2021: Top five movers and shakers
FinTech Futures takes a look back at some of the year’s seminal hires and appointments.
Cryptocurrency
NEAR Foundation hires fintech veteran Marieke Flament as CEO
Flament leaves her role as CEO of digital banking app Mettle by NatWest to join the Swiss foundation.
New Jersey’s Manasquan Bank taps Bakkt for crypto services
The bank will take part in Bakkt’s “early adopter program”, set to launch in Q2 2022.
Crypto infrastructure start-up Ramp raises $52.7m in Series A round
Ramp will use the cash to drive expansion and further product development.
Nuvei partners Visa to launch branded crypto debit cards across Europe
The programme plays “a vital role in expanding the crypto ecosystem”, Nuvei CEO says.
HSBC and Wells Fargo launch blockchain-based FX settlement solution
The shared, private ledger enhances settlement speed and efficiency and reduces risk.
Cartoon: The Pied Piper
A new cartoon illustrating the pull of the current crypto and blockchain industry to draw in talent and capital.
Battle for crypto supremacy like tortoise and hare fable, says Hyphe CEO
With regulation comes legitimacy, clearing the way for traditional FIs to offer digital currencies to their clients.
Novi chief and co-creator of Diem David Marcus to leave Meta
Marcus is stepping down to pursue new entrepreneurial opportunities after seven years at the firm.
Fintech funding deals globally 29 November – 5 December 2021
Featuring Slice, 1inch, Prytek, Kueski and Fundbox.
Shinhan Bank readies stablecoin remittance PoC on Hedera network
This is the latest in a number of distributed ledger innovations by the South Korean bank.
New neobank Migom provides unbanked entrepreneurs essential banking services
The digital bank also provides crypto capabilities, including instant crypto transfers.
State of play: central bank digital currencies (CBDCs)
CBDCs must have interoperability at their core if they are to be adopted at mass scale.
Indian government takes next step in banning cryptocurrencies
Scheduling of bill points to government’s stance despite speculation over rethink.
Video: fintech news pick of the week – MoonPay, Airwallex & Gemini
Our top pick of news from the world of finance and tech in bitesize video format, every week.
Lydia to white-label Bitpanda platform for digital assets
Partnership will provide investment opportunities to Lydia’s 5 million customers via its app.
Israeli blockchain firm StarkWare raises $50m in Series C round
Company aims to increase blockchain bandwidth to scale technology for mass use.
Family savings fintech UNest raises $26m in Series B round
Company is one of the few US fintechs with a female founder to gain investor funding to date.
MoonPay rides the crypto wave with $555m all-equity Series A round
MoonPay is on a mission to give the next billion people access to the crypto economy by 2030.
Crypto platform Gemini secures $400m in first outside funding round
The new capital injection values the company at $7.1 billion.
Fintech funding deals globally 15 November – 21 November 2021
Featuring Gemini, Upgrade, CloudWalk, EasyHealth and Airwallex.
Bank of England to launch UK CBDC consultation in 2022
Following consultation and development phase, CBDC could launch in second half of this decade.
How blockchain and cryptocurrencies can deliver financial inclusion for Africans
The uptake of blockchain and crypto has been growing in Africa, driven by the economic climate on the continent.
Joshua Barraclough moves from JP Morgan to crypto trading platform Bitpanda
The new recruit takes the CEO role at Bitpanda’s crypto exchange, Bitpanda Pro.
Visa invests in fintech start-up Deserve to drive adoption of crypto-powered cards
The investment expands a partnership that began under Visa’s Fintech Fast Track programme.
Mastercard partners digital asset platform Bakkt to offer ‘Crypto-as-a-Service’
Partnership forms part of Mastercard’s broader crypto strategy.
FCA launches education campaign targeting inexperienced investors
InvestSmart aims to address new investors driven by competition and influenced by hype.
Fintech funding deals globally 18 October – 24 October 2021
Featuring N26, Deel, FTX, Zopa and Brex.
Asia Digital Bank partners Bianjie for blockchain-powered digital banking
The bank’s new digital infrastructure is designed to bridge the gap between centralised and decentralised finance.
CFTC hits Tether with $41m fine for ‘misleading’ stablecoin claims
US regulator says Tether only backed by reserves for six and a half months between 2016 and 2018.
Sibos 2021: Banks must work together to make the most of CBDCs, says panel
Panel says interoperability of CBDCs is necessary to avoid inefficiencies and poor outcomes.
Sibos 2021: CBDCs important to future of industry, says SocGen CEO
Speaking at Sibos 2021, Frédéric Oudéa says CBDCs “might be more efficient than, and might replace, cash”.
Sibos 2021: Citi’s Paco Ybarra says banks must adapt and collaborate in a rapidly changing world
Ybarra says that banks like Citi must work with, rather than against, change.
Fintech funding deals globally 4 October – 10 October 2021
Featuring Devoted Health, CoinSwitch, Ajaib, Sky Mavis and Masterworks.
Daily News at Sibos 2021
Download your free copy of the Sibos supplement today!
Video: fintech news pick of the week – Google, Monzo, NatWest & more
Our top pick of news from the world of finance and tech in bitesize video format, every week.
NatWest chair warns against “gambling” with cryptocurrency
Sir Howard Davies says the “damned stuff” should be banned.
Swiss crypto institution SEBA Bank granted collective investment scheme licence
The granting of the CISA licence to a digital asset-focused bank is the first in Switzerland.
BIS finds CBDC-blockchain combo outclasses correspondent banking
Its new project, mBridge, experiments with new CBDC combinations.
Bhutan central bank partners with Ripple to pilot CBDC
The CBDC pilot with the South Asian country is designed to boost financial inclusion.
