General News

November 16, 2016 @ 10:06 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

Innovate Finance, an association for the global Fintech industry founded in 2014, announced on Wednesday its latest report through Pitchbook revealed over global investment for fintech has increased by 27 % to $15.2 billion to 2016’s third quarter with 839 deals in total. The organization… Read More

November 16, 2016 @ 9:03 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

SyndicateRoom announced on Wednesday the launch of its new product, The WatchList, which reportedly gives its online investment platform users the opportunity to invest funds in a curated list of AIM-listed companies at a discount to their share price. The funding portal revealed it created the WatchList… Read More

November 15, 2016 @ 4:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

The SEC has had a busy week. First, the Commission held its first Fintech Forum, as suggested by Commissioner Piwowar, indicating its growing interest in financial technology disruption. This morning, SEC Chair Mary Jo White testified before the House Financial Services Committee regarding the SEC… Read More

November 15, 2016 @ 3:51 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

On Tuesday, Kickstarter CEO and co-founder, Yancey Strickler, announced the crowdfunding platform is now welcoming artists and creators to its website for the first time. In a blog post called Build Bridges, Not Walls, Yancey stated he and his team are now removing the barrier… Read More

November 15, 2016 @ 2:43 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

On Monday, the United Nations Foundation announced 25 charities are set to participate in 2016 #GivingTuesday. The annual global movement was founded in 2012 by New York’s 92nd Street Y in partnership with the United Nations Foundation and is described as a global day of… Read More

November 15, 2016 @ 12:48 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Fintech company Bizfi announced on Tuesday it originated more than $127 million in financing in the third quarter of 2016. The company reported that the top sectors seeking finance through its platform were manufacturing, retail, business-to-consumer (B2C) services (i.e. daycare, cleaning) and business-to-business (B2B) services (i.e…. Read More

November 15, 2016 @ 11:44 am By Erin Hobey  |  

  Indiegogo, the trend-setting international crowdfunding platform for entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to fruition, has launched a new equity crowdfunding portal with MicroVentures allowing anyone to invest in startups and growing companies. By utilizing new equity crowdfunding regulations that took effect in May, the new service provides… Read More

November 15, 2016 @ 9:40 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

Lufax, one of China’s largest peer to peer lending platforms, has announced plans to expand into both Hong Kong and Singapore. This news comes less than two months after the lender announced preparations for its Hong Kong Listing and IPO. Lufax Chairman and CEO, Gregory… Read More

November 15, 2016 @ 9:12 am By Erin Hobey  |  

Crowdfunding real estate platform Fundrise is spinning off  RSE Capital Partners, its real estate investment branch, into a stand-alone company, according to several news sources. The new standalone firm will continuation to focus on origination, underwriting, investment and management for the company’s eREIT platform. RSE currently collaborates with top brokers and… Read More

November 15, 2016 @ 8:49 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

Marketplace lending platform, China Rapid Finance, announced on Tuesday it has formed partnerships with two financial institutions, China United SME Guarantee Corp. (Sino Guarantee) and Bank of Shanghai. The lender stated Sino Guarantee would provide ongoing lending capital for loans that will originate on its platform, with… Read More

November 15, 2016 @ 8:39 am By Erin Hobey  |  

NYC-based Consumer lender Versara Lending has acquired the personal loan marketplace lender Peerform aiming to grow its prominence in the consumer lending space. Peerform will now operate out of the Versara Lending offices.  At this writing, specific details of the deal are unavailable. “This acquisition allows Versara… Read More

November 14, 2016 @ 5:16 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

On Monday, online lender Prosper Marketplace announced its board of directors has named former CFO David Kimball as the new CEO after Aaron Vermut stepped down from the position. Vermut notably served as the CEO of Prosper since March 2014, and the platform reported that he would… Read More

November 14, 2016 @ 4:01 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

On Monday, UK-based fintech firm Nutmeg announced it secured 30 million during a Series C funding, which was led by Hong Kong independent finance advisers firm, Convoy Global Holdings. Other participants included existing investors such as Schroders, Balderton Capital, Pentech Ventures, Armada Investment Group, and… Read More

November 14, 2016 @ 2:41 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

The European Commission has reportedly set up an internal task force that is focused on financial technology (aka fintech). While sharing details about the group, Roberto Viola, director general for DG Connect and Olivier Guersent, director general DG Financial Stability, revealed in a press release the key… Read More

November 14, 2016 @ 11:47 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

Elevate Center for the New Middle Class, which conducts research that focuses on the American “new” middle class, released its latest report on Monday, revealing that 81% of nonprime Americans, which are those with credit scores lower than 700, spend only what they earn, or less… Read More

November 13, 2016 @ 6:27 pm By JD Alois  |  

It has been widely reported that Paul Atkins, a former SEC Commissioner and current CEO of Patomak Partners, is the point person in Donald Trump’s transition team for financial regulatory appointments. This is an encouraging sign. Atkins, a Vanderbilt Law School Grad, was an SEC… Read More

November 12, 2016 @ 3:02 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

StreetShares, an online lender providing access to capital for SMEs, announced this week its new self-titled foundation announced its Veterans Small Business Awards. The organization teamed up with JP Morgan Chase to provide up to $10,000 each month to vets who own a business. StreetShares revealed… Read More

November 12, 2016 @ 3:00 pm By Kathleen Minogue  |  

If crowdfunding as a means to improve access to capital for entrepreneurs, small business owners and creatives turns out only to be an ideology, it will be the result of a lack of effective education. By my definition, crowdfunding is human beings connected and empowered… Read More

November 12, 2016 @ 12:31 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Privately held investment firm Senjō Group announced on Friday it is set to support and co-sponsor Next Money’s Fintech Finals 2017 (FF17). The company revealed it will also be organizing partner alongside InvestHK and Startmeup.HK. Next Money is described as a global fintech community that fosters the… Read More

November 11, 2016 @ 3:48 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

BrewDog, the largest independent brewery in Europe, opened its new German location, Berlin Mitte on Friday. The new location is just minutes away from Mauerpark. Sharing details about Berlin Mitte, the Brewdog team stated: “We are psyched to be opening in this incredible city – so much… Read More