Hey, this is Sami. I'm blogging here about digital banks.
London-based remittance fintech startup TransferWise announced rebrands as Wise. It's a bold move ahead of the expected-IPO.
Collaboration of Mastercard, Central Bank of The Bahamas and Island Pay gives people additional option to use The Bahamas Sand Dollar central bank digital currency
Stockholm-based digital bank Northmill raises $30M to accelerate the geographical expansion. The capital round led by M2 Asset Management.
Mambu and Ta3meed announce a strategic partnership to accelerate the development of Islamic fintech in KSA.
We are happy to announce that Challenger Insider will be a Media Partner at Sthlm Fintech Week and will be joining at this year's online conference on 9th - 10th of February.
Özgür Bayraktar, who leads the critical fintech projects in Turkey and in Europe, draws up this historic transformation of traditional banking in his third book of the Next Generation Banking.
Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) launched FAST System, the Easy Addressing System, which makes it easier to initiate electronic payments by using registered Turkish ID numbers, phone numbers or e-mail addresses,
Mambu, a SaaS banking platform, announced its latest funding round of €110 million in new capital. The new round brings the company’s valuation to over €1.7 billion.
Series D Investment will drive Divvy's expansion beyond business expense management.
MoneyGram's direct-to-consumer digital business, MoneyGram Online (MGO), delivered 142% year-over-year cross-border transaction growth in December and reported the largest number of transactions ever in a given month.
According to Mastercard SpendingPulse™, holiday retail sales excluding automotive and gasoline increased 3.0% this expanded holiday season.
sync., a smart open banking app, has been awarded a license from the Qatar Financial Centre Authority, marking its expansion into the Middle East.
SPARQ would like to formally announce that we have begun looking for investors for our personal finance platform as we look to launch our highly anticipated MVP in the first quarter of 2021.
The wamo.io app is a financial management and organisation platform designed for individuals, and businesses of all sizes.
Istanbul-based open banking solutions startup BirAPI revealed Turkish banks' open banking readiness.
The new N26 Smart premium subscription will bring together The Mobile Bank’s most iconic money management features to help customers stay on top of their finances with confidence and ease.
Investment led by WestCap Group will support the expansion of Addepar's industry-leading platform.
In partnership with Visa and Marqeta, online and mobile banking experience offers personalized financial services, tools and advice designed for and by the LGBT+ community.
15th November 2020 - 22nd November 2020
Lanistar has recently revealed its world-first polymorphic payment card, known as the Volt card.
Visa announced that it has completed the acquisition of YellowPepper, a fintech pioneer with proprietary technology and partnerships supporting leading financial institutions and startups in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Sydney-based fintech aircrex, today is pleased to announce it has partnered with financial technology and data intelligence company Finch, to power it’s autonomous finance platform targeting Australian millennials and Gen Z set to launch in 2021.
Business customers can now accept card payments online and get access to funds quickly with Revolut.
8th November 2020 - 15th November 2020
Nigeria-based challenger bank Kuda has raised $10 million in funding to expand in the whole Africa continent.
The Central Bank of Turkey's new system will allow fund holders to transfer money between their accounts at different banks within seconds on a 24/7 basis.
The new investment will enable Railsbank to continue to be the global leader in Banking as a Service through the launch of Credit Cards as a Service in the USA, continued expansion in SE Asia and strengthening its business in the UK and Europe.
AideXa has raised over €45 million in the largest-ever “seed” round carried out by an Italian fintech and the largest “seed round” in Europe in 2020.
1st November 2020 - 8th November 2020
Smart transactions allow Garanti BBVA customers and clients to streamline their daily banking activities and keep their personal finances under control using the bank’s mobile app.
Vivid Money, a Berlin-based financial platform, announced a 15 million € financing for expansion and product development, reaching a valuation of 100 million €.
The upcoming hybrid conference has two editions: The UAE edition on November 23, followed by a Saudi Arabia edition on November 25.
LHVs presence in London will be more prominent and the focus on the banking services even sharper.
According to a new Juniper Research study found that value of unsecured loans issued via AI underwriting platforms will reach $315 billion in 2025, up from just $24 billion in 2020.
Istanbul Fintech Week 2020 (IFW) will be held online in the week of 9-13 November this year due to ongoing pandemic.
Business professionals can now take card payments directly on their Android phone with the new Soft POS solution myPOS Glass by the European fintech provider myPOS.
Jiko, a Berkeley-based fintech company, has raised $40 million in VC funding. Series A round led by Upfront Ventures and investment firm Wafra.
25th October 2020 - 1st November 2020
PPS, formerly PrePay Solutions and subsidiary of Edenred, the everyday companion for people at work, today announces its partnership with Yolt, the smart money app, following the inaugural launch of its contactless debit Mastercard.
Hong Kong FinTech Week will be live on 2-6 Nov 2020! Hear from some of the biggest names in the fintech industry.
BANKING ON IT is the first-hand account of one woman's quest to rebuild Britain's broken banking system and how Starling Bank established.
The findings highlight that 37% of respondents report being happy with their financial health and 26% feel in complete control of their finances.
Future of Fintech (Nov. 16-18) will address today’s most pressing challenges and identify what’s next for the industry.
Boston-based financial technology company PAYMYNT Financial, filed a patent application for its novel universal rewards system.
Open Banking Expo launches its Digifest virtual event from 24th to 26th November 2020. The newest event in the Open Banking Expo portfolio continues to deliver game-changing content delivered direct to a senior digital transformation audience across financial services and beyond.
Danske Bank has now taken the step to phase out existing payment cards and replace them with new more eco-friendly payment cards made from 86% recycled plastic.
J.P. Morgan unveiled Liink, a new brand name for the firm’s blockchain-based Interbank Information Network (IIN) and introduced new applications available to Liink participants.
Australian fintech aircrex provides compelling solutions towards autonomous finance and creates a seamless connection to people's lives.
UBS launches UBS Next with a strategic collaboration with anthemis, a global VC fund with expertise in fintech investing. UBS Next portfolio is an additional step for UBS to further engage with fintechs and the broader tech ecosystem.
Savii is a digital banking app and Visa prepaid debit card with flexible parental controls for 11-18-year-olds. Dubai-based Savii planning to launch in UAE in early Q1 2021.
Banking platform Curve has announced the establishment of a subsidiary in Lithuania.
Australian digital bank Up released a new version of their app and they have launched its own widgets for iOS 14 and Android.
18th October 2020 - 25th October 2020
Lunar, the Nordic bank which has more than 200k customers in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway raises €40 million Series C investment to jump BNPL space.
Mobilexpress announced today that it has raised $2 million in a Series A financing round led by Collective Spark.
Mox is a month old and Hong Kong-based virtual bank released an infographic about how they perform in their first month.
Tap to Phone enables businesses to accept contactless payments on any NFC-enabled Android device with no need for additional hardware.
Mastercard, IDEMIA and MatchMove pilot fingerprint biometric card in Asia to enhance security and safety of contactless payments.
Klar, a challenger bank in Mexico, closed on $15 million in Series A funding led by Prosus Ventures with participation from also former investor Quona Capital.
As Challenger Insider, we are happy to become a media partner of this great event organized by Money 20/20.
The Central Bank of Bahrain launches a first of its kind fintech platform to drive innovation in the region.
Monzo launched their newest account type Monzo Premium and it comes with a metal card.
A program founded by Accenture and the Partnership Fund for New York City to strengthen New York’s fintech community seeks companies leveraging cloud, cyber-tech and sustainability technologies.
insha has announced a seed financing round of €2.5 million with a €25 million valuation just in 25 months.
With Varo Advance, qualifying Varo customers can instantly obtain up to a $100 cash advance to help stretch a paycheck.
Swiss-based luxury watch manufacturer has chosen to work with blockchain startup Arianee. With this partnership, the company will provide a digital certificate of ownership securely.
11th October 2020 - 18th October 2020
Trading 212 integrates TrueLayer's Open Banking platform, enhancing the investor experience.
Leading experts from the banking, finance and investment industry will come together for an exciting and informative two-day virtual conference called Future Banks Summit KSA schedule on 23-24 November 2020.
A wooden card aims to reduce plastic usage. Each card features a unique wood grain and is made from sustainably sourced cherry wood.
sync., digital smart open banking app, has been selected to be part of the highly competitive Qatar Fintech Accelerator programme.
French designer Philippe Starck designed AEKLYS, a ring that can store all of your cards in your pocket on a wearable device. Ash nazg durbatulûk*.
According to CNBC, Revolut, the biggest European digital bank with 13 million users, is close to applying for a banking license in the U.S.
Chase First Banking account built by Chase in collaboration with Greenlight - a company on a mission to help parents raise financially smart kids.
Highlighting the next step in its transformation, Commonwealth Bank has this week unveiled its refreshed brand identity and complementary marketing campaign.
#BlackLivesMatter. Greenwood wants to be a digital bank for black people and business owners.
4th October 2020 - 11th October 2020
Sparq's vision is to create a culture of effective money management using gamification tools and a human-centric approach.
Biometric fintech startups Zwipe and TietoEVRY will join forces to deploy biometric payment card capabilities to Nordic banks.
Amsterdam-based AMDAX B.V., has been registered by De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) as the first provider of crypto services in the Netherlands. This enables AMDAX to process crypto transactions and store cryptocurrencies.
Mastercard will make a financial investment in Marqeta as the two companies look to deepen their global partnership and collaboration.
Garanti BBVA launches Bonus Diji, a rewards credit card that is secure, as it does not include any numbers or CVC on it.
Monese to migrate European and the UK account holders onto Thought Machine's core banking platform Vault to reach more customers.
Barwa Bank rebrands into Dukhan Bank, eyes ambitious business and digital transformation. The bank's new name takes after the Dukhan city, the site of the first substantial oil reserve to have been discovered in the country.
Malaysia-based low-cost carrier airline AirAsia planning to become an ASEAN's super app. AirAsia will also deliver banking solutions to its customers with BigPay.
Sessions for banking and payment apps combined increased 26% on average across the countries in the survey. While all countries saw an uptick in sessions, stand-out markets by growth rates were Japan (142%), Germany (40%), Turkey (31%), and the US (27%).
Vienna-based cryptocurrency startup unveiled a new investment product. If you are interested in have a diversified crypto portfolio, now they offer the right product.
Razer has collaborated with Visa to launch a prepaid card for millennials in Singapore. Razer Card offers a gamified rewards system.
27th September 2020 - 4th October 2020
The European Central Bank (ECB) is serious about to issuance of a Digital Euro. Public consultation and experimentation to be launched soon.
A great report, prepared by Tribe Payments, asking an important question: How fintech industry will look like in 2030?
ING combines all innovation activities into a new business area: ING Neo. The new department will report directly to ING CEO Steven van Rijswijk.
Don't forget to register! We're thrilled to become a media partner of BankRevolution Summit Middle East.
Brits loved it! The Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE) announced the numbers of end-users using open banking-enabled applications and services has grown to over two million.
One, founded by former executives of PayPal and Capital One. One, built to meet consumer needs today, especially for middle-income Americans.
20th September 2020 – 27th September 2020
Russian banking giant Sberbank dropping the "bank" from its name as a part of their new philosophy.
QNB Finansbank accelerator program QNBEYOND graduated their second season startups. Eleven startups who grad in 2020 pitched their startups at QNBEYOND Demo Day 2020 yesterday.
European fintech unicorn TransferWise announced the financial results of its fiscal year.
Russian tech giant and search engine Yandex has tentatively agreed to buy 100% of Tinkoff Bank for $5.5 billion.
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