Global

November 5, 2023 @ 9:40 am By Omar Faridi  |  

NEAR Foundation, the non-profit that supports the growth and development of the NEAR ecosystem, announced a partnership with Berklee College of Music, the largest independent college of contemporary music and performing arts in the world. Under the terms of the agreement, Berklee has “selected NEAR… Read More

November 5, 2023 @ 7:20 am By Michael Wong  |  

Digital asset XRP has been granted approval by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) for utilization within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), marking a significant endorsement for cryptocurrency usage in financial services in Dubai, according to Ripple. As the first virtual asset sanctioned by… Read More

November 4, 2023 @ 3:34 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Enterprise fintech VC deal activity saw a slight uptick in Q3. Deal value rose from $3.9 billion in Q2 to $4.1 billion, “representing a 5.1% QoQ increase. On a YoY basis, however, deal value was down 33.0%, highlighting the more conservative deployment of capital from… Read More

November 4, 2023 @ 2:10 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

On November 3, 2023, the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Russian national Ekaterina Zhdanova for using cryptocurrency “to launder money on behalf of Russian elites, ransomware groups, and other bad actors.” Chainalysis has examined the three Bitcoin… Read More

November 4, 2023 @ 1:16 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Spendology,  a Fintech licensing a digital-first SaaS-based travel money platform to retailers worldwide, has raised 117% (£351,210) of its £300,000 target (at the time of writing) through its crowdfunding campaign, carried out via Seedrs, with contributions from 199 investors. Located in London, Spendology operates in the… Read More

November 4, 2023 @ 11:35 am By JD Alois  |  

Germany-based Insurtech Wefox has raised $55 million in debt financing following a funding round that valued the company at $4.5 billion. The news was covered by CNBC that reported UniCredit and Deutsche Bank provided the capital. The debt is convertible into equity at the next… Read More

November 4, 2023 @ 11:08 am By Omar Faridi  |  

BIGO, a global technology leader known for its innovative RTC (Real Time Communications) based products, announces its partnership with Checkout.com and Visa in order “to transform cross-border payouts for content creators in the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.” BIGO TECHNOLOGY PTE. LTD. has… Read More

November 4, 2023 @ 10:54 am By Omar Faridi  |  

DZ BANK has launched a new platform for the processing and custody of digital financial instruments. This makes the leading cooperative institution one of the first credit institutions “to launch such an offer for institutional customers based on blockchain technology.” With a volume of over… Read More

November 4, 2023 @ 10:45 am By Michael Wong  |  

Global assets in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking the spot price of Bitcoin have reached a staggering $4.16 billion, according to the latest data from CoinGecko. This growing interest highlights the increasing mainstream acceptance of Bitcoin as an investment asset. Canadian investors have taken a particular… Read More

November 4, 2023 @ 7:21 am By JD Alois  |  

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned Russian national Ekaterina Zhdanova for utilizing crypto to launder and move money on behalf of “Russian elites.” Strict sanctions have been enacted by the US and other nations following Russia’s unprovoked… Read More

November 3, 2023 @ 10:51 pm By Michael Wong  |  

TAS, an Italian banking and financial services software provider, has announced the appointment of Fabio Benasso, a long-standing Accenture executive, as its new group president. The decision came following a recent meeting of the Board of Directors, marking a new chapter in the company’s pursuit… Read More

November 3, 2023 @ 9:50 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Dubai Integrated Economic Zone (DIEZ) has announced the official launch of Oraseya Capital, a venture capital fund that will invest in financial technology (fintech) startups in the gulf nation. This strategic initiative, announced during the Dubai Business Forum, aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda… Read More

November 3, 2023 @ 3:14 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

KPMG UK has announced the promotion of over a thousand partners and colleagues, as the professional services firm “continues to invest in the development of its talent. ” The latest round of promotions “includes 56 new partners and 116 directors.” A further 833 colleagues have also… Read More

November 3, 2023 @ 2:35 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

QI Tech, the Direct Credit Company (SCD) approved by the Brazilian Central Bank, today announced an investment of US$200 million (R$1 billion) in a Series B round “led by General Atlantic, a global investor, with participation from existing investor Across Capital, which is doubling its… Read More

November 3, 2023 @ 1:47 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Venture capital (VC) investment in Fintech companies dropped 36% to $6 billion in the third quarter of 2023, with deal volume down 39% to 484, according to data released by S&P Global Market Intelligence. However, despite the overall decline, late-stage startups saw a 30% increase… Read More

November 3, 2023 @ 11:27 am By Michael Wong  |  

Treehouse, a Web3 data and analytics company, has acquired advanced NFT analytics firm Origins Analytics to boost its non-fungible token (NFT) capabilities. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. Following the acquisition, Origins’ founding team will join Treehouse to integrate Origins’ technology into its… Read More

November 3, 2023 @ 8:28 am By Michael Wong  |  

SEBA Bank, a licensed digital assets bank regulated in Switzerland, has teamed up with St.Galler Kantonalbank (SGKB), the country’s fifth-largest cantonal bank, to launch bitcoin and ether custody and brokerage for clients. The partnership, announced earlier this year, is now fully operational and signifies a… Read More

November 3, 2023 @ 8:02 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) reports that Q3 was a strong quarter for the digital asset firm. In a letter addressed to Coinbase shareholders, the firm says that amid multi-year low levels of volatility, they are pleased with their financial results. Although the company has generated a net… Read More

November 3, 2023 @ 5:21 am By Omar Faridi  |  

FTX founder and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has been found guilty Thursday (November 2, 2023) on all seven counts that are related to fraud as well as money laundering. Bankman-Fried was indicted on fraud charges on December 22, 2022, following the collapse of his crypto… Read More

November 2, 2023 @ 9:53 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) is working with HSBC Bank Middle East (HSBC) to develop digital fixed-income securities, paving the way for the introduction of a broader array of capital market use cases in the Middle East. The partnership leverages the investment product knowledge of… Read More