Banking Technology April 2018 issue out now
Banking Technology April 2018
You sought symmetry. And fintech came to you.
The latest edition of our flagship magazine – Banking Technology – is out now, packed with news, analysis and insights, case studies, research and expert commentary.
A note from our editor-in-chief, Tanya Andreasyan:
Fintech funding fuels the world! Here is a quick recap of the standout deals over the last month.
First stop is Germany, where mobile challenger bank N26 reeled in €110 million in its Series C funding round. N26 is keen to consolidate its presence in Europe and is also now eyeing the US market. CEO and co-founder Valentine Stalf is quoted saying “we’re now ready to expand and dominate the US”.
Also in Germany, solarisBank, which claims to be the first banking platform with a full banking licence, raised €56.6 million in a Series B funding round. It, too, has plans to grow internationally.
Next stop is the UK, where we can’t get enough of challenger banks! Chetwood Financial, with a fresh banking licence, is to receive up to £150 million in investment from Elliott Advisors. The bank’s first product – an “innovative” unsecured loan under the LiveLend brand – will be launched soon.
Another newcomer, Atom, raised £149 million in its latest funding round, including £85.4 million from its existing investor, BBVA. BBVA, which now holds a 39% stake in Atom, states the investment is a “sign of its confidence in both the business strategy and management team at Atom”. Yet, Atom’s founder and chairman, Anthony Thomson, has recently resigned.
MarketInvoice, a UK-based business finance company, signed agreements with Portugal’s Banco BNI Europa (BNI) and Germany’s Varengold Bank to add £90 million and £45 million respectively on its platform. Institutional funding will support larger invoice finance deals as MarketInvoice targets £3 billion in lending to SMEs.
In the Middle East, eToro, a social trading and investment platform with roots in Israel (although now it also has regional HQs in the UK and Cyprus), fundraised $100 million to support its expansion into new markets and for the R&D of blockchain and the digitisation of assets.
In the US, major banking player BB&T Corporation, set aside $50 million to invest in and/or acquire emerging digital tech companies. The bank, which operates over 2,100 financial centres across the US, says its digital ambitions began in 2015 by appointing a chief digital officer.
And finally, in Asia, seemingly omnipresent Ant Financial invested $184.5 million in Pakistan-based Telenor Microfinance Bank, taking a 45% stake in the bank.
Can’t wait to see what cash-coated action the next month will bring!
The April 2018 edition of Banking Technology features:
Vendor focus: Red Hat
At the heart of the open source community.
PayTech Awards 2018: now open for entries!
Categories, deadlines and how to apply.
Payments commentary
Discussing incredibly futuristic subjects.
Interview: Cyril Cottu, BNP Paribas
AI, bots and the demise of email.
Comment
2018 – the year of data.
Spotlight: e-commerce
What’s driving the Yandex.Money business?
Case study: BBVA
Talk and action – chatbots and AI in practice.
Analysis: Swift gpi
A zero-sum gain for the payment industry.
Opportunity cost and gender pay gap
The market value of decency
Food for thought
The relegated bank: a positive scenario?
And not to forget the Regulars of course:
News – the good, the bad and the ugly.
Appointments – the movers and the shakers.
Industry events – mark your calendars!
Out of office – curiosities, frustrations and mishaps of the fintech world.
Click here to read the digital edition of Banking Technology April 2018
