US challenger Bella plans launch around conversational banking
Bella offers a range of consumer-friendly options, including gifts and randomised cashback.
Financial Services/Finserv
TrueLayer nabs former Amazon and AmEx exec as new CPO
Ossama Soliman joins TruLayer as its new chief product officer.
FIS replaces legacy processing tech at Brazil’s Afinz
Afinz switches out legacy in-house tech for FIS processing platform.
Yolt to launch Mastercard debit card through PPS partnership
Money management app takes a deeper step into the payments sphere.
Boutique wealth manager CWPW launches in UK
CMPW is taking a “hybrid” approach, of both AI and human interaction.
Engage, empower and advance: Black voices in venture capital
Co-founder of BLCK VC and Storm Ventures associate, Frederik Groce, is on a mission.
PayTech Awards Supplement
Commending the payment sector’s best projects and experts of 2020.
Sustainable banking app Novus launches website and waiting list
The new app promises to help users lead a better lifestyle.
New US challenger Flyp targets excluded communities
The neobank aims to provide the same service as big banks without the fees.
Bahrain’s Tarabut Gateway brings its open banking platform to UAE
Tarabut Gateway is also opening two new offices, one in Abu Dhabi, and one in Dubai.
Calastone acquired by US private equity firm Carlyle Group
Financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed.
Capital requirements can impede innovation, says panel
One member of the panel thinks the FCA should look into its capital requirements.
A banker goes a-banking, volume 7: why can’t we be friends?
What 15 years of digitisation & modernisation have gotten us from the consumer’s point of view? It’s not looking great.
HSBC could start charging for “basic banking services”
It reported a 35% fall in pre-tax profit during the third quarter of the year.
Nets completes acquisition of major Polish card payment processor
“Poland is one of the most attractive regions in Europe” for digital payments.
Meezan Bank picks BPC’s SmartVista to revamp payments
Meezan is deploying SmartVista for payment authorisation, card management, and more.
Prospa sets out to serve global diaspora of African entrepreneurs
The start-up’s sweet-spot customers are entrepreneurs and micro-SMEs.
Neobank Vybe plans 300,000 new customers in UK and France
Vybe’s CEO claims the challenger already has 950,000 people signed up and ready.
Money management fintech Yatta emerges in Dublin
Yatta promises to help users navigate the “complexities” of financial decision making.
Monte dei Paschi ex-boss and former chairman sentenced to jail
The three former execs were ordered to pay damages claimed by some of the bank’s savers.
Cashfac: Fully automate your escrow accounts solution
Driving customer satisfaction through your escrow accounts solution.
HSBC to cut up to 300 jobs in UK commercial banking unit
The cuts are part of a wider restructuring announced in February.
Snoop closes £10m on Seedrs
The Snoop app launched in April.
Nordic challenger Lunar lands $47m Series C
The round arrives just seven months after its €20 million Series B extension in April.
PrimaryBid lands $50m from LSE, Draper Esprit & ABN AMRO
It adds to PrimaryBid’s $8.6 million Series A last year.
Stability of financial institutions during and beyond COVID-19
How should banks provide consumers with what they need and can afford?
Monet Money to target UK’s creatives with cash flow app
The beta version of its app is expected to land in February 2021.
Owner of Hong Kong robo-advisor Aqumon lands Alibaba-backed $30m
Aqumon offers B2C and B2B solutions.
Restrictive covenants during COVID-19: are they enforceable?
Can you enforce such clauses in a post-pandemic world – and should you?
Effectively combating fraud while staying user-friendly
The current cyber threat landscape, authentication methods and how the industry continues to fight back.
Video: Top fintech stories this week – 23 October 2020
FinTech Futures’ weekly news round-up.
NatWest accelerator graduate Hoddle launches beta savings app
Hoddle was brought onboard to NatWest’s accelerator programme by Steve Chown.
FCA and PRA fine Goldman Sachs £96.6m for 1MDB scandal
The investigation found that GSI breached a number of FCA and PRA principles and rules.
TransferWise waives fees on $20m in donations to COVID-19 research
All donations will be exchanged via Google and Reuter’s mid-market rate.
Unifimoney signs cross-border payments deal with Nium
The US neobank promises an “enhanced outbound money experience”.
Woman-owned de novo Agility Bank gains regulatory green light in Texas
Agility Bank aims to raise $30 million prior to launch in 2021.
The power of the collective
Martha Mghendi-Fisher is creating a community – a tribe – for women in the financial services industry.
FinTech Futures Jobs: six skills that can get you hired in fintech
The global market is predicted to grow at a rate of 25% annually – plenty of opportunities for job seekers!
PayPal brings crypto further into mainstream with wallet update
PayPal landed the first conditional crypto licence from the NYSDFS.
Afterpay signs up to Westpac banking-as-a-service platform
Afterpay plans to launch a savings account on the Aussie bank’s software.
