccountsIQ, a cloud-based accounting platform, has raised €60 million (about $64 million) in a Series C funding round anchored by business-to-business (B2B) software-as-a-service (SaaS) growth equity fund Axiom Equity. The investment is set to bolster AccountsIQ’s product development, enabling the firm to integrate advancements in… Read More

June 9, 2024 @ 5:44 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Asialink Finance Corp, a provider of financial solutions to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Philippines, has announced secured P4 billion (about $71 million) from Malaysian private equity firm Creador. This strategic infusion of funds will see Creador acquiring an 18% stake in Asialink,… Read More

June 9, 2024 @ 10:03 am By Michael Wong  |  

Global payments platform Thredd has partnered with Discover Global Network to expand its network access, thereby enhancing service offerings for its clients. Announced at the Money20/20 event this week, the partnership is set to provide Thredd’s clients with broader operational capabilities, enabling them to introduce… Read More

June 8, 2024 @ 6:34 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Filipinos’ reliance on digital financial services intensified in 2023, with users spending a cumulative 1.3 billion seconds, or 42 years, on digital lending applications, marking a 37-percent surge from the previous year, a report by consumer credit service Digido revealed. According to the study, personal… Read More

June 8, 2024 @ 4:54 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Almanax, a blockchain startup specializin in security solutions for the Web3 sector, has secured a pre-seed investment from defy.vc, a venture capital firm based in San Francisco. Additionally, the company has been selected to participate in NVIDIA’s Inception Program, a prestigious initiative aimed at nurturing… Read More

June 8, 2024 @ 1:32 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Elevate, a Fintech startup supported by Y Combinator, has announced a successful $5 million funding round to bolster its operations in the Philippines, bringing its total raised since 2021 to $10 million. This recent influx from backers such as Y Combinator, Goodwater, Global Founders Capital,… Read More

June 2, 2024 @ 9:45 pm By Michael Wong  |  

QNB Group, the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa, and Ooredoo Fintech have announced a groundbreaking extension to their partnership aimed at revolutionizing fintech services in Oman. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the region’s digital transformation journey as both entities… Read More

June 2, 2024 @ 9:06 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Spark Fintech Limited, an affiliate of Bybit, one of the world’s top three cryptocurrency exchanges by volume, has announced its decision to withdraw its application for a Virtual Asset Services Providers (VASP) license with the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). This strategic decision… Read More

June 2, 2024 @ 6:47 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Philippines-based fintech startup Beppo has completed a pre-seed funding round, enabling the acquisition of JuanTax, a Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)-accredited tax platform, and five pioneering bookkeeping firms. The funding round, for an undisclosed amount, was led by Wavemaker Partners with participation from angel investors…. Read More

June 1, 2024 @ 2:56 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Ant Group and Mastercard, alongside 12 overseas payment partners of Alipay+ and other major card organizations, announced the launch of the International Consumer Friendly Zones program in Shanghai. This initiative aims to enhance the travel experience for global visitors and stimulate economic growth for local… Read More

June 1, 2024 @ 12:45 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Chilean Paytech startup Koywe has announced the acquisition of Facto, a move that will expand its presence in the US. The acquisition also comes 15 months after Koywe raised $2.5 million in a Seed funding round in January 2023. The terms of the acquisition were… Read More

June 1, 2024 @ 10:49 am By Michael Wong  |  

Virrtue, a Texas-based finance and accounting business process outsourcing (BPO) company, announced its acquisition of Virgate, a technology-driven accounting services firm based in Gloucester, England. This move is set to enhance Virrtue’s technological capabilities and expand its footprint in the UK and European markets. Arvind… Read More

June 1, 2024 @ 10:34 am By Michael Wong  |  

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, has launched a new initiative to facilitate financial support for small businesses in emerging markets, particularly those owned by women and those in the agriculture and climate sectors. The MSME Finance Platform will channel… Read More