Аsia
India strengthens anti-money laundering regulation for cryptocurrency sector
Lexology, Posted January 15, 2025
The Financial Intelligence Unit of India has issued a major update (dated January 8, 2026) to the “AML & CFT Guidelines for Reporting Entities Providing Services Related to Virtual Digital Assets” (“Guidelines”) which target (international and domestic) crypto-asset businesses operating in the country. For context, the FIU is the nodal agency responsible for administration of India’s Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA). It was tasked with registration and oversight of virtual digital asset service providers (VDA SPs) following an amendment to the statute in 2023 (by which VDA SPs were categorized as statutory “reporting entities”).
India Raised $2.4 Bn In Fintech Funding
BizTech, Posted January 16, 2026
The Indian FinTech sector raised a total of $2.4 billion in 2025, representing a 2% increase from the $2.3 billion raised in 2024. India ranked 3rd globally, behind the US and the UK, according to Tracxn, a leading market intelligence platform.
Tracxn has released its Geo Annual India FinTech Report 2025. This proprietary report provides comprehensive insights into the Indian FinTech ecosystem, highlighting funding activity, sector performance, acquisitions, unicorns, IPOs, investor participation, major players, and the key trends shaping the sector’s landscape in 2025. Tracxn Technologies Ltd. is a data intelligence platform for private market research, tracking 5+ million entities through 2900+ feeds categorised across industries, sub-sectors, geographies, and networks globally. It has become one of the leading providers of private company data and ranks among the top five players globally in terms of the number of companies and web domains profiled.
Knight FinTech raises $23.6m in Accel-led Series A round
Fintech Futures, Posted January 5, 2026
India-based Knight FinTech, a technology provider to banks and financial institutions, has raised $23.6m in a Series A funding round led by Accel.
The round included participation from IIFL and Rocket Capital, while existing investors such as Prime Venture Partners, 3One4 Capital, Commerce VC and Trifecta Capital also joined.
Knight FinTech said the funding brings its total capital raised to $30m.
Mumbai-headquartered Knight FinTech was founded in 2019. As a banking and digital lending infrastructure provider, it provides its clients platforms for co-lending, digital lending, embedded finance and treasury management.
Airwallex buys Indonesian fintech to boost APAC growth
CFOtech, Posted January 8, 2026
Airwallex has acquired majority ownership of PT Skye Sab Indonesia, securing direct access to an Indonesian PJP Category 1 payments licence as the Australian-founded fintech steps up its expansion across Asia-Pacific.
The deal gives Airwallex a licensed presence in South East Asia’s largest economy. It extends the company’s footprint in Asia-Pacific, where it already operates in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam.
PT Skye Sab Indonesia holds a Penyedia Jasa Pembayaran (PJP) Category 1 licence, which covers a wide range of digital payment services in Indonesia’s regulated market. Majority ownership gives Airwallex direct control of a local entity in a market with tight rules on foreign providers of payment services.
Europe
Deutsche Bank expands support for PayPal to strengthen global payment capabilities
Deutsche Bank, Posted January 13, 2026
PayPal and Deutsche Bank today announced the expansion of their long-standing relationship that will deliver enhanced payment solutions across the United States, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Building on more than a decade of collaboration, this global mandate underscores the common commitment to innovation and operational excellence in commerce and payments for both companies.
Under this expanded agreement, Deutsche Bank will scale up the merchant settlement, payouts, and begin withdrawals and collection solutions for PayPal in the US. In Europe and Asia-Pacific, Deutsche Bank will support PayPal in various ways as well. This collaboration builds on the considerable volume that Deutsche Bank already processes annually for PayPal, providing scalability and resilience.
Klarna rolls out P2P payments in Europe, accelerating digital banking push
Fintech Futures, Posted January 15, 2026
Klarna, the giant buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider, has introduced instant peer-to-peer (P2P) payments across 13 European countries, bolstering its ambition to become a leading digital bank.
The new feature enables Klarna customers in Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the UK to send money directly through the firm’s app.
To maintain security, after a user confirms the payment amount and selects the recipient – via phone number, QR code, email, or saved contact – Klarna performs various fraud and eligibility checks. Last October, the BNPL firm partnered with Google Cloud to leverage its AI hardware and strengthen its fraud detection capabilities.
How Ripple Secured EMI and Crypto Registration
Fintech Futures, Posted January 12, 2026
Ripple gains FCA EMI licence and Crypto Registration, enhancing UK expansion strategy and providing institutional digital asset infrastructure for payments.
Ripple, a provider of digital asset infrastructure, has secured both an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence and Cryptoasset Registration from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Innovations of the future: FinovateEurope 2026 demo lineup revealed
Fintech Futures, Posted January 8, 2026
FinovateEurope, the premier fintech event taking place 10-11 February in London, has just announced a first look at some of the demoers that will showcase their innovative tech live on stage.
More than 30 companies in total will demo their cutting-edge solutions, making FinovateEurope the ultimate place to discover the future of financial technology.
USA
What’s next for fintech?: Industry insights and predictions for 2026
Fintech Futures, Posted January 5, 2026
While this time of year is often one for reflection, it also presents an opportunity to look ahead – and the fintech space is no exception.
In 2025, the financial services industry continued to transform how consumers interact with money. Looking ahead to 2026, the sector is poised to accelerate innovation, driven by the growing adoption of new technologies by individuals and businesses worldwide.
In this article, we’ve gathered insights from industry experts, including fintech founders, investors, and banking professionals, to find out their predictions for the financial technology landscape in the year ahead. Here’s what to watch for in 2026 and how the fintech space is set to evolve.
Old Glory to go public via $250m SPAC merger with DAAQ
Fintech Futures, Posted January 14, 2026
US-based Old Glory Bank and Digital Asset Acquisition Corporation (DAAQ), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), have entered a definitive business combination agreement to create OGB Financial Company.
Following the SPAC merger, OGB Financial Company will be listed on Nasdaq as a publicly traded company under the ticker symbol OGLY. In a statement, Old Glory says it expects to complete the transaction “at the end of the first quarter or early in the second quarter of 2026”, pending regulatory and shareholder approval.
LatAm
Brazilian fintech Agibank files for US IPO
Reuters, Posted January 14, 2026
Agibank has filed for an initial public offering in the U.S., a regulatory filing showed on Wednesday, making it the second Brazilian fintech to move closer to a New York listing in two weeks.
The Sao Paulo-based digital bank had planned to go public in Brazil in 2018, but opted instead to pursue a U.S. listing.
Agibank’s move comes a week after another Brazilian digital bank, PicPay, also filed paperwork to go public in New York.
FINTECH: Argentina and Atlanta: Fintech Hubs from Two Hemispheres
Site Selection, Posted January 14, 2026
San Francisco, New York City and London are still the top trifecta of fintech global city hubs, with the U.S. collecting 45% of all deals in this market in Q3 of 2025, according to FinTech Global. One-third of U.S. fintech activities in that same quarter were transacted by California companies.
How do other locations stand out when it comes to this highly competitive and lucrative arena? A surge of activity can be found in many rising global hubs, including countries like Argentina, Ireland and Shanghai. Within the U.S., the state of Georgia is known for its presence in cybersecurity and fintech — around 70% of the nation’s payment transactions, debit or credit, are processed in Georgia, marking the state as “Transaction Alley.”
Enerlink raises $3.1M to accelerate its international expansion in Latin America
LatamList, Posted January 15, 2026
Enerlink, a Chilean startup focused on electric vehicle charging solutions, raised $3.1M in a round co-led by Kayyak Ventures and Dalus Capital, with participation from Inder.
Enerlink develops integrated charging solutions for electric mobility across Latin America. Its core product is a software platform that enables companies to manage and optimize electric vehicle charging, energy consumption, and operational efficiency.
With the funds, Enerlink will expand internationally, develop new technology, and strengthen operations in the markets where it already operates.
