Michael Wong

LatAm-focused Fintech Prometeo Secures $13m to Expand Data, Payments Services

Prometeo, a Latin America-focused Fintech infrastructure firm, announced that it had secured $13 million in Series A funding led by Antler Elevate. The round also saw participation from new investors, including PayPal Ventures, Samsung Next, and partners from DN Capital, as well as continued support… Read More

Fintech Funding In India Dips in 2023 Amid Global Challenges

The Fintech sector in India experienced a significant decrease in funding in 2023, securing only $2 billion, a sharp decline of 63% and 76% from 2022 and 2021, respectively, according to a report by Tracxn. In comparison, the sector raised $5.4 billion in 2022 and… Read More

Philippines: 90% of Filipinos Use Fintech Apps in Daily Transactions, Survey Shows

A recent survey conducted by high-impact research firm Capstone-Intel Corp. has revealed a significant trend in the Philippines: 90% of Filipinos now regularly use financial technology (fintech) applications for their daily transactions. This growing reliance on digital finance underscores the urgency for improvements in security… Read More

CharacterX Raises $2.8m to Propel AI, Blockchain Integration in Web3

CharacterX, a decentralized AI social network, announced raising of $2.8 million in its Seed funding round, co-led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, INCE Capital, and Spark Digital Capital, valuing the company at $30 million. This significant investment, including contributions from major investors such as CGV, ZC… Read More

ChowBanQ Eyes IPO for Financial Platform

ChowBanQ, a Fintech firm providing “sustainable banking practices,” is reportedly considering an initial public offering (IPO). In a statement, the company said its approach to trading and payments, which involves transfers between ‘buckets’ or individual online banking accounts, positions it as a standout player in the… Read More

Indonesia: Fintech Startup Komunal Secures $5.5m in Extended Series A Funding

Komunal, a Jakarta-based Fintech startup, has successfully raised $5.5 million in its extended Series A funding. The round was backed by a range of investors, including the prominent Sumitomo Corporation, and received support from existing backers like AlphaTrio Sustainable Technology Fund, Skystar Capital, Sovereign’s Capital, Ozora,… Read More

KuCoin Labs Invests in Decentralized MR infra network DeMR

KuCoin Labs, the incubator and investment arm of the KuCoin ecosystem, has announced its investment in DeMR, a decentralized Mixed Reality (MR) infrastructure built on the Solana Chain. This development marks the beginning of a comprehensive collaboration focusing on community operations and subsequent product development,… Read More

Sri Lanka Experiences Explosive Growth in Digital Lending, Report Says

Sri Lanka has seen an exponential increase in the use of online loan applications across the country, according to a report by online lender Robocash said. The user base for these digital lending services has seen a dramatic rise, skyrocketing from 10,600 in August 2021… Read More

Industry Insider Warns of Talent Shortage in UK’s Fintech Sector

The UK’s Fintech sector is bracing for a talent crunch in the coming year, with a significant gap emerging between the demand for digital skills and the available workforce, City A.M. reported, quoting a leading industry figure. Charlotte Crosswell, chair of the Centre for Finance,… Read More

Japanese crypto exchange operator Monex Group acquires Canada’s 3iQ

Monex Group, a Japanese financial conglomerate known for its online brokerage, crypto exchange, and asset management services, has announced its acquisition of a majority stake in Canada’s 3iQ Digital Holdings and its subsidiaries for $39.8 million. In a statement, Monex revealed its ambition to bolster… Read More

India’s EnKash Secures Central Bank Approval to Operate as Payment Aggregator

Corporate payments startup EnKash has achieved a significant milestone by securing regulatory approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a payment aggregator under the brand name “Olympus”. This approval marks a pivotal moment for EnKash, reinforcing its commitment to compliance and… Read More

Thailand’s Kasikornbank Enters Crypto Space with New Platform

Thailand’s Kasikornbank Pcl, the country’s second-largest bank, is developing a digital-asset ecosystem to provide innovative funding routes for companies, according to a Bloomberg report. This move includes the October acquisition of the licensed digital-asset exchange Satang Corp, marking a rare instance of a major lender… Read More

Philippines: Fintech Alliance Lauds Passing of Internet Transactions Act

Fintech Alliance PH has commended the Philippine government for the enactment of the Internet Transactions Act (ITA), which aims to enhance and secure e-commerce transactions in the country. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act 11967, known as the ITA, marking a critical step… Read More

Philippines Startups Raise $36m from Crowdfunding in 3 Years

The Philippines’ Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has successfully driven the growth of the country’s crowdfunding sector, with funds raised approaching P2 billion (about $36 million) in the last three years. This surge in crowdfunding activity is a direct outcome of the SEC’s nationwide campaign,… Read More

Bowen Fintech Agrees to Acquire Japanese Crowdfunding Platform MOH

London-listed Bowen Fintech has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Minnadeooyasan-Hanbai Co Ltd (MOH), a Japanese firm specializing in real estate crowdfunding services, according to reports. The acquisition involves Bowen Fintech purchasing 93.5% of MOH’s shares for £34.5 million. This transaction will be entirely… Read More

Digital Legal Lending Platform LawFi Scores $1.5m in Pre-Seed Funding

LawFi, a mobile-first digital lending and payments platform for the legal profession, has announced raising $1.5 million in its pre-Seed funding round. The round, which will help finance the startup’s expansion, was backed by investment firm Capital Q Ventures and its fund CAPQ BDC. LawFi… Read More

Fintech: Blackstone Acquires Japan’s Sony Payment Services

Global investment firm Blackstone has announced a significant move in Japan’s financial technology (fintech) sector, with its private equity funds entering into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Sony Payment Services Inc. for an undisclosed amount. Blackstone will acquire Sony Payment from… Read More

Insurtech: Sumitomo Life to Acquire Singapore Digital Insurer Singlife

Sumitomo Life Insurance Company (Sumitomo Life) has agreed to acquire all shares of Singapore digital insurer Singlife held by TPG, which currently owns about 35% of the insurtech firm. Furthering its investment, Sumitomo Life plans to extend offers to purchase shares from the remaining shareholders… Read More

Saudi Arabia: Fintech Savings Platform Hakbah Raises $5.1m in Series A Funding

Saudi Arabian fintech savings platform Hakbah has successfully raised $5.1 million in a Series A funding round, a substantial boost for the savings platform’s growth and innovation strategies. The round was anchored by venture capital firm VentureSouq and backed by new investors M-Capital and Bunat… Read More

SOMA Finance Launches World’s First Hybrid Decentralized Exchange Platform

SOMA Finance,a joint venture between MANTRA and Tritaurian Capital, has launched the first components of its hybrid decentralized digital platform, SOMA.finance. The platform, operated by Tritaurian, is set to be the world’s first compliant hybrid decentralized exchange and launchpad. It is noteworthy as the first… Read More

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