

Аsia

RBL Bank & Piramal Finance partner to offer Co-Lending Business
IBS Intelligence, Posted January 27, 2024
RBL Bank, one of India’s private sector banks, and Piramal Capital and Housing Finance (referred to as Piramal Finance), a wholly owned subsidiary of Piramal Enterprises Limited (‘PEL’), a Non-Banking Financial Company, have announced a strategic partnership under their co-lending business.
Through this partnership, both lenders will offer loans to middle- and low-income segment borrowers with a focus on rural and semi-urban regions. This is the third co-lending partnership for Piramal Finance, following similar collaborations with Axis Bank and the Central Bank of India.
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Indian fintech Jar turns cash-flow positive
Tech Crunch, Posted January 22, 2024
Indian fintech Jar has turned cash-flow positive, an executive at the Tiger Global-backed startup confirmed on Wednesday.
The 3-year-old startup, which offers savings and investment services to consumers, achieved the milestone while still growing by more than 10 times last year, according to an investor note seen by TechCrunch.
The profitability push comes as many fast-growing Indian startups are improving their financials and paring down expenses to become ready for IPOs.
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SBP issues first digital retail banking license to easypaisa
Business Recorder, Posted January 28, 2024
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Tuesday awarded its first digital retail banking (DRB) license to easypaisa digital bank, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to expand financial services to unbanked and underserved populations.
The license authorizes easypaisa, formerly known as Telenor Microfinance Bank Limited, to launch banking operations aimed at promoting financial inclusion while prioritising cybersecurity.
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Europe

Kraken Debuts Instant Crypto Payments Offering Kraken Pay
PYMNTS, Posted January 29, 2024
Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken now lets users make payments with their accounts.
Kraken Pay allows users to choose the crypto or fiat currency in their accounts that they want to send and transmit that payment instantly, according to a Wednesday (Jan. 29) company blog post.
“The process takes seconds and is free,” the post said. “Better yet, if you only have bitcoin but your friend only wants Swiss francs, Kraken will manage both the asset conversion and settlement transfer in one step. This means all you have to do is choose an asset from your account and then choose which asset your friend wants to receive.”
Payments are sent via a paylink, a URL that can be sent over any messaging service, per the post. The recipient clicks on the link to accept payment.
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Santander bolsters German presence with Openbank improvements
Payment Expert, Posted January 28, 2024
Santander has expanded its digital banking offerings in Germany through the launch of German International Bank Account Numbers (IBANs).
By offering its customers a German IBAN, Openbank users will now be able to receive salaries, set up direct debits for bills, arrange capital gains exemption orders, and other actions.
This development means that Santander will no longer operate in Germany under the European passport framework and instead as a German branch. Due to this change, Openbank will be subject to regulatory oversight by BaFin, the country’s financial regulator, as well as the Spanish banking supervision by Banco de España.
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PayDo Launches Physical and Virtual Cards
Fintech Finance News, Posted January 16, 2024
PayDo, a UK and EMI-regulated fintech company, announces the launch of its latest offering: PayDo Cards. The PayDo Card is available for both businesses and individuals, offering secure online and in-store shopping, payments via Apple Pay and Google Pay, easy ATM withdrawals worldwide, and more—making it a practical and versatile tool for everyday financial management.
“With the launch of PayDo Cards, we are committed to empowering businesses and individuals with the tools they need to manage their finances effectively and securely. Our innovative features and user-friendly interface set a new standard in financial management.” – Alexander Persidsky, Head of Operations.
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UK PayTech Sokin secures $15m funding from BlackRock
IBS Intelligence, Posted January 30, 2024
UK-based payments firm Sokin has secured $15m debt funding from funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, enabling the company to continue its growth trajectory. The funding comes just months after Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital acquired a stake in the business with a strategic investment worth $31 million.
Sokin has seen significant growth in recent months following that investment in July, including a 51% increase in account openings and a 130% increase in headcount. It also recently acquired Norwegian FinTech Settle Group AS, gaining a European EMI license and unlocking new growth opportunities across the region.
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Formance raises $21M to build the AWS for fintech infrastructure
Tech Crunch, Posted January 29, 2024
If you talk to a fintech entrepreneur about their business, chances are they’ll end up talking about ledger issues at some point.
A ledger is a record of money movements that serves as the source of truth for financial assets, but when a company starts having multiple bank accounts, payment processors, and funds spread across discrete services, it can become a headache to manage. Most companies end up dedicating engineering resources to build their own ledgers to solve that.
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USA

Trump’s Media Firm Makes Finance Push in Latest Conflicts Test
Bloomberg, Posted January 29, 2024
Trump Media and Technology Group Corp. said it will start a financial-services brand called Truth.Fi — the latest move by a Donald Trump-linked business to push into finance during his presidency.
The new brand, expected to be rolled out this year, will offer investments based on “America-First principles,” with brokerage Charles Schwab Corp. advising on products and strategy, according to a statement Wednesday. Trump Media will also place $250 million — or about one-third of its cash — under Schwab’s oversight, allocated to exchange-traded funds, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and financial vehicles.
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X announces a partnership with Visa to power X Money’s wallet
Tech Crunch, Posted January 28, 2024
Elon Musk-owned social network X announced a partnership with Visa to handle person-to-person payments for its upcoming X Money product.
The company will use Visa Direct, which is Visa’s solution for real-time money transfers, to load money into X Money’s wallet, connect to a debit card for paying other users, and transfer money back to your bank account.
X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, announced the partnership and said this is the first of “many big announcements” related to X Money this year. The company is just announcing the partnership at the moment and not actually launching the product.
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Mastercard, Money Fellows & Banque Misr launch prepaid card in Egypt
IBS Intelligence, Posted January 30, 2024
Mastercard has collaborated with Money Fellows and Banque Misr to launch Money Fellows prepaid cards in Egypt. This prepaid card will enable Money Fellows to offer financial planning, savings, and credit access to its users in Egypt.
Driven by a shared commitment to advancing financial inclusion, Mastercard, Banque Misr and Money Fellows aim to enhance financial accessibility in Egypt, where 71.5% of the population is formally included in the financial system.
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LatAm

AstroPay Gets Payments License From Brazil’s Central Bank
PYMNTS, Posted January 30, 2024
Cross-border finance FinTech AstroPay received a payments license in Brazil.
The license from the Brazilian central bank allows the company to offer its multicurrency digital wallet in Latin America’s biggest market, AstroPay said in a Thursday (Jan. 30) news release.
“This expansion marks a pivotal milestone for AstroPay as we align our services with Brazil’s regulatory framework and deliver compliant, secure and innovative financial solutions,” AstroPay CEO Marc Sacalsaid in the release. “By working closely with local and international regulators, we aim to empower individuals and businesses globally to take control of their finances. This isn’t just about payments — it’s about building a foundation of trust and efficiency to create meaningful opportunities for users in Brazil and beyond.”
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Money transfer service Wise launches in Mexico
Reuters, Posted January 31, 2024
International money transfer company Wise (WISEa.L), opens new tab officially launched in Mexico on Thursday, offering a new way for Mexican nationals to send money in and out of the country.
In a press release, Wise said its service aims to address significant challenges Mexicans face from a lack of transparency in international payments and high hidden fees associated with traditional money transfers.
“Launching in Mexico allows Wise to disrupt a traditional remittance market by introducing radical price transparency, completely redefining how Mexican nationals send money abroad,” said Efrain Florencia, Wise’s Mexico country manager.
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Paytrack raises $40M Series B led by Riverwood Capital
Latam List, Posted January 27, 2024
Brazilian corporate travel and expense management platform Paytrack raised $40M in a Series B round led by Riverwood Capital.
Paytrack simplifies travel and expense management for businesses by integrating payment solutions, automating workflows, and centralizing expense tracking on a single platform.
Paytrack plans to use the funds to accelerate product innovation, integrate new payment solutions, and expand into international markets.
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Brazilian paytech PagBrasil lands Payment Institution licence
Fintech Futures, Posted January 29, 2024
PagBrasil, a Brazilian paytech, has secured authorisation from the Central Bank of Brazil to “operate as a Payment Institution (PI) in the electronic money issuer category”, the firm has announced.
Founded in 2010, PagBrasil offers a range of payment collection and gateway services, facilitating local payments in Brazilian Real (BRL) and cross-border transactions in USD and EUR.
CEO Alex Hoffmann states the PI licence “opens important doors for product development”.
PagBrasil’s current suite includes Pix-related services, such as International Pix, which enables Brazilians to make Pix payments overseas, and Pix Roaming, which allows foreign visitors to use the Brazilian payment system while in the country.
With the new licence, these offerings will be able to support transactions over $10,000 and offer cash withdrawal abroad.
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