December 29, 2024 @ 6:14 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The US-based startup ecosystem witnessed announcements of a total of 4,463 venture capital (VC) deals during the period from Jan to Nov 2024 with a disclosed funding value of $125 billion, marking a considerable YoY improvement in total funding value despite a “decline in the… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 6:13 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Fintech firm Alif has announced securing a $20 million debt investment from Accial Capital, a U.S.-based impact private credit fund manager, to strengthen its Nasiya installment service and expand financial inclusion in Uzbekistan. The transaction was facilitated with advisory support from Nairang Capital and TMT… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 6:11 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Quai Network, a Layer 1 blockchain built for scalability and decentralized innovation, announces its integration with Akash Network, a key player focused on decentralized cloud computing. This integration combines Quai’s multi-shard blockchain tech with Akash’s decentralized computing infrastructure to enhance blockchain performance, promote “transaction efficiency,… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 6:11 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

PDX Global, a digital banking and payments developer for the crypto economy, announced a successful round of tests of PDX Beam, the end-to-end payment transaction process and seamless crypto-to-cash payments platform for merchants and consumers. PDX has reportedly launched a live public beta test program… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 6:10 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

2024 has reportedly been a solid year for HeavyFinance, marked by significant milestones, partnerships, and a focus on sustainable agriculture. From securing investments and launching various initiatives to expanding their impact across Europe and Ukraine, the company reports it has made strides in driving the… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 6:07 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Trumid, a financial technology company and leading fixed income electronic trading platform, announced the integration of its fixed income trading protocols into MultiLynq, a provider of electronic fixed income trading connectivity and integration solutions. Through this relationship, clients can now access Trumid’s RFQ and Attributed… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 5:09 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank) has finalized its $2 billion investment in KeyCorp, acquiring approximately 14.9% of the U.S.-based bank’s common stock. The transaction, announced in August 2024, received Federal Reserve approval on December 12, 2024, and marks the completion of Scotiabank’s strategic minority… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 5:07 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Aghanim, a mobile gaming fintech company, announced a new feature for mobile game developers: Instant Payouts. Founded by Harvard Business School alums with more than 40 years of combined expertise in video games and fintech, Aghanim’s platform ensures developers are now paid instantly, a “stark… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 5:06 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Southeast Asia faced a challenging year in 2024, marked by a “significant contraction” in funding, amid a weak global economy, a new report revealed. According to Tracxn‘s report, prepared by industry analysts, the region’s tech ecosystem experienced a sharp decline in financial inflows and major… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 5:05 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Recently, several users on X reported a phishing attack disguised as Zoom meeting links, according to an update from SlowMist. In one case, SlowMist pointed out that a victim installed malicious software after clicking on a fake Zoom meeting link, reportedly resulting in the “theft… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 1:44 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Bybit Technology Limited, formerly Bybit Fintech Limited, and its Chief Executive Officer Ben Zhou (Yuchen Zhou), have been reprimanded by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) for running a digital asset exchange (DAX) without registration. The SC said in a statement that both Bybit and Zhou… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 1:40 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Alpaca says it had a landmark year in 2024 as they became a fully self-clearing broker-dealer and launched new features like options trading. Working with financial institutions, Alpaca said they learned the importance of fully integrating brokerage operations stack (such as execution, clearing, and custody… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 1:38 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of ADGM (FSRA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UAE Ministry of Interior, to enhance coordination in combating financial crime related to virtual assets. The agreement aims to facilitate the exchange of information, strengthen risk mitigation frameworks,… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 6:22 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Usual has acquired new funding as part of its Series A round, which has reportedly been led by Binance Labs and Kraken Ventures. Other entities taking part in the investment round for Ususal include Ondo, Coinbase Ventures, IOSG, OKX Ventures, Galaxy Ventures, Guy from Ethena,… Read More

December 29, 2024 @ 5:16 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sued Walmart (NYSE: WMT) and Branch Messenger for forcing delivery drivers to use costly deposit accounts to get paid and for deceiving workers— “last mile” drivers in Walmart’s Spark Driver program—about how they could access their earnings. The CFPB’s… Read More

December 28, 2024 @ 5:11 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

This past month, the Bitcoin price surpassed the $100,000 barrier. According to Bitso, this is a monumental moment for Bitcoin and the crypto industry. Bitso noted that breaking the $100,000 mark, surpassing both price resistances and the psychological milestone, cements BTC as “one of the… Read More

December 28, 2024 @ 4:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

According to preliminary insights from Mastercard (NYSE: MA)  SpendingPulse, U.S. retail sales excluding automotive increased 3.8% YoY from Nov 1 through Dec 24. Mastercard SpendingPulse reportedly measures in-store and online retail sales, representing “all payment types and is not adjusted for inflation.” Michelle Meyer, chief… Read More

December 28, 2024 @ 3:32 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Copper, a provider of institutional digital asset infrastructure, is proud to announce its expansion into Liechtenstein with the launch of its custody services. This move comes after securing a registration under the Token and TT Service Provider Act (TVTG, “Blockchain Act”) from the Financial Market… Read More

December 28, 2024 @ 2:32 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Pacaso, the technology-enabled real estate marketplace that helps people buy, co-own, and sell a luxury vacation home, released its fourth annual Top Vacation Home Markets Report, identifying the “leading” luxury vacation home markets for 2024. The report reveals the top 20 counties across the United… Read More

December 28, 2024 @ 2:31 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

PitchBook has shared its H2 2024 VC Tech Survey: Investor Insights on AI, Dealmaking, and Fundraising. PitchBook has noted that in this update VCs highlight stable deals, decode AI and deep tech trends, express sector “saturation concerns,” and describe how priorities are shifting to “underinvested… Read More