Global

April 27, 2025 @ 9:35 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Several of Wall Street’s largest banks, including Citigroup, BNP Paribas, and Natixis, found themselves entangled in the collapse of London-based firm Stenn, once heralded as a $1 billion trade-finance Fintech. The implosion, which unfolded rapidly, exposed critical oversights in due diligence and raised questions about… Read More

April 27, 2025 @ 9:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

A research report from NYDIG highlights a shift in Bitcoin’s (BTC) market behavior, positioning it as a potential non-sovereign store of value in a landscape of growing economic and geopolitical instability. But these signs are very early and a bit pre-mature to draw an definitive… Read More

April 27, 2025 @ 12:38 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Copper, a firm focused on digital asset custody, collateral management, and prime services has partnered with Circle, a global financial technology company and stablecoin market participant, to bring expanded USDC functionality to institutional clients “using Copper’s ClearLoop off-exchange settlement solution.” Their partnership with Circle allows… Read More

April 27, 2025 @ 11:35 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In a move toward enhancing Bitcoin self-custody, Ledger has integrated MuSig2, Bitcoin’s latest multisignature evolution, into version 2.4.0 of its Bitcoin app. This update marks the culmination of a journey that began with Taproot support, advanced through multisig and Partially Signed Bitcoin Transaction (PSBT) capabilities,… Read More

April 27, 2025 @ 9:39 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The global financial landscape is undergoing a transformation, driven by the rise of open banking, open finance, and open data. According to the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) at Cambridge Judge Business School, over 95 jurisdictions worldwide have embraced these data-sharing frameworks, signaling a… Read More

April 26, 2025 @ 7:34 pm By Michael Wong  |  

London-based fintech WineFi announced raising £1.5 million (about $2 million) in a Seed funding round led by British fine wine group Coterie Holdings, with participation from SFC Capital, Founders Capital, and a syndicate of angel investors. WineFi, founded by former Fidelity International and J.P. Morgan… Read More

April 26, 2025 @ 4:33 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Bitcoin mining ecosystem continues to evolve rapidly, driven by technological advancements, market dynamics, and strategic shifts among major players. Insights from CoinShares’ Q4 2024 Mining Report and Compass Mining’s March 2025 Bitcoin Mining Industry Report highlight key trends, including rising hashrates, sustainable energy adoption,… Read More

April 26, 2025 @ 1:31 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

UK’s digital bank Zopa has reported solid performance for 2024, doubling its full-year profit before tax to £34.2 million, up from £15.8 million in 2023. This milestone, announced on April 24, 2025, marks the Zopa bank’s second consecutive year of profitability, underscoring its robust growth… Read More

April 26, 2025 @ 7:27 am By Omar Faridi  |  

CME Group has announced plans to launch XRP futures on May 19, pending regulatory review. Market participants will have the choice to “trade both a micro-sized contract (2,500 XRP) and a larger-sized contract (50,000 XRP).” Giovanni Vicioso, Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products at CME Group…. Read More

April 26, 2025 @ 7:09 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In 2024, Digital bank Revolut cemented its position as a key player in the global neobanking sector, reporting $1.4 billion in pre-tax profit—a 149% surge year-over-year—and revenues of $4 billion, up 72% from 2023. Revolut’s annual report, released on April 24, 2025, highlights steady growth… Read More

April 26, 2025 @ 3:27 am By Omar Faridi  |  

More than half (53%) of the UK’s financial services executives reportedly believe that “negativity about the health of London as a financial center is being overplayed,” as the majority (62%) plan to “increase investment in their London operations over the next five years,” according to… Read More

April 26, 2025 @ 3:24 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), the post-trade market infrastructure for the global financial services industry, announced significant achievements in handling “unprecedented” market volatility, showcasing the firm’s robust technology infrastructure, resiliency, and risk management capabilities. During the recent market volatility, DTCC reached “new peak… Read More

April 26, 2025 @ 3:17 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The payments industry is undergoing a transformative shift, driven by rapid technological advancements and evolving consumer expectations. Juniper Research’s Consumer Payments Tech Horizon 2025 report offers a framework to help stakeholders understand the trajectory of payment technologies. This resource evaluates the maturity and market performance… Read More

April 25, 2025 @ 12:46 pm By Michael Wong  |  

RockawayX, an early investor in Solana, has announced raising $125 million for its second early-stage crypto venture fund, closing the oversubscribed round in the first quarter of 2025. The global digital asset investment firm, which manages about $2 billion in assets, attributed the strong demand… Read More

April 25, 2025 @ 7:06 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Nu Mexico, a subsidiary of Nubank (NYSE: NU), announced the approval of its banking license by the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV). With this milestone, Nu has become the first Popular Financial Society (SOFIPO) to obtain approval to “transform into a bank, opening the path… Read More

April 25, 2025 @ 4:34 am By Michael Wong  |  

LendMN, Mongolia’s first fully digital lending Fintech and a unit of AND Global, said it had raised $20 million in debt financing from Lendable to scale technology-driven financial services for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country. The facility marks the largest sum… Read More

April 25, 2025 @ 4:19 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In emerging markets, where economic instability, currency devaluation, and limited access to traditional banking systems are persistent challenges, stablecoins are emerging as a transformative force. With a market capitalization exceeding $220 billion, these digital assets—pegged to stable currencies like the U.S. dollar or euro—are no… Read More

April 25, 2025 @ 4:17 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Global payments infrastructure platform Mercuryo has launched Spend, a new crypto debit card powered by the Mastercard network. Available through Ledger Live, the app to “securely” manage crypto and NFTs, Ledger users can now “use the Spend debit card to make purchases using their digital… Read More

April 24, 2025 @ 2:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Kaspersky has revealed findings from its research, stating that 73% of cybersecurity professionals regard Cyber Immunity as an effective strategy for minimizing the “capabilities of cybercriminals to penetrate networks and compromise systems.” These insights indicate a growing demand for developing secure by design systems “instead… Read More

April 24, 2025 @ 10:05 am By Omar Faridi  |  

WooCommerce, the “flexible,” open-source ecommerce solution built on WordPress, announced that it has expanded its partnership with Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFRM), the payment network that empowers consumers and helps merchants drive growth, by launching their services in the U.K. WooCommerce merchants in the U.K…. Read More