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Finovate Blog
Tracking fintech, banking & financial services innovations since 1994
Thanks for reading Finovate’s Fintech Rundown! We’ve got a new administration in Washington, D.C. and a new week of fintech news and announcements. We’re starting off the holiday-shortened week with a funding in the payments space and a handful of new product launches in insurtech and crypto.
We will update Fintech Rundown all week long with the latest in fintech news.
Payments
Egyptian payment orchestration platform MoneyHashsecures $5.2 million in Pre-Series A funding.
Worldline and Wixteam up to boost online commerce and payments solutions for businesses throughout Europe and Asia Pacific.
Gala TechnologylaunchesSOTpay Connect, a comprehensive payments gateway that supports open banking, direct debits, omni-channel payments, and more.
Insurtech
U.K.-based insurance intelligence platform Percayso Informunveils updated version of its Quote Intelligence platform.
Digital risk processing platform Cytorapartners with property data solutions provider Smarty to enhance property risk evaluation for insurers.
This week’s edition of Finovate Global focuses on recent fintech headlines from Mexico, which boasts the second largest economy in Latin America.
Belvo and JP Morgan Partner to Enhance Recurring Payments in Mexico
A strategic collaboration between Latin American open finance platform Belvo and J.P. Morgan Payments aims to automate and streamline the management of recurring payments via direct debit. The partnership will enable businesses in multiple sectors to deploy direct debit quickly and securely, enhancing the customer experience and boosting engagement.
“This alliance with J.P. Morgan Payments is a milestone for Belvo and the financial ecosystem in Mexico,” Federica Gregorini, General Manager of Belvo in Mexico, said. “Direct debit offers a modern and efficient solution that not only improves companies’ operational processes but also makes life easier for users. With this collaboration, we are taking recurring payment automation to the next level, making it more accessible for all types of businesses.”
Now a member of J.P. Morgan Payments Partner Network, Belvo will give companies in industries such as lending, insurance, utilities, subscription services, and more the ability to automate their recurring collections. By leveraging direct debit, these companies will reduce errors, ensure timely payments, and increase convenience for customers who will no longer have to make manual payments.
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Mexico City, Belvo is a leading open finance and data payments platform. With partners including BBVA, Citibanamex, and Finovate alum Nubank, Belvo first launched its direct debit recurring payments solution in Colombia and Mexico in the fall of 2023. This week’s strategic collaboration with J.P. Morgan Payments will bring this technology to more businesses throughout Mexico.
“We are pleased to work with Belvo to offer our clients in the country access to a best-in-class direct debit solution, providing higher transaction success rates, new features such as partial debit payments, and more efficient settlements,” Francisco Molina Viamonte, Head of Mexico for J.P. Morgan Payments said.
TransUnion Acquires Trans Union de Mexico from Mexico’s Largest Credit Bureau
International information and insights company TransUnion has signed a definitive agreement to acquire majority ownership of Trans Union de Mexico, the consumer credit business of Mexico’s largest credit bureau, Buró de Crédito.
“Our expansion in Mexico continues our commitment to making trust possible in global commerce,” TransUnion President and CEO Chris Cartwright said. “Credit bureaus are a catalyst for financial inclusion, and we are excited for the opportunity to bring the benefits of our state-of-the-art technology, innovative solutions, and industry expertise to Mexican consumers and businesses.”
TransUnion currently owns approximately 26% of Trans Union de Mexico. Cash consideration for the transaction, in which TransUnion will acquire an additional 68% ownership stake, is $560 million (MXN 11.5 billion), with an enterprise value of $818 million (MXN 16.8 billion). Buró de Crédito’s commercial credit business is not a part of this transaction.
“We anticipate that our planned acquisition of Buró de Crédito’s consumer credit business will strengthen our leadership position in Latin America and will make TransUnion the largest credit bureau in Spanish-speaking Latin America,” Regional President of TransUnion Latin America Carlos Valencia said. “We see substantial opportunity to introduce global products like trended and alternative credit data, fraud mitigation solutions, and consumer engagement tools. We also plan to expand beyond traditional financial services into adjacencies such as FinTech and insurance.”
TransUnion made its Finovate debut in 2016 at FinovateFall. The company returned to the Finovate stage last year for FinovateSpring 2024 to demonstrate its Enhanced BreachIQ solution, which provides modern, gamified consumer identity protection. Part of TransUnion’s TruEmpower suite of solutions, Enhanced BreachIQ builds an Identity Safety Score based on the user’s individual and unique data breach history. It also provides Breach Risk Scores that measure the severity of incidents in which their data was exposed, and a Personalized Action Plan of practical risk mitigation steps.
Founded in 1968, TransUnion is headquartered in Chicago. The company trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker TRU and has a market capitalization of $18.4 billion.
Airwallex Acquires MexPago as Part of Latin American Expansion
Speaking of acquisitions in Mexican fintech and financial services, global financial platform Airwallex has finalized its acquisition of Mexico-based payment service provider MexPago, a licensed Institution of Electronic Payment Funds (IFPE). The acquisition, along with recent news that Airwallex has secured a payment institution license from Banco Central do Brasil, will enable the company to connect its international financial infrastructure with Brazil and Mexico, supporting local businesses.
“Mexico plays a pivotal role in the global economy, serving as a key link between North and South America and a critical hub for cross-border payments,” MexPago CEO and founder Luis Castillejos Ordaz said. “We’re proud to join forces with Airwallex to enable seamless and secure cross-border transactions for businesses worldwide. MexPago’s domestic capabilities, combined with Airwallex’s global reach will deliver even greater value to our shared customers. Together, we will unlock borderless opportunities for businesses here in Latin America and around the world.”
Founded in 2014, MexPago is headquartered in Huixquilucan, part of Greater Mexico City. Post-acquisition, Castillejos will serve as Country Manager for Airwallex, Mexico, where he will manage operations and help Airwallex’s customers successfully navigate the Mexican market.
Here is our look at fintech innovation around the world.
Asia-Pacific
UnionDigitalBank, the digital banking arm of Union Bank of the Philippines, partnered with fintech lending platform JuanHand.
Backbase announced that its client, Vietnam-based An Binh Commercial Joint Stock Bank (ABBANK) has launchedABBANK Business, a new digital banking platform.
Sub-Saharan Africa
KCB Bank Kenya and UnionPay International (UPI) teamed up to boost e-commerce payment capabilities in Kenya.
MENA-based fintech startup Zywa, which offers banking solutions for Gen Z customers, raised $3 million in funding.
Saudi Arabian payments services provider HyperPay secured a license from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) to support the development of the financial services ecosystem in the kingdom.
Central and Southern Asia
Amazon acquired India-based Buy Now, Pay Later firm Axio for $150 million.
Pakistan-based commercial bank Bank Alfalah acquired a 9.9% equity stake in Jingle Pay.
Indian equity management platform Hissa launched a new fund to help workers at growth-stage startups convert their vested stock options into cash.
We hear quite a bit about the role of venture capital in providing equity funding for fintech startups. But much less discussed is the role of venture debt. And while there is a widespread awareness of venture debut opportunities in the United States, fewer startups in the U.K. and Europe have traditionally taken advantage of it.
2025 may mark the year this changes. Our special Power Panel on Day One of FinovateEurope — Busting the Myths of Venture Debt, Innovations in Lending to Pre-Profit, High-Growth Companies. How to Decide If It Is Right for Your Startup? — will examine the impact of this shift, why it is happening now, and what startups need to know about how venture debt can work to help them secure the financing they need in order to grow.
How does venture debt work? What are the different options available to fintech startups? How does revenue-based financing differ from venture debt? How can companies decide whether or not venture debt is for them? These are some of the questions our Power Panel will address.
Erwin has nearly a decade of experience in venture debt. At NatWest, she is responsible for leading investments from origination to execution in high-growth, innovative companies, and supporting companies through the investment lifetime. LinkedIn.
Eliott Saba, Partner, Bootstrap Europe
Saba joined Bootstrap Europe in 2020 following a successful tenure at Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) as Vice President. Currently, he leads Bootstrap’s Fintech and Software expansion, following the successful raising of its third fund. LinkedIn.
Manuel Costescu, Managing Director and Co-Head of Innovation Economy for EMEA, JP Morgan
Costescu co-heads the Innovation Economy team, serving EMEA’s fastest growing fintechs, SaaS companies, and e-commerce firms across a wide range of corporate banking solutions. Costescu was previously a member of the Romanian Parliament and State Secretary for Trade and Investment. LinkedIn.
Morgan Borer, Founder, Blair Public Relations
Moderating the panel is Morgan Borer. Borer is a veteran communications professional with more than a decade of strategic communications and public relations experience. She was previously Partner at Bevel, one of the most sought-after strategic communications firms for venture capital, private equity, tech founders and CEO in the U.S. and Europe. LinkedIn.
Tickets for FinovateEurope are available today! Book by January 24 and take advantage of big early-bird savings.
Core banking platform 10x Banking has teamed up with data migration solutions company DLT Apps.
The partnership combines DLT Apps’ TerraAI technology with 10x Banking’s advanced migration tooling capabilities to minimize error and downtime during the data migration process.
Headquartered in London, 10x Banking won Best of Show in its Finovate debut at FinovateEurope 2023.
A new partnership between cloud-native meta core banking platform 10x Banking and data migration solutions company DLT Apps leverages AI to ensure that banks are able to make the most of their digital transformation initiatives. Specifically, the partnership puts DLT Apps’ TerraAi technology to work in helping institutions transition from legacy and non-legacy systems to 10x Banking’s platform.
“A key differentiator of this joint solution is the ability of 10x to load data in any sequence, validate it in a controlled staging environment, and ensure that every transformation is auditable,” 10x Banking CPO Okan Ozaltin said. “This allows banks to manage their migrations with precision, reducing the risk of data loss or corruption and accelerating the migration process,” he added. “This enables clients to quickly realize the benefits of their new systems.”
TerraAI features robust data transformation and AI-powered migration tools to prioritize data integrity and quality. Along with DLT Apps’ MigratIO platform, TerraAI is equipped to handle all data formats and includes an intuitive user interface that makes data mapping and reconciliation easier. MigratIO provides detailed audit trails and real-time data quality monitoring to give users visibility over the entire migration journey so that any potential issues can be addressed as early as possible in the process.
“This partnership ensures the quality and integrity of data is maintained from start to finish as users can identify data quality issues early in the migration lifecycle,” DLT Apps Founder and MD Santosh Reyes said.
Founded in 2018 and based in London, DLT Apps uses blockchain, AI, cloud, and micro-services technologies to transform financial services and accelerate digitization. In addition to TerraAI, the company offers a digital financial profile solution, Quinn, that facilitates streamlined onboarding, ongoing monitoring, and client lifecycle management; Zilo, a modern global transfer agency; and Zeta Wealth, which offers advanced financial tools for investment planning, portfolio management, and compliance.
10x Banking won Best of Show in its Finovate debut at FinovateEurope 2023. At the conference, the company demoed its 10x SuperCore cards that enable banks to build a card proposition in minutes with 10x Banking’s Bank Manager interface. More recently, 10x Banking reflected on its achievements in 2024, including the launch of the world’s first meta core platform, its first client in Africa, and new partnerships with companies like Deloitte and Flexys, as well as with fellow Finovate alums Zafin and Alloy.
Headquartered in London, 10x Banking was founded in 2016. The company has raised $297 million in funding according to Crunchbase. Antony Jenkins is Founder, Chair, and CEO.
To learn more about 10x Banking, check out my interview with company VP Lewis Ide on high growth opportunities for banks in APAC and Africa.
Union Credit has announced a new partnership with MeridianLink.
The partnership will simplify and streamline the lending process for credit unions with real-time financing solutions at the point of purchase.
Union Credit most recently demoed its technology at FinovateFall 2024.
Union Credit, a marketplace for credit unions that offers pre-approved, one-click credit offers at the point of purchase, has teamed up with software platform MeridianLink. The partnership will help simplify the lending process for credit unions with seamless, real-time financing solutions that can help drive member growth.
“Our goal is to simplify lending processes, turning them into a seamless, hassle-free acquisition tool for credit unions, while providing consumers access to an array of local financing options and all the great benefits of credit union membership,” Union Credit Co-Founder and CRO Barry Kirby said. “By reducing manual input and improving efficiencies for credit unions, we’re helping them grow their membership while redirecting resources to other strategic areas.”
Union Credit believes that making it easier for consumers to secure pre-approved offers when they shop not only creates a more convenient financing experience, but also can help credit unions attract and retain new members. The partnership with MeridianLink will enable credit unions in Union Credit’s marketplace to leverage a direct integration with MeridianLink’s loan origination system (LOS) for efficient lending and onboarding. This enables credit unions to process more applications faster and reduce manual data entry while boosting loan volume and membership growth.
MeridianLink’s loan origination technology offers features such as single sign-on, smart cross-sell, and flexible account opening. The company’s cloud-based platform includes a built-in price engine, seamless third-party integrations via Open API, as well as “best-in-class” client support that starts with implementation. The Costa Mesa, California-based company is publicly held, trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker MLNK, and has a market capitalization of $1.45 billion. Nicolaas Vlok is CEO.
Headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, Union Credit made its Finovate debut at FinovateFall 2023 and returned the following year for FinovateFall 2024. Most recently, the company demoed its Always Approved Marketplace SDK, which provides API services that can be used by third parties for member eligibility checks, rate lookup, instant offer generation, and more.
Winner of the “Top Emerging Fintech Company” award at the 2023 Finovate Awards, Union Credit recently announced that it had integrated more than 50 credit unions into its marketplace in 2024. This represents more than 20,000 new members — 60% of whom were under the age of 40.
Texas-based digital banking solutions provider Alkami Technology is bringing Push Provisioning to NASA Federal Credit Union (NASA FCU).
“I truly believe that our card management suite is one of the best,” NASA FCU digital banking manager Liam Petraska said. “Alkami has delivered one of the most cohesive card experiences we’ve seen in the industry. They continue to push the envelope with innovative features, allowing members to start using their cards digitally while the physical card is still in the mail. These cutting-edge features are setting a new standard for what card management can be in the digital banking space.”
The collaboration — Alkami’s latest — has enabled NASA FCU to modernize its digital banking experience for its 200,000+ members with features like push provisioning. Push provisioning enables payment card data to be securely sent or “pushed” from the card issuer or financial institution directly to a digital wallet. Push provisioning facilitates contactless payments and boosts convenience and security by removing the need for the user to manually enter payment card details. This, according to NASA FCU, has led to quantifiable gains in member satisfaction and digital engagement. Additionally, since going live with Alkami’s platform, NASA FCU also has reported faster and more efficient integrations courtesy of Alkami’s API framework.
Alkami’s partnership news comes a month after the fintech announced an enhancement to its Data & Marketing Solutions platform. The enhancement expanded Alkami’s behavioral data tag capabilities to provide financial institutions with deeper account holder intelligence that can be used to provide personalization across marketing and digital banking channels.
Targeted behavioral data tags empower financial institutions to efficiently analyze large datasets and establish accurate categories for accountholder actions and activities. Alkami’s latest behavioral data tags include SavvyMoney data tags to enable banks and credit unions to use data insights from the SavvyMoney offers engine, aggregated account data tags that provide a comprehensive view of account holders’ external accounts, anniversary data tags that track account holders’ anniversaries, and outbound transfer data tags to facilitate tracking of transfers made to other institutions.
“Behavioral data tags allow financial institutions of all sizes to find meaningful insights from large data sets and utilize that information to understand account holder behaviors, make informed business decisions and even find competitive advantages,” Alkami director of product management Mark Leher said. “These insights can be leveraged across digital, mobile, and in-person channels to support a more personalized banking experience.”
As iThryv, Alkami Technology made its Finovate debut in 2009. Today, the fintech reports that customers that have been on its platform for more than five years have outperformed their peers on major financial metrics, based on FI Navigator Data from 2024. This includes 25% higher loan growth, 11% higher core deposit growth, 19% higher revenue growth, and 13% higher average revenue per FTE.
Alkami went public in 2021. The company trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker ALKT and has a market capitalization of $3.5 billion. Alex Shootman is CEO.
Founded in 1949, NASA FCU is headquartered in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The institution has more than $5 billion in assets.
Texas-based Sage Capital Bank has partnered with digital banking solutions provider Apiture.
Courtesy of the partnership, Sage Capital Bank will deploy Apiture’s Consumer Banking, Business Banking, and Digital Account Opening solutions, as well as its Data Intelligence solution.
Headquartered in North Carolina, Apiture most recently demoed its technology at FinovateFall 2023.
Sage Capital Bank, an independent, Texas-based community financial institution, has chosen digital banking solutions provider Apiture to power its online and mobile banking services. The bank will deploy Apiture’s Consumer Banking, Business Banking, and Digital Account Opening solutions and enhance the online and mobile experience for its customers with a modern, intuitive user interface and comprehensive feature set.
The bank will also take advantage of Apiture’s Data Intelligence solution that will enable Sage Capital to offer highly personalized experiences to customers via digital channels to enhance customer satisfaction and engagement.
“At Sage Capital, we recognize that our consumer and business customers are on-the-go and expect banking services that let them bank anytime, anywhere,” Sage Capital EVP and CTO Gene Stroman said. “With Apiture as our partner, we will elevate their digital banking experience through capabilities like peer-to-peer payments, real-time fraud detection, robust business entitlements, and Positive Pay. We are thrilled to work with this forward-thinking solution provider.”
Chartered as American National Bank in 1984 by a team of business owners from Gonzales, Texas, Sage Capital Bank today has $700 million in assets. The bank has branches in eight cities in Texas including Lockhart — where the bank opened its first branch in 1995 — and Austin.
“Apiture and Sage Capital share a commitment to both partnership and innovation, and we are eager to support the bank’s digital evolution and growth objectives,” Apiture CEO Chris Babcock said. “By choosing our comprehensive platform, Sage Capital can deliver a banking experience tailored to its community’s unique needs while delivering the very latest in digital innovation.”
Apiture most recently demoed its technology at FinovateFall 2023. At the conference, Apiture showed how its Sensei solution leverages AI to produce a real-time assessment of a customer’s financial circumstances and provide proactive recommendations customers can follow in order to improve their financial standing. Sensei analyzes data — including transaction history, account balances, and engagement metrics — to help banks and credit unions build better, more personalized relationships with their customers and members.
Founded in 2017, Apiture is headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina. The company’s partnership announcement with Sage Capital Bank comes one month after Apiture announced a strategic partnership with data-driven statement provider HC3. The partnership will empower Apiture’s community bank and credit union customers to provide account holders with secure, immediate access to digital statements, powered by HC3, directly from their online and mobile banking channels.
FinGoal and DeepTarget have teamed up to enable community banks and credit unions to convert transaction data into actionable insights.
FinGoal for DeepTarget will help financial institutions deliver personalization at scale, identify new sales opportunities, and deepen relationships with customers and members.
DeepTarget made its Finovate debut at FinovateWest 2020. FinGoal won Best of Show in its appearance at FinovateSpring 2022.
A newly announced partnership between FinGoal and DeepTarget will help community banks and credit unions convert transaction data into actionable insights and potential revenue opportunities. FinGoal’s advanced transaction analysis combined with DeepTarget’s AI-powered, personalized engagement platform will enable financial institutions to create highly personalized product recommendations and offers that are targeted to reach the right customers at the right time.
Called FinGoal for DeepTarget, the new offering turns raw transactions into revenue opportunities, delivers deep personalization at scale, automates the targeting and personalization process, and provides continuous tracking of performance metrics to improve targeting and refine campaign effectiveness.
“Banks and credit unions know they need to compete on personalization, but they’ve been missing the tools to do it effectively,” FinGoal CEO David Nohe said. “Our partnership with DeepTarget bridges that gap. We turn complex transaction data into clear growth opportunities with existing customers, and DeepTarget turns those insights into targeted campaigns that drive results. Together, we’re helping financial institutions deliver the kind of personalized experience that builds lasting customer relationships and sustainable growth.”
The partnership is designed to help community banks and credit unions take advantage of what DeepTarget CEO Preetha Pulusani referred to as a “goldmine of transaction data.” Traditionally, financial institutions have lacked the resources to analyze customer spending patterns and life events that can hold clues to emerging consumer needs and preferences. Moreover, these institutions often have struggled to act effectively and efficiently on the customer information and data they have been able to analyze. Solving this problem will enable community banks and credit unions to reach out to a customer who may need financial assistance for a home improvement, for example, or identify a small business owner whose cash flow indicates a potential for significant expansion.
“By combining FinGoal’s advanced transaction intelligence with our AI-driven engagement platform, we’re giving banks and credit unions the power to spot opportunities in everyday transactions and automatically turn those insights into personalized offers that drive real revenue growth,” Pulusani said. “This isn’t just about better marketing — it’s about fundamentally transforming how financial institutions understand and serve their customers.”
Headquartered in Madison, Alabama, DeepTarget made its Finovate debut at our all-digital fintech conference FinovateWest 2020. At the event, the company demonstrated its 3D StoryTeller feature, which brings a 3D user experience to its Digital Experience Platform. DeepTarget’s Digital Experience Platform readily integrates across all digital channels enabling financial institutions to intelligently reach their customers from thousands of customer touchpoints. Companies using DeepTarget’s technology have reported 40x increases over industry standard response rates, 25% revenue growth, and ROI of as much as 5x.
FinGoal won Best of Show at FinovateSpring 2022 for its Aggregator Switchkit that makes it easy for fintech developers to quickly transition from their current data aggregator to FinGoal’s insights platform. FinGoal’s platform sits on top of digital banking and finance data, turning transaction data into highly detailed user personas that help financial institutions make more relevant and engaging recommendations and calls to action for their customers and members.
FinGoal’s partnership with DeepTarget comes one month after the company announced that it was working with Lumin Digital. Courtesy of the agreement, Lumin Digital’s financial institution clients will be able to access data-driven insights from FinGoal to create personalized offers for their end users.
The week begins on the Fintech Rundown with news of product launches and new investments, as well as an acquisition in the digital banking space and a handful of partnerships in payments.
Be sure to check back all week long for the latest updates.
This week’s edition of Finovate Global looks at recent fintech headlines from Ireland.
NomuPay secures $37 million at a valuation of $200 million
Dublin, Ireland-based fintech NomuPay announced an investment of $37 million this week. The funding round, which began in September, gives the company a valuation of $200 million. The company will leverage the new capital to help accelerate the expansion of unified payment access in Asia.
“Over the past two years, we’ve grown our revenue by 100% annually and are on track to become profitable this year with an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of $20 million,” NomuPay’s Faye Duncan wrote on the NomuPay website. “Our valuation has reached $200 million, and with this latest funding round, our total funding now stands at $90 million. We’re proud to support over 1,600 merchants — including Ikea — and look forward to expanding into markets like Indonesia, Japan, and Vietnam, while continuing our M&A efforts.”
Founded in 2021, NomuPay offers state-of-the-art, unified payment solutions to help businesses scale in high-growth regions in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The company’s uP Platform offers high-penetration alternative payment methods; real-time payout disbursements; and compliant, end-to-end marketplace funds management.
This week’s investment will help NomuPay assist international acquirers, merchants, Payment Service Providers (PSPs) and Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs) as they seek to expand in markets such as those in Asia, where differences between local regulations and a broad variety of payment methods add to both cost and complexity.
To this point, NomuPay CEO Peter Burridge noted that many organizations are stymied by the offerings of the dominant international gateway acquirers that, in some instances, provide limited access or fewer payment options. Burridge called for a more “sophisticated and less prescriptive approach.”
Experian acquires debt consolidation technology from Paylink
To help millions of consumers better manage their debts, international data and technology company Experian announced this week that it will acquire ReFi, the debt consolidation innovation from Paylink Solutions. ReFi, which specifically helps manage the “double counting” challenge in lending, will become a part of the Experian Consumer Services Marketplace.
“Our research shows that millions of consumers are stuck in a revolving debt trap, due to the systemic issue of ‘double counting’ when consumers apply for debt consolidation products,” Experian Consumer Services Managing Director Edu Castro explained. “ReFi’s innovative solutions will play a crucial role in addressing the debt challenges faced by many consumers, unlocking access to debt consolidation products that could help them save money on their debt and even pay it off sooner.”
Double counting can occur when an individual applies for a debt consolidation loan and a lender counts both the individual’s original debts and their new consolidation loan as part of the affordability assessment. Lenders “double count” because there is no guarantee that the funds from the new consolidation loan will be deployed to retire existing debt. This means that otherwise creditworthy individuals can be denied consolidation loans to help them more affordably pay off their debts.
ReFi provides this assurance for lenders, working with both parties to settle debts directly with existing creditors. This enables applicants for consolidation loans to be assessed solely on the basis of the consolidation loan amount. And as debt is paid off, old accounts are closed, providing convenience for customers and further bolstering confidence for lenders.
“The team who built ReFi feel tremendously privileged to already have helped thousands of people reduce their monthly outgoings and cut the amount of interest they have to pay overall,” Paylink CEO Jake Ranson said. “Becoming part of Experian will enable us to further innovate, accelerate, and grow the impact ReFi will have on delivering better outcomes for lender and borrower alike.”
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Grantham, Lincolnshire, U.K., Paylink Solutions launched its ReFi solution in the fall of 2023. Piloted by financial wellness company Salary Finance, ReFi has saved Salary Finance customers more than £10 million in interest payments.
With its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, Experian helps businesses around the world enhance lending practices, fight fraud, and better engage their customers. A Finovate alum since 2011, Experian is a FTSE 100 Index company, publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker EXPN.
Data privacy firm Dataships raises $7 million in Series A funding
Data privacy software company Datashipssecured $7 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Osage Venture Partners, and featured participation from Lavrock Ventures and the Urban Innovation Fund. In a statement, the company said that the funding will help “accelerate our mission to help merchants dramatically grow their marketing lists while maintaining ironclad data privacy compliance.”
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Dublin, Dataships began as a compliance technology company and has since transitioned to compliance management. The company notes that it has helped its merchant customers realize a 10x increase in SMS opt-in rates, a 3x to 4x boost in email marketing contacts, and $112 million in additional revenue generated via 1.1 million repeat purchases. Dataships recently announced a pair of new innovations to its platform: SMS Easy Opt-in, which replaces “Reply Y” with in-checkout verification, and A/B Testing Engine that provides transparent measurement of baseline versus opt-in rates.
“We’re building Dataships to be the essential growth platform for modern e-commerce brands,” the company’s Matt Gottron noted in a blog post. “One that transforms compliance from a burden into a competitive advantage, helping merchants build larger, more engaged marketing lists that drive sustainable revenue growth.”
Here is our look at fintech innovation around the world.
Latin America and the Caribbean
Latin American payments service processor Kuady introduced its new physical prepaid Mastercard for users in Peru after launching a virtual version in September.
Onchain finance solutions provider Tokeny has teamed up with El Salvador-based Digital Asset Service Provider Ditobanx.
Visalaunched its 2025 Accelerator Program for African fintechs.
BusinessDay Nigeria examined the impact of cybercrime on Africa’s fintech and digital banking industries.
Central and Eastern Europe
Germany-based fintech unicorn N26 announced its first profitable quarter to close out 2024.
Lithuania and Romania earned praise for their growth potential in sustainable banking in a recent report from the International Sustainable Finance Centre (ISFC).
Financial Times featured German fintech Trade Republic as the firm announces it has no intention to go public at this time.
Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) won “Best Mobile Financial App” category at the 2024 Finovate Awards. Emerging victorious from a field of six impressive finalists, Industrial Bank of Korea’s i-ONE Bank app won over our judges for its “great set of features” in the words of one evaluator, and its “smooth and clean UX/UI,” in the words of another.
“This mobile app appears to do it all,” yet another judge said, “It was especially good to see that it gives customers a variety of options for log-in and personalization of the user experience. They’ve clearly focused on security and made sure there are many different functions available, even currency exchange.”
We caught up with Kim Sung-tae, CEO of Industrial Bank of Korea, to learn more about the institution’s award-winning mobile banking app and what sets it apart from competitors in the Korean market. We also discuss the bank’s role in the Korea financial services ecosystem, the relationship between fintechs and incumbent financial institutions in Korea, how enabling technologies like AI are creating new opportunities for innovation, and what we can expect from IBK this year and beyond.
Founded in 1961, Industrial Bank of Korea is headquartered in the Jung-gu District of Seoul, South Korea. Kim Sung-tae was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2023.
Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) won the “Best Mobile Financial App” category at the 2024 Finovate Awards. What sets your app apart from competitors?
Kim Sung-tae: i-ONE Bank reflects our unwavering commitment to the customer. While all banking apps in Korea may appear similar, few demonstrate consistency and dedication to providing customer-centric services.
Yet, i-ONE Bank has always put the customer first since its inception, believing that “all the answers lie with the customer.” As a result, the app has consistently ranked first in the domestic financial app category on the two major app store platforms (iOS and Android) — a success that has culminated in winning the Best Financial Mobile App at the 2024 Finovate Awards.
Who does IBK primarily serve?
Kim Sung-tae: IBK serves both individual and corporate customers. As of now, approximately 17 million individuals and 2.2 million companies use IBK’s financial services.
What do you think is the most important banking service for customers today, and how has IBK responded to that need?
Kim Sung-tae: In the past, retail customers in Korea chose banks based on the proximity to their workplace or home. These days, however, we found a significant shift in their selection criteria: customers prioritize mobile banking convenience in selecting their primary bank. To respond to this changing need, we adopted “Easier, Faster, and More Secure Banking” as our slogan and positioned i-ONE Bank as the flagship service of our mobile channel.
i-ONE Bank delivers a full range of commercial banking products and services, including deposits, loans, investments, and pensions (Individual Retirement Pensions) through an open finance platform. It allows customers to view all of their financial transaction information dispersed at multiple institutions, such as banks, credit card issuers, and brokerages, on a single page. In addition, it offers much acclaimed personal finance management (PFM) services that automatically record spending history for easy control of customers’ personal finances.
Do you think emerging technologies such as AI play a significant role? Is this an area of innovation for the bank?
Kim Sung-tae: Absolutely. Upon taking office as CEO, I introduced “Value Finance” as my management philosophy, emphasizing that IBK must go beyond profit generation to enhance the value to all stakeholders in consideration of not just the customers, but also the entire community and even the environment.
AI is an innovative technology with the potential to elevate the value of IBK’s diverse stakeholders. We are currently running the IBK GPT Project which aims to leverage AI to improve operational productivity and promote digital transformation in customer services by, for instance, introducing conversational banking.
How would you describe the financial services environment in Korea? Is the relationship between fintechs and banks more collaborative or competitive?
Kim Sung-tae: The financial services environment in Korea is highly dynamic, characterized by both competition and collaboration between traditional banks and fintech companies. IBK strives to create synergies between the two by focusing on the areas where they can be complementary to each other, with a goal of fostering a sound ecosystem for greater financial innovation. For example, we operate IBK Changgong, an incubator program to support innovative tech startups, and IBK 1st Lab to help commercialization of the startups’ solutions.
What major initiatives does IBK have planned for 2025?
Kim Sung-tae: In 2025, IBK plans to transform i-ONE Bank into an open platform based on banking. By leveraging the two-side market nature of platforms, we aim to expand our end-user base for banking services while also increasing collaboration with partner companies to diversify non-financial content offerings. Through i-ONE Bank, we will create a virtuous circle that delivers tangible value to both customers and partner companies, and maximize network effects, which will ultimately propel i-ONE Bank to be a super app.
LogicMonitor announced a partnership with operational resilience solutions provider Gieom.
The collaboration will enable the two companies to help financial institutions prepare for emerging regulations governing operational resilience.
India-based Gieom made its Finovate debut at FinovateAsia 2016 in Hong Kong.
SaaS-based hybrid observability platform LogicMonitor has forged a strategic partnership with operational resilience solutions provider Gieom. The combination of Gieom’s Operational Resilience Platform and LogicMonitor’s LM Envision solution will help financial institutions meet emerging regulatory requirements, including both the EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and the FCA Operational Resilience Requirements.
“At Gieom, we’ve always believed in the importance of holistic operational resilience,” Gieom CTO Bhavana Mallesh said. “Partnering with LogicMonitor allows us to extend our capabilities and offer clients a truly integrated, end-to-end solution. This collaboration ensures financial institutions can meet regulatory demands while optimizing their operations.”
Operational resilience is an increasingly important concern for financial services companies. New regulations, such as DORA, will require these businesses to adopt a more holistic approach to detecting and mitigating risks across systems and in third-party relationships. To this end, the strategic partnership between LogicMonitor and Gieom will enable them to provide financial institutions with proactive compliance by way of real-time monitoring and observability, AI-driven efficiencies including predictive analytics and automation, enhanced visibility via a unified platform, and scalable tools to help manage third-party risks.
“Financial institutions are under immense pressure to modernize and comply with stringent regulations like DORA, and this partnership provides them with the tools to succeed,” LogicMonitor General Manager, EMEA Matt Tuson said. “Together with Gieom, we’re delivering a seamless, AI-powered solution that enhances resilience, reduces risk, and drives value across the industry so institutions can stay ahead of regulatory demands, strengthen operational efficiency, and build trust with customers in an ever-evolving landscape.”
LogicMonitor provides AI-powered, hybrid observability, giving companies operational visibility and predictability across both on-premises and multi-cloud environments. Headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, and founded in 2007, the company raised $800 million in strategic funding late last year at a valuation of $2.4 billion. Christina Kosmowski is the company’s CEO.
Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Bangalore, India, Gieom made its Finovate debut at FinovateAsia 2016 in Hong Kong. The company builds software that empowers companies to better manage their policies and standard operating procedures, streamline digital identity verification processes, manage risk, and adopt an operational resilience framework. Gieom’s technology is used by more than 90 banks around the world, including World Bank, Bank of England, and the State Bank of India.
Most recently, Gieom announced a partnership with Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) to create a centralized platform for the digital management of policies and procedures that govern the bank’s operations. At the same time, Gieom teamed up with Kuwait Finance House (KFH) to help the institution similarly centralize and streamline its policy and procedure management.
“KFH is setting a benchmark for the region, leveraging technology to enhance compliance, governance, and customer service,” Gieom CEO John Santhosh said when the partnership was announced last fall. “This collaboration will contribute to KFH’s operational resilience and customer-centric approach.”
