General News

January 6, 2024 @ 4:46 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Every quarter, Carta releases information on the startup ecosystem in their State of Private Markets report. Carta‘s “first cut” of data as close to the end of the quarter as possible has been shred. This initial analysis focuses “on round valuations and cash raised across… Read More

January 6, 2024 @ 4:42 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The venture market downshifts further in 2023, with dealmaking and funding totals falling to 6-year lows, according to an update shared by CBInsights. Q4’23 was the “harshest” quarter for global VC in 6 years, the CBInsights team noted. However, the down market has “revealed a… Read More

January 6, 2024 @ 10:28 am By Omar Faridi  |  

New data from Nationwide shows that cash usage continues “to rise as many households respond to the cost-of-living crisis by budgeting with physical money.” That data also shows where the building society is “the last remaining branch in town, the growth in usage is at… Read More

January 6, 2024 @ 8:14 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Eltropy, a “digital conversations platform,” announced it had surpassed 600 community financial institutions (CFI) customers. As part of the achievement, the company “announced it is boosting investments in Generative AI and product R&D by 36% in 2024.” Eltropy’s Generative AI products have seen adoption “with… Read More

January 5, 2024 @ 8:54 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is set to become the next “great place” to invest in as Western European businesses “seek new places to nearshore, offshore, or get access to growing consumer markets,” according to an update from iBanFirst. iBanFirst, a global provider of foreign… Read More

January 5, 2024 @ 8:43 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has completed the acquisition of 6point6, a U.K. technology consultancy, specializing in cloud, data, and cybersecurity. The acquisition enhances Accenture’s strategy and architecture capabilities, “with a particular emphasis on central government, defense and security, and financial services.” The acquisition was previously “announced… Read More

January 4, 2024 @ 2:11 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Crowdfunding Professionals Association (CfPA) has announced new board members to start 2024. The new members include: Andrew Connor is the founder of the Center for Community Ownership, which works on community investment and community-owned enterprise projects across the United States. Andrew Stephenson has been… Read More

January 4, 2024 @ 10:44 am By JD Alois  |  

UK-based Fintech Capital on Tap has selected Damian Brychcy to be its new Chief Executive Officer. Brychcy replaces David Luck, who will become the Executive Chairman of the firm. Brychcy was previously the company’s Chief Product Officer. Luck said he would work closely with Brychcy to… Read More

January 4, 2024 @ 8:38 am By Omar Faridi  |  

As the new year unfolds, Loqbox, a UK-based financial wellbeing business, reveals compelling insights from a survey of over 2,300 of its members, “indicating a commitment to financial health among Britons in 2024.” Key findings shared by Loqbox with CI: Financial goals to take center… Read More

January 3, 2024 @ 4:57 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Credas Technologies, the identity verification checks provider, has announced the launch of its material information function, helping estate agents “to get ahead of the latest rule changes announced by Trading Standards at the end of last year.” The Parts B and C of The National… Read More

January 3, 2024 @ 10:39 am By JD Alois  |  

The Women in Fintech Powerlist 2023 is now accepting applications. The annual list is a project by Innovate Finance in the UK and highlights female founders/executives, influencers, and policymakers leading the charge in digital financial services. Applicants will submit names under eight different categories, including:… Read More

January 3, 2024 @ 9:13 am By Omar Faridi  |  

WISeKey International Holding Ltd. (NASDAQ: WKEY), a global firm focused on cybersecurity, digital identity, and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions operating as a holding company, through its subsidiary WISe.ART, a key player in the field of digital art and luxury collectibles, is pleased to announce… Read More

January 2, 2024 @ 5:40 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Branch, the workforce payments platform, released findings from the fifth annual Branch Report, which “surveys over 3,000 hourly workers across industries about their work, finances, and lifestyle.” Findings from the update shared by Branch, shared with CI, reveal that “despite low economic optimism, hourly workers… Read More

January 2, 2024 @ 10:16 am By JD Alois  |  

Initial public offerings (IPOs) were pretty moribund in 2023. According to EY, global IPO volumes drooped by 8% in 2023, with proceeds down by 33% compared with 2022. The global IPO market ended in 2023 with 1,298 offerings, which raised $123.2 billion. Compare this to… Read More

January 2, 2024 @ 9:57 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Justice Department sued Colony Ridge, a Texas-based developer and lender, for allegedly “operating an illegal land sales scheme and targeting tens of thousands of Hispanic borrowers with false statements and predatory loans.” The lawsuit filed in federal… Read More

January 2, 2024 @ 8:27 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Total new-vehicle sales for December 2023, including retail and non-retail transactions, are projected to reach 1,396,700 units, a 13.2% increase from December 2022, according to a joint forecast from J.D. Power and GlobalData. As noted in the research report, December 2023 has 26 selling days,… Read More

January 2, 2024 @ 7:50 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Former CEO Dan Schulman has left PayPal’s (NASDAQ: PYPL) Board of Directors. Alex Chriss was announced as his replacement last August. PayPal confirmed this announcement last month. PayPal had officially announced that Dan Schulman will “depart from PayPal Holdings, Inc.’s Board of Directors, effective December 31,… Read More

January 1, 2024 @ 8:39 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Four in 10 consumers are heading into 2024 saying they feel less financially secure than when 2023 began, according to new research from KPMG UK. Assessing confidence for 2024, KPMG’s latest Consumer Pulse survey of 3000 UK consumers shows those feeling worse “about their financial… Read More

January 1, 2024 @ 6:39 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Engage People, the loyalty network that enables program members to pay with points directly at checkout, commissioned a new survey to gain insights. The new survey, from The Wise Marketer titled “Paying with Points – “Tomorrow” Is Too Late,” examines the use of “pay with… Read More

December 31, 2023 @ 6:31 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has imposed a civil penalty of $3.9 million on Credit Suisse AG, for its alleged failure “to prevent or detect misconduct by its relationship managers (RMs) in the Singapore branch.” The RMs had allegedly provided clients “with inaccurate or… Read More