April 15, 2025 @ 8:14 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Kraken, which claims to be one of the longest standing and most secure cryptocurrency platforms, announced the initial rollout of commission-free trading for over 11,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs to “clients in New Jersey, Connecticut, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Idaho, Iowa, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Alabama and the… Read More

April 15, 2025 @ 8:05 am By Omar Faridi  |  

BKN301 Group, a global fintech that is focused on Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS), is pleased to announce the successful closing of a €21.5 million capital increase as part of its Series B funding round. This significant milestone will fuel the company’s international expansion, both through “organic growth… Read More

April 15, 2025 @ 8:00 am By Omar Faridi  |  

BBVA has granted £15m in venture debt to Plum, reaffirming its role as a key lender to the UK’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, which is considered to be an important region in its broader strategy. In line with this, last October the banking institution had reportedly “set… Read More

April 15, 2025 @ 6:13 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

The cybersecurity threat posed by phishing attacks is growing more dangerous as cybercriminals increasingly rely on phishing kits, which are pre-made malicious packages that allow anyone with minimal technical knowledge to launch sophisticated data-stealing scams. Phishing kits are now widely available on the dark web… Read More

April 15, 2025 @ 12:01 am By JD Alois  |  

Venture Capital funding during Q1 remains challenging, according to data firm Pitchbook. Initially, expectations were for a resurgence in risk capital during Q1, but tariffs, global strife, and the risk of renewed inflation have caused expectations for liquidity and dealmaking to dim. According to the… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 11:11 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

21Shares AG, one of the world’s largest issuers of crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs), has formed a partnership with the House of Doge to create the only Dogecoin ETP endorsed by the Dogecoin Foundation, which will be listed on SIX Swiss Exchange. This collab marks a… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 11:09 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

PayFuture Group, a payment provider specializing in emerging markets, has secured an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) under the entity PayFuture FS MT Ltd. The license approval marks a key milestone in PayFuture Group’s growth strategy, enabling EU… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 10:13 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In a significant move to enhance the UK’s financial infrastructure, the Bank of England has released its response to a February 2024 discussion paper on reviewing access to Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) accounts for settlement. The response outlines the Bank’s commitment to expanding RTGS access,… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 10:10 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS) released “Asset Owners in Focus: Global Asset Owner Peer Study 2025,” offering insight into the investment and operations strategies employed by institutional investors to meet challenges ranging from “rising market volatility and evolving regulations to accelerating technological changes.” Based on a… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 9:16 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Seb Vanhecke, Chief Product Officer of European fintech Rydoo, has commented on on the rise in employee expense fraud due to AI-generated fake receipts and the end of the fiscal year causing finance teams to become overwhelmed “with higher priority tasks, meaning routine tasks such… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 9:08 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

A research paper from ThruHQ, entitled, “Egyptian B2B directory” unveils what appears tobe a “significant disconnect” in Egypt’s online business-to-business sector. The latest research findings, which are said to be derived from the curation of ThruHQ‘s initial batch of listings, indicate that while “95% of… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 9:07 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

OKX announced their partnership with Komainu, a regulated digital asset custodian, and Atitlan, a UK-based crypto wealth manager. This collaboration enables Atitlan to trade 24/7 on the OKX platform while its bitcoin assets “remain securely held in segregated custody by Komainu.” It’s a major milestone… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 9:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The CommBank Household Spending Insights (HSI) Index rose 0.9 per cent in March, buoyed by a lift in recreation and hospitality spending off the back of Melbourne Grand Prix and the return of the winter football codes. Modest gains were seen across all 12 spending… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 6:50 pm By JD Alois  |  

Fintech funding for US firms raised $2.6 billion in Q1 2025, experiencing a 29% drop from $3.8 billion in Q1 2024 and an 83% drop from $14.9 billion in Q4 2024. This is according to a report distributed by Tracxn. The thesis is that high… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 6:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

Marketplaces for private securities, shares in companies that have yet to launch an initial public offering, are growing in relevance as more people seek out alternative assets from what is available on public markets. Today, marketplaces like EquityZen can offer investors the ability to purchase shares in… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 3:45 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

In the first quarter of 2025, Chainlink continued to solidify its position as a key player in the web3 and blockchain ecosystem, achieving progress in product development and global adoption. The Chainlink Quarterly Review for Q1 2025 highlights two primary focuses: delivering products and integrations… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 3:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The FINRA Investor Education Foundation (FINRA Foundation) released preliminary findings from the National Financial Capability Study, which will be published in July. The FINRA Foundation is previewing the data this month—National Financial Capability Month—to “provide insight into the overall financial knowledge of adults in the… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 12:30 pm By JD Alois  |  

Honeycomb Credit, a FINRA-regulated funding portal, has acquired IFundWomen (IFW). Honeycomb Credit is largely focused on debt offerings, a bank replacement platform. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. IFW is a coaching and connections platform for women that supports rewards (e-commerce), funding, and grants…. Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 10:24 am By JD Alois  |  

Gibraltar-based Xapo Bank, a digital asset-friendly regulated bank, is reporting that Bitcoin trading volume hit record highs in Q1 2025 compared to the prior quarter. Xapo says that strong Euro and strong dollar (USDC) deposits have helped fuel the trading as Bitcoin prices dived. Xapo… Read More

April 14, 2025 @ 10:12 am By JD Alois  |  

As tariffs roil the markets and the Trump administration continues to deliver mixed messages as to its ultimate goal, investors are looking for safety and opportunity. Panic is never a good option and individual investors always need to consider their personal situation and timeline. While… Read More