UK government backs GMEX to build new trading exchange in Mauritius
GMEX consortium investment in Mindex project amounts to $35 million.
Africa
Copenhagen Fintech and CARE call for start-ups
Looking for ideas in providing loans and cash for the unbanked.
South African Ethereum test proves efficiency of blockchain-based payments for banks
A blockchain-based payments system tested last week outdid traditional payment networks.
First Bank teams with WorldRemit for digital money transfers to Nigeria
In 2017, Nigeria received over $22bn in remittances, making it the largest recipient in Africa.
Finovate in 2018: a search for fintech’s frontier
Where is the future of fintech?
Orange and Google looking to fund fintech start-ups
Interested in IoT, cybersecurity, cloud and AI in EMEA.
Digital bank Lidya lands $6.9m funding
The latest round brings the bank’s total funding to $8.2 million.
Interstellar crypto exchange sets its sights on the stars
Cameroon-based firm offers a Proxima Centauri update.
HPS pushes on with open banking platform for payments
Moroccan firm takes PowerCARD Connect-Open API beyond pilot phase.
SMEs and selfies stick for FNB account opening
South African bank unveils selfie authentication… and “businessism”.
African payments firm Cellulant raises $47.5m
Helped by The Rise Fund – marking its debut on the continent.
Global Findex 2017: financial inclusion on the rise but gaps remain
Globally, 69% of adults – 3.8 billion people – now have an account at a bank or mobile money provider.
Start-up e-Doley Finance takes BGFI Bank to court
Not all bank-fintech collaborations have a happy outcome.
Payworks teams up with fellow paytech in Ghana, Hubtel
Payworks is working with Ghana’s Hubtel to enable merchants in the African nation to accept payments via their Hubtel POS app and EMV credit card reader, reports David Penn at Finovate. The two companies have been collaborating since the beginning of the year, integrating Payworks Pulse payment gateway technology to make Hubtel the first fully […]
Stanbic Bank Zambia in regtech automation with BankBI
Stanbic Bank Zambia chooses cloud-based BankBI for regulatory reporting.
FNB to launch m-wallet for South Africa’s underbanked
FNB estimates the size of the market for its m-wallet service at over 11 million people.
DFS Lab and Gates Foundation invest in four African fintech start-ups
Four start-ups received $200,000 funding from DFS Lab, supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
First official bank comes to Malawian refugee camp, Dzaleka
The organisers describe the initiative as a “world-first”.
MetLife EMEA calls for insurtech start-ups
Prize is a $100,000 contract to develop and pilot solutions with the insurance firm.
Nigerian lendtech Fint unleashes loan marketplace
Calls itself the nation’s “first loan marketplace”.
Top fintech stories this week – 13 April 2018
Catch up on FinTech Futures’ top five fintech stories of the week – all in one place!
IFC and Fidor to champion financial inclusion in Africa and LatAm
MOU to identify opportunities to expand digital banking services to boost financial inclusion.
Standard Bank comes to Cote d’Ivoire
Wants to cement presence in Francophone West Africa region.
PayPal teams with Safaricom for M-Pesa of mind
New service in Kenya plans to provide global e-commerce.
SimbaPay unleashes Pan-African remittances chatbot
In collaboration with e-payments and commerce firm Interswitch.
Steward Bank signs for NetGuardians’ cybersecurity tech
Fraud fighting solutions find a place at Zimbabwean bank.
SAB lands new core banking tech deal in West Africa
The Confédération des Institutions Financières d’Afrique de l’Ouest (CIF) in tech revamp with SAB.
Absa takes payments shot with Sling Pay
South African bank unveils new app that allows users to send money, data and airtime.
Standard Chartered unveils group’s first-ever digital bank in Africa
The pilot location for the new digital bank is Côte d’Ivoire.
Interview: Caren Robb, Letshego – look on the bright side
Creating inclusive banking for remote communities.
Standard Bank sells mobile paytech Oltio to Mastercard
Mastercard has acquired Oltio, a mobile paytech firm in South Africa.
Banque du Caire in core banking tech revamp with Temenos T24
Oracle FSS’s Flexcube core banking tech out, Temenos’ T24 in, at Banque du Caire in Egypt.
Banking Technology March 2018 issue out now
Fintech with flourish. Nourish your brain.
Banking systems go down at South Africa’s Standard Bank
Bank reported problems with its self-service channels.
Facebook Messenger fuels Mastercard’s payments pursuit in Africa and Asia
Pilot in Nigeria is start of larger plan to get more businesses into their version of digital economy.
Fiorano the firepower in I&M Bank’s digital leap
Kenyan bank will use Fiorano’s platform while integrating with Infosys’ Finacle core banking system.
South African Reserve Bank mulls cryptocurrency regulations
Will also experiment with distributed ledger technologies – and ConsenSys helps out.
Fintech funding round-up: 12 February 2018
Featuring YapStone, Stash, Moneyfellows and Lendingkart.
Stanbic Bank in core banking system upgrade with Validata
Validata has gained a new taker in Africa for its quality assurance (QA) software – Stanbic Bank.
Family Bank in treasury and risk management tech revamp
Kenya-based Family Bank has implemented Profile Software’s Acumen treasury management system.
