Author: Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz)

Stripe Partners with TrueLayer to Launch Pay by Bank in France and Germany

Stripe Partners with TrueLayer to Launch Pay by Bank in France and Germany
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news
  • Stripe and TrueLayer are launching pay-by-bank in France and Germany, offering real-time, secure payments that bypass card networks to reduce fees and improve conversion for merchants.
  • The move signals growing momentum for open banking in Europe, where the number of pay-by-bank payments is expected to reach 30 billion by 2028.
  • TrueLayer notes that France and Germany are already two of its largest markets outside of the UK. Today’s deal will only enhance its presence in those regions.

Thanks to a new partnership with TrueLayer, Stripe is able to announce it is launching pay-by-bank in France and Germany. 

Stripe will use the pay-by-bank capabilities to streamline the checkout experience for French and German businesses. The company anticipates that merchants using pay-by-bank will be able to improve conversion rates and reduce transaction fees. That’s because merchants can avoid card processing fees, process transactions in real-time, and offer more secure transactions because they require bank-approved authentication.

On the consumer side, users will not need to enter card details, but will instead be able to authorize the payment directly from their bank accounts using biometrics.

“Having seen the success of Stripe’s TrueLayer integration in other markets, we are thrilled to bring this innovative payment solution to Germany and France,” said TrueLayer’s Country Manager for Germany, Sebastian Vetter. “By leveraging TrueLayer’s open banking infrastructure, we’re enabling German and French businesses to accept payments directly from bank accounts, making transactions faster, safer, and more affordable.”

Bringing pay-by-bank to two European nations is strategic, as the payment method within the EU is expected to reach 30 billion by 2028. Notably, Germany and France are expected to be key drivers of this growth. The two nations are also two of TrueLayer’s largest markets outside of the UK. TrueLayer currently processes $2.4 billion (€2 billion) in pay-by-bank transactions in France and $1.6 billion (€1.4 billion) in Germany each year, serving both local and international clients.

TrueLayer was founded in 2016 with an open banking payments network that connects banks across the globe and processes $40 billion across 120 million transactions annually. The company has 10 million users located among 21 European countries. In addition to its payments and payouts products, TrueLayer also offers Signup+, a streamlined onboarding tool, and VRP (variable recurring payment), a tool that enables flexible, bank-authorized recurring transactions.

Stripe’s move into pay-by-bank in France and Germany is a signal that open banking is moving from concept to competitive edge in the European region. It also reflects how Stripe and TrueLayer are positioning themselves for the future of bank-to-bank payments, especially as the EU is actively promoting open banking and instant payments. Stripe’s strategic alignment with these evolving preferences and regulations could help it get ahead in Europe.

However, while pay-by-bank has been cited as one of the top trends to watch in 2025, it has yet to gain similar traction in the U.S. market. American consumers tend to favor credit cards and are generally more hesitant to link their bank accounts directly for payments. Adoption could face additional headwinds if the CFPB reverses its open banking rule, which would leave access to consumer banking data unregulated and slow the development of account-to-account payment options.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Tokenized Deposits vs. Stablecoins: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

Tokenized Deposits vs. Stablecoins: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: List series, Thought Leadership

At this point, if you’ve been working in the financial services industry since January, you’ve likely heard of stablecoins, and you may have heard of tokenized deposits. What may still be unclear, however, are the differences and similarities between the two.

Blockchain-powered financial infrastructure is on the rise, and it’s important for banks, fintechs, and regulators to understand new developments in the space, what’s possible, and what’s next. Here’s a brief overview of where stablecoins and tokenized deposits intersect, where they are different, and where they may be most useful.

Stablecoins

Stablecoins are digital assets that are issued by private companies or protocols and pegged to fiat currency. Some of you may be familiar with are Circle’s USDC, Tether’s USDT, and PayPal’s PYUSD. It is important to note that stablecoins are backed one-to-one by off-balance-sheet returns, such as fiat cash or Treasuries. Unlike fiat held at a traditional financial institution, however, they are not FDIC-insured.

Tokenized deposits

In contrast, tokenized deposits are bank-issued digital representations of fiat deposits, recorded on a blockchain. The deposits sit on the bank’s balance sheet, are fully integrated into the bank’s infrastructure, and are minted and backed by regulated banks.

Differences

There are key differences between stablecoins and tokenized deposits. First, let’s look at the issuer. While not always the case, most stablecoins are issued by private, non-bank companies. Even though some banks have issued “coins,” as in the case of JPMorgan’s JPM Coin, they are considered tokenized deposits and are usually used internally for payment settlement, not open to the public, and are not tradable on public blockchains.

The backing structure of stablecoins and tokenized deposits is also different. For example, stablecoins are not held on the bank’s balance sheet and represent a one-to-one reserve of fiat currency. In contrast, tokenized deposits are held on a bank’s balance sheet. This is useful when a firm wants to maintain liquidity to support lending and credit creation, and ensure that customer funds are protected in a regulated financial institution.

Speaking of regulation, FDIC insurance is a key differentiator between stablecoins and tokenized deposits. Stablecoins currently operate in a developing regulatory environment and, importantly, they do not offer deposit insurance such as FDIC. Tokenized deposits, on the other hand, are both insured by the FDIC and regulated.

Another key differentiating factor between the two blockchain-based payment tools is that they have opposite effects on liquidity. Stablecoins remove liquidity. That’s because when consumers exchange their fiat currency in exchange for stablecoins, their fiat currency leaves their wallet and sits in reserves, generally in the form of safe, passive assets like US Treasuries or custodial accounts. This reduces the money multiplier effect and may even weaken bank balance sheets over time. In contrast, tokenized deposits stay on the bank’s balance sheet, making the funds usable for lending, investing, and general liquidity management.

Use cases also differ between stablecoins and tokenized deposits. While stablecoins are best known for their use in cross-border payments, programmable payments, and in DeFi. Tokenized deposits are useful for domestic real-time payments, B2B payments, and treasury automation.

Similarities

But though they differ in all of these aspects, there are also a handful of similarities between stablecoins and tokenized deposits. First, both are programmable, blockchain-based representations of fiat currency. However, it is important to distinguish that, while stablecoins are backed by dollars (fiat currency), tokenized deposits are actual, digital representations of dollars.

Next, both can be used to enable payments and reduce settlement times. Because they take place on the blockchain, transactions in both stablecoins and tokenized deposits can take place in near-real-time. This eliminates the delays associated with traditional clearing and settlement systems, which can take up to three business days. Whether it’s a purchase, B2B payment, or interbank transfer, blockchain-based transactions allow for faster value exchange.

Additionally, both can be used in smart contracts, programmable payments, and embedded finance applications. And while tokenized deposits aren’t commonly used in the DeFi economy at the moment, that may change once regulated or institutional DeFi networks become more common.

Finally, stablecoins and tokenized deposits alike are useful for modernizing payment rails. Already in their infancy, both are acting as gateways to more advanced financial infrastructure. By enabling real-time, programmable payments on blockchain networks, they help move the financial system away from slow, batch-based legacy systems like ACH or SWIFT.

The future of both

Looking ahead, it is possible that stablecoins and tokenized deposits will coexist, as they both serve different niches. No matter which structure reigns supreme, however, we will certainly see traditional financial institutions and private DeFi companies increase their focus on interoperability and shared infrastructure. As regulatory clarity is enhanced on both sides and new pitfalls are discovered, the industry will likely converge on a hybrid model that blends the safety of traditional finance with the speed, transparency, and programmability of decentralized infrastructure.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

DASH Merges with S4i, Combining Accounts Payable and Compliance

DASH Merges with S4i, Combining Accounts Payable and Compliance
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news, Mergers & Acquisitions
  • DASH and S4i Systems have merged to form SMRTR, a new company focused on delivering automation and compliance solutions to the manufacturing and food and beverage industries.
  • SMRTR offers a cloud-based platform that streamlines accounts payable, document automation, supplier onboarding, and regulatory compliance.
  • The new organization bridges the gap between finance and supply chain operations.

Accounts payable automation specialist DASH announced this week that it is joining forces with compliance and content management solutions provider S4i Systems. The new entity is called SMRTR, and will offer automation and compliance solutions to manufacturing and food and beverage companies.

SMRTR’s cloud-based solutions will help customers improve operational efficiency with its tools that include AP processing, document automation, supplier onboarding and compliance, and electronic proof of delivery. By combining DASH’s financial process automation with S4i’s supplier compliance tools, SMRTR is uniquely positioned to streamline both front-and back-office operations, ultimately bridging finance and supply chain documentation in a unique way.

SMRTR CEO Susanne Moore highlighted how industries facing labor shortages and increased regulation are undergoing a shift toward platform consolidation. “Our customers have consistently told us they want fewer vendors and more comprehensive solutions,” said Moore. “This merger allows us to deliver exactly that—a complete automation platform that addresses both operational efficiency and regulatory compliance from a single source. We’re bringing together decades of industry experience to solve problems that matter to our customers’ bottom line.”

DASH was founded in 1998 to help its customers automate accounts payable processes and manage their documents. The company supports its clients by offering ERP tools that provide regulatory compliance and audit preparation by reducing manual processes and improving accuracy in financial operations.

S4i Systems launched in 2002, offering automation solutions for companies working in the food & beverage industry. The company’s supplier management platform helps clients meet industry-specific regulatory requirements by offering documentation management and supply chain traceability.

Logistically, SMRTR will bring on employees from existing locations. The company will support product portfolios of both DASH and S4i Systems, maintaining each company’s existing customer relationships.

This merger reflects a growing trend among mid-market automation and compliance vendors to consolidate services into end-to-end platforms. As regulatory demands and supply chain complexities increase in the food and beverage industry, companies are looking for partners that can handle both compliance and operational efficiency.

Photo By: Kaboompics.com

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Yonder Introduces Premium Debit Card

Yonder Introduces Premium Debit Card
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news
  • Yonder is launching a premium debit card that offers travel rewards, zero FX fees, and lifestyle perks.
  • There are two tiers available for debit cardholders, Free Debit (£0/month) and Full Debit (£15/month), with the latter earning 4 points per $1.40 (£1) and including travel insurance.
  • With today’s launch, Yonder is targeting debt-averse, experience-driven users that value financial wellness without credit card debt.

When you think “premium” you may not think “debit card,” but travel and dining card provider Yonder is hoping to flip that thought pattern with its latest offering. The UK-based company is launching a Mastercard-branded debit card to sit alongside its credit card.

Yonder is marketing the new payment tool with debit “memberships” that will still help users earn rewards, but without having to borrow funds via a credit card. The debit card will carry the same rewards and travel perks as Yonder’s credit cards, and boast zero fees on foreign exchange (FX). To open a Yonder debit account, users must pass a soft credit check and meet minimum income criteria. While not a common requirement for obtaining a debit card, requiring a minimum income reinforces the brand’s premium positioning, even for debit users.

Yonder’s new debit card comes in two tiers: Free Debit and Full Debit. Free Debit is, as the name suggests, £0 per month. The card also offers zero FX fees during travel and access to national rewards and experiences in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bath, and Bristol. The Full Debit card costs $20.50 (£15) per month or $220 (£160) per year and allows users to earn four points per $1.40 (£1) they spend. The elevated tier also gives users travel insurance, as well as full access to Yonder Experiences—which range from preselected travel and dining perks to shows and entertainment.

“Credit cards can be great—but they’re not for everyone,” said Yonder CEO and Founder Tim Chong. “We kept hearing from people who loved Yonder’s vibe but wanted the same experience on debit. So we built it. Now, anyone can enjoy market-leading rewards, epic travel perks, and totally fee-free foreign spending, without the need for credit.”

Yonder was founded in 2020, at the height of the digital banking hype. The company offers two tiers of credit cards, a free card that offers 1 point for every $1.40 (£1), and a $20.50 (£15) per month card that offers five points for every $1.40 (£1).

The move hinges on the fact that younger, travel-savvy consumers are averse to debt and credit cards, but still value (and sometimes even expect) premium experiences. By offering rewards and perks without requiring users to borrow, Yonder is serving this demographic by tapping into their mindset around financial wellness and lifestyle spending.

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Top Fintech Headlines from Q2 2025

Top Fintech Headlines from Q2 2025
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Julie's Column

As fintech spring continues to evolve and the sector matures to adapt to shifting dynamics, last quarter–the second quarter of 2025–delivered. Starting in April, we saw a wave of notable developments, including IPO filings, funding rounds, and bold product expansions.

Here are the most popular headlines, based on pageviews, that shaped the last quarter:

Klarna doubles down on digital banking ahead of U.S. IPO

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) player Klarna unveiled plans this quarter to operate more like a full-service digital bank. The Swedish fintech not only launched a Visa-backed debit card, but also announced a $40-per-month mobile plan in the US that leverages AT&T’s mobile network. These moves are widely viewed as Klarna’s effort to strengthen its appearance before its IPO–its second attempt at going public–which is expected to happen later this year.

Circle officially launches its IPO

Stablecoin issuer and infrastructure company Circle announced the launch of its IPO in May. The announcement comes four years after initially trying to go public via a $9 billion special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in 2021 with Concord Acquisition Corp. That agreement was terminated in 2022 due to regulatory hurdles and shifting market conditions.

Proceeds from Circle’s IPO could fuel its international expansion, strengthen compliance efforts, and support the development of new tokenized financial products. These investments will be essential as Circle competes with traditional payment networks, other stablecoin issuers such as Tether, and new stablecoins that come online.

Plaid partners with Experian; launches fraud prevention solution Plaid Protect

In June, financial data network Plaid not only made headlines for its new partnership with data and technology company Experian, but also for the launch of its Plaid Protect fraud prevention solution.

Plaid Protect’s Trust Index leverages network intelligence, bank account risk, consortium feedback, and advanced identity intelligence. Days earlier, the California-based company entered a strategic collaboration with Experian to help businesses access cashflow solutions and expand financial inclusion.

Rocket Companies acquires Mr. Cooper for $9.4 billion

In April, Rocket Companies announced it is buying Mr. Cooper, one of the largest non-bank mortgage servicers and mortgage lenders in the US. The deal is expected to close in an all-stock transaction of $9.4 billion in equity value, based on an 11.0x exchange ratio.

Once finalized, Rocket Companies and Mr. Cooper will serve a combined 10 million clients with a servicing book of $2.1 trillion, which represents one in six mortgages in America. Rocket will leverage the acquisition to bring its mortgage recapture capabilities to this new, enlarged client base. This will help produce higher loan volume, drive long-term client relationships, and provide greater recurring revenue while lowering client acquisition costs.

Feedzai acquires Demyst to enhance data orchestration

Risk management provider Feedzai announced in April that it is acquiring data-as-a-service (DaaS) platform Demyst. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Feedzai will use Demyst to unify its risk management solutions with external data orchestration to offer faster, smarter fraud detection.

Feedzai will leverage Demyst’s Zonic data workflow orchestration platform, intellectual property, and sophisticated data-integration capabilities to unify data orchestration and risk management into a single platform. Together, the two companies will deliver a data orchestration platform with fraud prevention measures, enhanced account opening capabilities, contextual intelligence for fraud prediction and prevention, better customer experiences, improved risk insights, and operational efficiency.

Looking ahead

As we prepare to enter into the third quarter of this year, there are a few key trends worth keeping an eye on:

  • IPO market recovery: With Circle and Chime going public, plus other players signaling intent to do so, public listings may regain momentum.
  • New developments in stablecoins and tokenized deposits: Stablecoin adoption is moving fast, and with positive regulatory changes taking place, many firms will likely try to jump into the trend of facilitating stablecoin payments and tokenized deposits, even if the future of both is unclear.
  • Investor confidence: We saw a handful of strong funding rounds this quarter, many of which point to renewed faith in fintech.
  • Consolidation as a strategy: Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity this quarter suggests that growth may increasingly come through acquisition rather than scaling in-house.

Photo by Madison Inouye

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Payments Startup tapi Acquires Cash-Handling Operations of Mastercard’s Arcus

Payments Startup tapi Acquires Cash-Handling Operations of Mastercard’s Arcus
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news, MasterCard, Mergers & Acquisitions
  • tapi is acquiring Arcus’ cash payments operations, including bill pay, top-ups, gift cards, and cash-in/out.
  • tapi will leverage the buy to expand its footprint in Mexico and strengthen its role as a regional payments leader.
  • Backed by Kaszek and Andreessen Horowitz, tapi expects to process over $2B in 2025—5x more than in 2024.

In a move to expand its regional footprint, Argentina-based tapi unveiled it will acquire the cash payments operations of Mastercard-owned Arcus.

Specifically, tapi will acquire Arcus’ service payment operations, mobile top-ups, gift cards, and cash-in/out services. tapi is making the move to expand its presence in Mexico and boost its reputation as a payments partner for banks, fintechs, retailers, and service companies across the region. The acquisition will enable tapi to offer a more seamless payment experience while promoting financial inclusion across Latin America. The company remains focused on expanding its Cash In/Out network to offer direct access to retailers in Mexico through strategic partnerships with OXXO, Chedraui, Finabien, 7-Eleven, SYStienda, and others.

“Integrating Arcus’ service and cash payment capabilities into tapi’s ecosystem marks a turning point in our journey as a company,” said tapi CEO and co-founder Tomás Mindlin. “This integration broadens our reach in Mexico, serving the country’s leading fintechs and banks and significantly expanding our physical footprint with thousands of Cash In/Out points, along with connections to the market’s most relevant service providers. To the cutting-edge technology and customer experience that have fueled our exponential growth in recent years, we now add reliable infrastructure and well-established relationships within the local financial ecosystem. We’re thrilled to become the strategic partner for the financial industry in Mexico and the region.”

For tapi users and clients, the acquisition will offer greater scalability and nationwide physical transaction coverage, access to a broad range of payment services through a single platform, and fast and reliable processing for daily financial needs.

“By integrating this technology with our API-first approach, we’re making it even easier for our partners to launch embedded financial experiences,” said tapi CTO and co-founder Nicolás Andriano.

tapi was founded in 2022 and two years later closed a $22 million Series A funding round led by Kaszek, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz. This brought the company’s total funding to $31 million. tapi expects to surpass $2 billion in annual volume in 2025, which is five times more than in 2024.

Arcus’ ArcusFI platform offers firms access to Mexico’s real-time payment system, allowing them to generate interbank CLABEs to send and receive payments to and from any participating firm in Banxico’s Interbank Electronic Payment System (SPEI). One of the key features of Arcus is Dimo, an electronic transfer service facilitated by Banxico that allows the beneficiary to link their cell phone number to their account through SPEI. Customers can use Dimo to transfer funds from the Arcus platform with just the recipient’s phone number.

With this payment method, you can make electronic money transfers from the Arcus platform using only the beneficiary’s cell phone number.

Logistically, Mastercard will retain the Arcus brand, as well as its capabilities in payment processing, settlement, and reconciliation through Mexico’s real-time payment system (SPEI).

Photo By: Kaboompics.com

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Fiserv Launches Stablecoin for Banks

Fiserv Launches Stablecoin for Banks
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Daily news, Fiserv
  • Fiserv is leveraging Paxos, Circle, and Solana to launch FIUSD, a new stablecoin integrated into its global banking and payments infrastructure.
  • FIUSD is designed for traditional banks and offers a compliant, SDK-based solution that maintains control over the customer experience while enabling 24/7 settlement and programmable payments.
  • Fiserv is positioning FIUSD as a “bank-friendly coin,” making it possible for banks to participate and compete in the tokenized financial ecosystem.

In a move that signals growing mainstream adoption of digital assets, payments giant Fiserv has unveiled plans to launch its own stablecoin, FIUSD. The Wisconsin-based company is embedding the blockchain-based payments tool directly into its global financial infrastructure by the end of the year.

Fiserv will leverage stablecoin infrastructure from Paxos and Circle and will make FIUSD available to its clients via Web3 infrastructure player Solana. The new stablecoin will be made available at no additional cost to clients, giving them access to a new, interoperable digital asset service to integrate into their banking and payment flows.

Along with today’s announcement, the company also said that it is evaluating the use of tokenized deposits as an alternative to stablecoins. Tokenized deposits offer many of the same advantages that stablecoins do, such as speed, interoperability, and programmability. However, tokenized deposits are designed to align more closely with regulatory and capital requirements. This approach may offer banks a more familiar path to leveraging blockchain-based payment infrastructure without taking on the balance sheet complexities of non-deposit stablecoins.

For traditional banks, FIUSD offers a safe and controlled on-ramp into stablecoins. By partnering with a trusted infrastructure provider like Fiserv, banks can experiment with programmable money without needing to become crypto-native themselves.

Fiserv anticipates FIUSD to scale quickly, as it will be launched across its global network that includes relationships with 10,000 financial institution clients and six million merchant locations that process 90 billion transactions each year. Leveraging stablecoins and tokenized deposits in traditional banking and payments is expected to rapidly expand due to their ability to settle 24/7, streamline processes, increase efficiency, and power use cases where existing options may be limited.

“Through our privileged position as a trusted infrastructure provider to financial institutions, merchants, and their customers worldwide, we are relentlessly focused on delivering state-of-the-art innovation, efficiency, and choice to all of our partners,” said Fiserv Chief Operating Officer Takis Georgakopoulos. “With our scale, reach, and technology leadership, Fiserv is uniquely positioned to advance stablecoin-powered payments and help democratize access to blockchain financial services. Together with our other cloud-native banking and merchant platforms, we believe FIUSD will provide our clients with the efficiency and optionality they need to thrive in the evolving banking and payments ecosystem.”

Fiserv is differentiating FIUSD as a “bank-friendly coin,” stating that it enables banks to maintain full control of the customer experience. Unlike traditional public stablecoins like USDC or USDT, FIUSD is designed specifically for financial institutions. The stablecoin is delivered via an SDK that fits into Fiserv’s existing platforms and offers integrated fraud monitoring, risk tools, and a regulatory-first approach, positioning the stablecoin as a bank-grade alternative that blends innovation with institutional trust.

“FIUSD is designed with our clients in mind, a financial institution-friendly coin that simplifies stablecoin access through a secure and scalable ecosystem,” said Sunil Sachdev, Head of Embedded Finance at Fiserv. “We are excited to begin collaborating with our clients, partners, and other ecosystem players to create modernized financial experiences.”

Fiserv noted that this is the first of “a series of announcements” surrounding digital asset products it plans to release. Notably, the announcement comes the week after the US Congress passed the GENIUS Act, which will serve as a foundation for US banks to participate in a regulated digital asset ecosystem.

The news comes two months after Fiserv acquired Australia-based payment facilitator Pinch Payments. Fiserv has been involved in the payments space since it was founded in 1984. The company serves merchants, banks, and fintechs with payments tools, customer analytics, and fraud prevention technology. Fiserv is publicly listed on the NYSE under the ticker FI and has a market capitalization of $92.3 billion.

With FIUSD, Fiserv is not just staying ahead of the evolution of the DeFi economy, but it is also making it possible for banks to participate and compete in the tokenized financial ecosystem. As one of the first traditional movers in the stablecoin space, Fiserv could set a new benchmark as a bank-grade DeFi provider.


Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News

Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Fintech Rundown

It’s the first week of summer, and fintech is heating up.  We’ll continue adding news to this post throughout the week, so stay tuned!

Payments

Open payments platform Spreedly unveils a strategic enhancement to its platform via integration of Just-In-Time Card Updates for Visa Cards powered by Visa Account Updater (VAU).

Walmart-backed PhonePe prepares for $1.5 billion India IPO.

Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) agrees to acquire salary payments partner Kadmos Holding. 

Shift4 to acquire Australian payments company Smartpay.

Digital banking

AI-powered conversations platform for community financial institutions (CFIs) Eltropy launches its Collections 2.0 Suite to help CFIs manage rising delinquency rates.

Banking technology company Thought Machine partners with technology services provider DXC Technology.

NayaOne forges a collaboration with Google Cloud.

Cloud-native core banking platform 10x Banking announces strategic partnership with Australian banking software and operations provider Constantinople.

Finom brings in $133 million (€115 million) for its small business banking platform.

Small business technology

Accounting software provider Xero agrees to acquire SMB billpay platform Melio.

SAP Taulia and PayMate partner to enhance payment flexibility for businesses.

Fraud and security

Financial crime compliance company ThetaRay teams up with East African financial services group, I&M Group PLC.

iDenfy partners with MN2S Label Services to enhance the identity verification process.

Wealth management and financial advisory

AI-driven financial planning and advice platform Quinn emerges from stealth with $11 million in seed funding.

Finovate Best of Show winner Trust & Will launches EstateOS, an intelligent platform for modern legacy planning.

Crypto and DeFi

Automated reconciliation and financial control solutions company AutoRek introduces its data management and reconciliation platform for cryptocurrencies and digital assets, Mion.

Photo by Nitin Dhumal

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

NetGuardians and Intix Merge to Form Vyntra

NetGuardians and Intix Merge to Form Vyntra
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Daily news, Mergers & Acquisitions, NetGuardians
  • NetGuardians and Intix have merged to form Vyntra, a new company focused on unifying transaction observability and financial crime prevention for banks and financial institutions.
  • Vyntra will deliver real-time transaction intelligence to help over 130 financial institutions across 60+ countries detect fraud, ensure AML compliance, and resolve payment issues before they impact customers.
  • Vyntra aims to strengthen operational resilience and support instant payments by offering a more transparent, secure, and intelligent financial infrastructure.

Fraud and risk protection company NetGuardians is joining forces with financial messaging platform Intix. The two announced this week that they have merged to form Vyntra, which aims to bring transaction intelligence to financial institutions.

Vyntra combines NetGuardians’ expertise in financial crime prevention with Intix’s transaction observability. Vyntra will help its more than 130 financial institution clients in 60+ countries receive real-time intelligence about their customers based on their transactions.

“Vyntra represents a new chapter—not just for us, but for the financial institutions we serve,” said Vyntra CEO and former Group CEO of both Intix and NetGuardians Joël Winteregg. “Whether it’s monitoring transactions and payment flows, ensuring anti-money laundering (AML) compliance, or detecting fraud as it happens, Vyntra unifies transaction observability and financial crime prevention under one roof. Our mission is simple: to help financial institutions navigate complexity with clarity and protect the integrity of every transaction.”

Vyntra is launching at a time when financial institutions need real-time, full observability of transactions to enhance compliance, reduce risk, and strengthen operational resilience. The company will leverage fraud prevention, AML compliance, and transaction observability to help financial institutions see, secure, and optimize every transaction in real time. The intelligence will also help firms protect instant payment networks and detect and resolve payment issues before they impact customers.

“The merger of NetGuardians and Intix was designed to support a safer and more transparent financial system,” said Gisle Glück Evensen, Partner at Summa Equity. “Now, as Vyntra, this vision becomes a reality. We’re proud to support the team as they lead the way in transaction observability and financial crime prevention.”

Switzerland-based NetGuardians offers tools to help companies reduce payment and internal fraud and monitor transactions to meet AML requirements. The company also provides its own NetGuardians Community Scoring and Intelligence service that generates actionable insights to help firms expand their risk signals.

Photo by Lance Grandahl on Unsplash

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

The GENIUS Act Passes: 4 Things This Means for Banks and Fintechs

The GENIUS Act Passes: 4 Things This Means for Banks and Fintechs
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: List series, Thought Leadership

The GENIUS Act passed in the US Senate yesterday with a 68 to 30 vote. The bill now moves to the House, where it’s up against the STABLE Act. This means that the House will need to choose between passing the GENIUS Act at face value or passing and reconciling the STABLE Act. 

For financial services, the GENIUS Act is a big deal. That’s because it is not only the first stablecoin legislation to gain real bipartisan traction, but it will also serve as a foundation for the US to begin a digital asset ecosystem. Overall, there are four major implications the bill has on banks.

Stablecoins gain legitimacy and clarity

As a decentralized finance tool, stablecoins have long been grouped together with their crypto cousin bitcoin. Because of this, many traditional financial institutions in the US have shied away from associating themselves with stablecoins.

The GENIUS Act, however, offers both banks and fintechs a clearer legal framework to issue and use stablecoins since it outlines requirements for licensing, reserves, and oversight. Having regulation on their side reduces regulatory uncertainty and will encourage financial institutions to adopt the new payments tool and leverage stablecoins for new use cases. Reducing ambiguity around compliance and risk will also benefit firms exploring tokenization.

Banks may face new competition from Special Purpose Depository Institutions

The Senate version of the bill includes a controversial provision allowing Special Purpose Depository Institutions (SPDIs), such as Kraken, to operate across US states without the approval of each host state’s banking regulator.

If the bill is successful, it will allow fintechs with SPDI licenses to gain a regulatory shortcut because they do not need to comply with capital and liquidity requirements. This may erode the role of traditional banks in certain payment and custody markets and may not be a positive change.

“That is a pretty significant expansion of special purpose depository institutions,” Klaros Group Partner Michele Alt told American Banker. “I would ask, what else could you create as a special depository institution? How could this be used?” 

Notably, however, even though the bill has passed through the Senate, the House’s version of the stablecoin bill doesn’t include a similar provision. This means that if the bill does pass through the House, the House and the Senate will need to convene for a conference to come to an agreement. 

Rising expectations for real-time money movement

While consumers already expect many things in real-time, the GENIUS Act adds more pressure for banks and fintechs to deliver faster, more programmable payments. The bill will enable regulated stablecoins and essentially facilitate real-time settlement, 24/7 money movement, and programmable financial interactions.

This method of funds transfer won’t rely on traditional rails like ACH, wires, or even FedNow. If end users and businesses get accustomed to real-time, programmable payments, their expectations may be permanently shifted, requiring banks to keep up.

This adjustment would be tricky for banks, as many would need to invest in infrastructure that supports tokenized payments, smart contracts, and on-chain compliance.

Banks need to stay agile

If the House does not pass the GENIUS Act, it can advance its own bill in the form of the STABLE Act or negotiate a compromise. Either way, regulatory change is clearly in motion. Banks and fintechs should closely monitor the developments and begin scenario planning now. Whether it’s the GENIUS Act, the STABLE Act, or a hybrid outcome, stablecoin regulation is on the horizon. Those who prepare early will be best positioned to compete in a tokenized financial future.

Photo by Andrew George on Unsplash

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Grifin Lands $11 Million to Help Users Invest as they Shop

Grifin Lands $11 Million to Help Users Invest as they Shop
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news, Funding
  • Grifin raised $11 million in Series A funding to grow its investing app that allows users to invest where they shop, bringing its total funding to $20 million.
  • The app uses Adaptive Investing to automatically invest $1 per purchase into companies users buy from, helping them build daily investing habits.
  • Grifin targets underserved investors, especially women ages 40 to 60.

Approachable investing app Grifin announced that it raised $11 million this week to help users invest where they shop. The Series A funding round, which brings the company’s total raised to $20 million, was led by Nava Ventures with participation from TTV, Draper Associates, Gaingels, Nevcaut Ventures, and Alloy Labs.

Grifin will use today’s funding to hire employees, partner with HR platforms and consumer brands, build family plans, and build out more tools and experiences to add to the app.

“We are thrilled to partner with Grifin in their mission to make investing fit into the daily lives of people across the country,” said Freddie Martignetti, Partner at Nava Ventures. “With more than 178 million uninvested Americans, Grifin has the potential to make a remarkably positive impact by helping their app users lay the foundation for long-term wealth building.”

Martignetti will join Grifin’s Board of Directors.

Grifin was founded in 2017 to make investing fun by allowing shoppers to invest in a portion of the brands they purchase from. The company removes complexity and fear associated with investing by building an investment portfolio based on the consumer’s purchasing habits. Grifin automatically transfers $1 for every transaction the user makes during the week, then invests the funds into their portfolio that is comprised of companies from which the user purchases. Grifin calls this approach Adaptive Investing.

With Adaptive Investing, Grifin creates a dynamic investment portfolio that is uniquely personalized to the user and their everyday habits. As the user’s shopping habits change, Grifin adapts the portfolio. The company also offers users full control on how much and in which companies they invest, allowing them to block companies and manually adjust their investment amount.

“We have always believed that investing should be positive and fun. Where it doesn’t feel like a second job, it simply feels like second nature,” said Grifin CEO and Cofounder Aaron Froug. “Unlike traditional investing, Grifin instills confidence through action and connection. Our goal with Grifin is to build daily investment habits, different mindsets and change the relationship people have with the brands they love. This new funding enables us the fuel to scale a product that’s already proven its power to increase investing habits in a whole new way.”

Grifin is targeting the 86% of Americans that don’t directly own any stock, and says that its primary investor group is women between the ages of 40 and 60. The company has added 500,000 registered users and has seen more than 100,000 new app installs in the last month alone.

Grifin differs from investing companies like Acorns by focusing on emotional connection and brand loyalty rather than rounding up spare change. While Acorns emphasizes passive micro-investing based on leftover change, Grifin actively builds a portfolio based on where users actually shop, which turns consumer behavior into their personalized investment strategy. This approach not only builds financial habits but also helps users feel more connected to their investments, making the process more engaging and meaningful.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

Grammarly Taps Gr4vy to Power Modular, Scalable Payments

Grammarly Taps Gr4vy to Power Modular, Scalable Payments
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news
  • Grammarly is partnering with Gr4vy to streamline its checkout experience using no-code, cloud-based payment infrastructure, giving it access to 400+ payment service providers without requiring custom integrations.
  • The move reduces development time, lowers transaction costs, and improves approval rates, while also automating recurring billing and maintaining PCI compliance.
  • This partnership highlights a growing trend of software companies using modular payment orchestration to boost agility, conversion, and retention.

Payments infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) company Gr4vy announced today that AI writing assistance platform Grammarly has selected to use it to enhance its checkout experience. Grammarly will use Gr4vy’s no-code cloud system to create bespoke checkout experiences for its users.

Gr4vy will offer Grammarly access to multiple payment service providers (PSPs) without having to directly integrate them into its checkout. This will not only save Grammarly time in the form of development and maintenance, but it will also allow the company to select from the more than 400 different PSPs in Gr4vy’s network. Eliminating the need for Grammarly to use custom-built PSP connections will lower transaction costs, increase approval rates, and speed up time-to-market.

“Grammarly’s decision to use our platform is a testament to the simplicity and flexibility we offer, as well as our ability to deliver efficient and scalable solutions that will drive customer growth and retention,” said Gr4vy’s Founder and CEO John Lunn. “We are thrilled to empower Grammarly with the flexibility it needs to optimize payment processes while focusing on its core mission of helping people and teams do their best work.”

Gr4vy is cloud-native, PCI Level 1-compliant, and enables merchants to set up dedicated instances in specific regions to improve transaction speed and comply with data localization laws. Founded in 2020, the company provides businesses access to a range of PSPs, offers anti-fraud tools, and helps payment service providers optimize their payment stack without the need for IT expertise. In 2022, the California-based company was awarded Top Emerging Fintech Company at the Finovate Awards. Earlier this year, Gr4vy partnered with bike manufacturer Trek to power an online-to-offline payment experience and offer consumers accurate inventory checks and simplified checkout.

In addition to leveraging Gr4vy’s PSP network, Grammarly will also use the payment fintech’s hosted payment fields to securely collect sensitive card data and ensure PCI compliance. Additionally, Grammarly will use Gr4vy’s Account Updater to handle recurring billing transactions efficiently, automating the management of expired cards and ensuring uninterrupted subscription service.

Today’s payments partnership mirrors a broader trend of software companies embracing modular, cloud-native infrastructure to stay agile. When creating a frictionless user experience is paramount and when recurring revenue models are increasingly common, enabling payments orchestration can directly impact conversion rates and retention. The partnership is a good example of how smart payment orchestration is evolving from an operational function into a strategic advantage.

Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

Share this:

Send Post Twitter LinkedIn Facebook