January 25, 2024 @ 3:35 pm By JD Alois  |  

While shares in digital bank LendingClub (NYSE: LC) have been a bit of a dog, some people see value in the future of the company. One big investor recently added shares to its holding. BlackRock recently filed an Amended Statement of Ownership showing an increase… Read More

January 25, 2024 @ 12:40 pm By JD Alois  |  

Payments platform Ebanx has distributed a report covering some developing markets, predicting that the digital economy – including payments – will top $1 trillion in Latin America and Africa by 2026. As we all know, global consumption is on the rise, and Ebanx says Latin… Read More

January 25, 2024 @ 10:43 am By JD Alois  |  

The British Business Bank has published an updated list of firms in which it holds equity. According to the bank, there are 44 additional companies now on the list bringing the total to 696 individual firms – as of December 31, 2023. The shares were… Read More

January 25, 2024 @ 10:22 am By JD Alois  |  

CapitalRise, an online property investment platform, is reporting that it has returned over £159 million to investors since 2016. CapitalRise focuses on superprime property investments in the UK – typically central London. The £150 million hurdle was topped following a £9 million senior bridge loan… Read More

January 25, 2024 @ 9:20 am By JD Alois  |  

Digital bank Zopa and ClearScore report they have surpassed 10 million consumer actions that aim to boost the financial resilience of UK consumers as part of the 2025 Fintech Pledge. The coalition also hit 50 partners with the addition of SalesForc. The Fintech Pledge had… Read More

January 24, 2024 @ 10:23 pm By JD Alois  |  

WealthKernel has raised £6 million in a Series A funding round, according to the company. Details on the investment were not disclosed. The funding round was led by ETFS Capital with the participation of XTX Ventures. Karan Shanmugarajah, CEO of WealthKernel, said the funding came… Read More

January 24, 2024 @ 6:54 pm By JD Alois  |  

Enterprise blockchain firm R3 has hired Kate Karimson as its new Chief Commercial Officer. According to R3, Karimson joins after executive positions at the CME Group, BrokerTec, ICAP, and LedgerEdge. R3 CEO and founder David Rutter said they are focused on progressing in the capital… Read More

January 24, 2024 @ 3:28 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Institutions & Monetary Policy Subcommittee, part of the House Financial Services Committee, has scheduled a hearing on banking regulation. The hearing is entitled Rules Without Analysis: Federal Banking Proposals Under the Biden Administration. While there is no information regarding the specifics of the… Read More

January 24, 2024 @ 12:51 pm By JD Alois  |  

Bilt Rewards has raised $200 million at a valuation of $3.1 billion in a new funding round, according to a statement by the company. FT Partners advised on the transaction. The funding round was led by General Catalyst, with the participation of new investor Eldridge,… Read More

January 24, 2024 @ 11:09 am By JD Alois  |  

Today, at an open meeting, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealed new rules that will cover SPACs or Special Purpose Acquisition Companies. SPACs are “blank check” firms that are public firms that are created to enact a merger or acquisition of another firm. As… Read More

January 24, 2024 @ 9:53 am By JD Alois  |  

Anchorage Digital Bank has announced a partnership with Onramp Invest to offer regulated crypto products to financial advisors. Onramp is part of Securitize – a top US-based tokenization firm. Anchorage is the only federally chartered digital asset bank that offers custody which has focused on… Read More

January 24, 2024 @ 9:27 am By JD Alois  |  

The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has appointed  Stefan Walter as its new Chief Executive Officer.  Walter will step into the role on April 1, 2024 with Birgit Rutishauser acting as interim CEO. Urban Angehrn resigned from the leadership position at FINMA at the… Read More

January 23, 2024 @ 4:20 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has revealed an order demanding Crowd Machine, Metavine, and founder Craig Sproule to disgorge $19,676,401.27 raised in an “unregistered and fraudulent offering of crypto asset securities.” Additionally, pre-judgment interest in the amount of $3,358,147.75 is being added to the… Read More

January 23, 2024 @ 1:42 pm By JD Alois  |  

FINRA, the organization that regulates all of the broker-dealers in the United States, says a recent review of crypto communications indicates potential violations at a whopping 70% of the information reviewed. FINRA has not identified any firms that may be providing information that is in… Read More

January 23, 2024 @ 12:22 pm By JD Alois  |  

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned Alexander Ermakov for the 2022 ransomware attack against Medibank Private Limited, an Australian insurer. The US worked in concert with Australia and the United Kingdom on the designation. Ermakov is believed… Read More

January 23, 2024 @ 11:48 am By JD Alois  |  

  Seedrs, part of the US-based Republic, is reportedly restructuring and slashing 15% of its employees operating in Europe. Seedrs was acquired by Republic in 2021 in a deal valued at $100 million. The deal closed the following year. The combined operation is one of… Read More

January 23, 2024 @ 10:50 am By JD Alois  |  

SeedBlink is an emerging investment crowdfunding platform that is registered with the Romanian Financial Supervisory Authority and also approved under the new European Crowdfunding Service Providers Regulation (ECSPR) and thus allowed to issue securities across the EU. Under ECSPR, an issuer may raise up to… Read More

January 23, 2024 @ 9:25 am By JD Alois  |  

Financial penalties assessed by financial regulators in the US have jumped by 69% versus the year prior when comparing 2023 to 2023, according to a report.Fenergo, a Client Lifecycle Management (CLM) firm serving financial services, has tallied the numbers and claims that penalties stood at… Read More

January 22, 2024 @ 9:46 pm By JD Alois  |  

Online lender LendInvest Mortgages (AIM:LINV) says it will offer two new products: House Flip Bridge and Landlord Refurb Bridge. Both products aim to boost lending activity while providing borrowers the agility and speed they need to acquire and quickly flip homes. Both products are 85% LTV,… Read More

January 22, 2024 @ 5:23 pm By JD Alois  |  

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed a fifth round of sanctions on Hamas since the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. According to OFAC, the sanctions have targeted Hamas-affiliated financial exchanges in Gaza, their owners and associates,… Read More