Аsia
AI Fintech Optasia Climbs in JSE Debut, Eyes Asia Expansion
Bloomberg, Posted October 29, 2025
AI-powered fintech firm Optasia Group rose in its debut on the Johannesburg bourse that marked South Africa’s biggest initial public offering this year.
The company is eying expansion in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It will also widen its credit offerings to include buy-now-pay later options and virtual credit and will consider acquisitions in Asia or Latin America to build market presence, Chief Executive Officer Salvador Anglada said.
JCB and Agoda team up to enhance digital travel payment experiences across Asia
Acn Newswire, Posted November 6, 2025
JCB International Co., Ltd., the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., Japan’s only international payment brand (JCB), and Agoda, a leading digital travel platform, today announced the start of a three-year partnership. The announcement was made at the 18th JCB World Conference.
Effective from April 2026 through March 2029, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) sets out a shared vision to leverage data-driven insights to attract new customers, optimise marketing strategies, and explore new communication channels to effectively engage with inbound travelers to Japan.
Europe
UK unveils new financial inclusion strategy
IBS Intelligence, Posted November 7, 2025
The UK Government’s new Financial Inclusion Strategy, published by HM Treasury, redefines what it means to participate in an increasingly digital financial ecosystem. In a world where access to financial services determines economic opportunity, the strategy positions inclusion not as a social aspiration but as a structural pillar of the nation’s economic resilience. By embedding digital transformation and innovation into its design, the plan challenges both traditional institutions and FinTechs to reimagine how financial access is delivered, experienced, and sustained.
Revolut receives green light from central bank to launch Hungarian branch
IntelliNews, Posted November 6, 2025
Fintech Revolut has confirmed that it has obtained all the necessary regulatory approvals from the Hungarian National Bank (MNB) to launch its local branch, paving the way for customers to open local bank accounts with Hungarian IBANs, the company said in a statement on November 6, according to Forbes.hu.
With the new license, Hungarian customers will soon get domestic HU IBAN account numbers, replacing the current Lithuanian ones.
UK to launch pilot scheme that helps homeless people access banking
The Guardian, Posted November 6, 2025
Homeless people will for the first time be able to open accounts with the UK’s five biggest banks, in a pilot scheme marking the launch of the government’s financial inclusion strategy.
The Treasury said its new national plan was meant to ensure financial services “worked for everyone”, as it also revealed programmes that could help rebuild the credit scores of domestic abuse victims, support families with no savings and roll out financial education in primary schools across the UK.
USA
United Fintech Acquires Trade Ledger to Bolster AI’s Banking Presence
Pymnts, Posted November 5, 2025
Finance platform United Fintech has acquired lending automation company Trade Ledger.
With this deal, United Fintech gets access to a customer base that includes Barclays and Bank of Queensland, as well as Trade Ledger’s expertise in data-driven lending and commercial banking automation, the companies said in a Wednesday (Nov. 5) news release.
“AI is redefining how banks operate, and Trade Ledger is at the forefront of that change,” United Fintech founder and CEO Christian Frahm said in the release. “Trade Ledger CEO and Co-Founder Martin McCann and his team have built exceptional technology that transforms lending into a real-time, data-driven experience for customers.”
Ripple bags $500m funding, hits $40bn valuation milestone
Fintech Global, Posted November 5, 2025
Ripple, a leading financial technology company providing digital asset-based solutions for businesses, has secured a $500m strategic investment led by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group and Citadel Securities.
The round also saw participation from Pantera Capital, Galaxy Digital, Brevan Howard, and Marshall Wace, valuing the company at $40bn.
The funding follows a period of record growth for Ripple, marked by its recent $1bn tender offer at the same valuation. The company has repurchased more than 25% of its outstanding shares in recent years, aiming to deliver liquidity and value for employees and early investors.
LatAm
Amazon Brazil and Nubank Announce Partnership to Integrate Payments and Facilitate Access to Credit
Nubank, Posted November 5, 2025
Amazon Brazil and Nubank today announce a partnership that will revolutionize the online shopping experience for over 100 million clients. Through the integration of NuPay into the Amazon.com.br store, clients will be able to gain access to special payment conditions, including an additional credit limit and more installment options. The initiative unites two of the country’s most innovative brands to meet a fundamental demand of the Brazilian market and a decisive factor in democratizing Brazilians’ access to online shopping: flexibility in payment methods.
Brazil tightens minimum capital requirement rules, could impact 500 firms
Reuters, November 3, 2025
Brazil has established new rules raising the minimum capital required for financial institutions to operate in the country to 9.1 billion reais ($1.68 billion) from 5.2 billion reais, the Central Bank of Brazil said on Monday.
Around 500 firms could be affected, with the changes potentially triggering market exits, mergers or corporate restructuring, the bank said in a statement.
Banco Inter, Chainlink Power Real-Time CBDC Trade Settlement Between Brazil and Hong Kong
Coindesk Posted November 3, 2025
Banco Inter and Chainlink have completed a blockchain-based pilot with the central banks of Brazil and Hong Kong to settle a cross-border trade transaction in real-time using digital currencies and smart contracts. The pilot, part of Brazil’s Drex digital currency initiative, used Chainlink’s infrastructure to connect Brazil’s Drex network with Hong Kong’s Ensemble platform. The project aims to create a more inclusive trade finance ecosystem by reducing costs and improving coordination across platforms, with plans to expand testing to additional trade models and connect with more financial institutions.
Nium Secures Payment Institution License to Expand Direct Operations in Brazil
Fintech News, Posted November 3, 2025
Nium has strengthened its presence in Latin America after receiving a payment institution license from the Central Bank of Brazil.
The license allows Nium to offer locally regulated services, including PIX, TEDs, boletos, and prepaid card issuance once operational.
Already serving Brazilian clients through global licenses, Nium can now onboard and operate directly in Brazil, improving efficiency and enabling faster domestic and cross-border transactions.
Latin America: Beyond Branches
Global Finance, Posted November 3, 2025
Major Latin American banks are racing toward 100% digital models. Despite the rise of fintechs, traditional banks are determined not to be left behind.
Digital transformation is no longer a buzzword in Latin America; it is an existential imperative.
Digital natives like Brazilian neobank Nubank, Argentine fintech Ualá, and regional payments platform Mercado Pago are scaling into super-app ecosystems while giants like Santander and BBVA push forward with their own digital units. The next several years may determine whether traditional banks can reinvent themselves fast enough to remain competitive, or whether the fintech wave will carry Latin America into a new era of finance.
