Author: David Penn

Wealthsimple Reaches $4 Billion Valuation on Latest Fundraising

Wealthsimple Reaches $4 Billion Valuation on Latest Fundraising
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Daily news, Funding

In a round led by Meritech and Greylock, Canada-based fintech Wealthsimple has secured $610 million (C$750 million) in funding. The investment takes the online brokerage’s total capital to more than $1 billion, more than triples the company’s most recent valuation to $4 billion, and represents one of the largest financings for a Canadian technology company to date.

“Seven years ago, we launched Wealthsimple with just four people and a mission that many thought was naive: use technology and innovation to revolutionize the finance industry so every Canadian could achieve financial freedom, no matter who they are or how much money they have,” Wealthsimple co-founder and CEO Mike Katchen wrote on the company’s blog this morning. “I’m happy to say that our mission doesn’t seem quite so naive anymore.”

Also participating in the round were DST Global, Sagard, Iconiq, Dragoneer, TCV, iNovia, Allianz X, Base 10, Redpoint, STEADFAST, Alkeon, TSV, and Plus Capital. A host of Canadian celebrities were also involved in the funding, including actors Ryan Reynolds and Michael J. Fox; athletes Kelly Olynyk, Dwight Powell, and Patrick Marleau; and singer Drake.

Since its inception in 2014, Wealthsimple has grown into a firm with more than two million users who enjoy commission-free stock trading, automated investing, as well as access to cryptocurrencies and tax services. This spring, the company introduced its cash app, which enables Canadians to send and receive cash “in seconds.” Free and requiring no minimum balance to use, Wealthsimple Cash has been likened to Venmo, a popular cash app in the U.S. The app currently has daily spending limits of $5,000 a day and $20,000 a month; Wealthsimple said that this is significantly more generous than what is available through the big banks.

Wealthsimple’s investment news comes as the Toronto, Ontario-based fintech pivots to pursue new opportunities in the Canadian market (the company sold its U.S. investment advisory business to Betterment in March). During the investing mini-mania surrounding Robinhood and shares of Gamestop earlier this year, investors in Canada were weighing in by making Wealthsimple’s trading app the number one app on Canada’s Apple App Store and on Google Play. This ratings boost was accompanied by a 50% gain in sign-ups and a 2x increase in trading volume. The environment created by the global pandemic, according to Wealthsimple’s Katchen, played a significant role in the company’s growth; 18% of the country’s new brokerage accounts in the first half of 2020 were opened on Wealthsimple’s platform.

Like a growing number of fintechs, Wealthsimple also plans to extend its offerings to include cash, checking, insurance, and mortgage products with the goal of becoming the customer’s “primary financial institution“. The company initially earned its unicorn status in October, after securing an investment of $93 million (C$114 million). Power Corporation of Canada is the company’s majority shareholder, with a 43% of the company post-financing.

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Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank Embrace Hybrid Workplaces; Game On at BBVA

Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank Embrace Hybrid Workplaces; Game On at BBVA
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Finovate Global

From U.K.-based Standard Chartered to Germany’s Deutsche Bank, banks around the world are adapting to the post-COVID world with fewer branches. In separate announcements only a few days a part, two of the globe’s bigger banking presences (Standard Chartered is the 44th biggest bank in the world by total assets; Deutsche Bank is ranked 21st) have signaled that hybrid workplaces will join digital transformation as defining aspects of banking operations in the future.

Standard Chartered’s announcement comes as the firm reports better-than-expected profits for the first quarter. The bank plans to reduce the size of its branch network to 400 – and move to a hybrid remote working setup – as part of a cost-cutting maneuver. Standard Chartered also announced that it will look to automation to “enable the re-shaping of the workforce.” Standard Chartered has a strong presence in Asia, Africa, and the MENA.

As for Deutsche Bank, company CEO Christian Sewing cited fewer branch customers and a growing preference for digital options among the reasons driving the move toward a hybrid model. Deutsche Bank expects to close 150 Deutsche Bank and Postbank branches this year with an additional 50 Postbank branches to be closed in 2022. At the same time, the company said it will introduce a hybrid workplace model for its employees that will allow them to work remotely up to three days a week.

Hybrid workplaces aren’t the only things that financial services workers will be getting used to in 2021. If the new employee training initiative from Spain-based BBVA is any indication, bank workers may find themselves being reskilled and upskilled just by playing a game.

BBVA has announced a new global reskilling and upskilling experience, The Camp, that is designed to enhance the employability of its professional workers. Part of BBVA’s learning model, Campus BBVA, the new experience focuses on 14 strategic skills that are taught using a digital, gamified environment in which the workers are the primary actors who determine their own development.

“The challenge of ensuring the survival of organizations entails adapting and being flexible enough for teams to be able to navigate this uncertainty and constantly incorporate the skills that are needed to promote the strategy,” Global Head of Learning at BBVA Pilar Concejo said.

Each of the 14 strategic skills has a different training itinerary. And each itinerary has three levels of specialization that uses a mountain-climbing analogy to assess the employee’s progress. Starting out as a metaphorical hiker, the employee advances from the valley (basic level) to the mountain (intermediate level), earning status as an “explorer.” Successfully advancing from the mountain to the summit (expert level) gives the employee the rank of “alpnist” – the highest level of specialization in the knowledge category.

“Gamification is a very important element at Campus BBVA, and now also at The Camp, as it allows us to design experiences in which employees feel much more identified and increase their level of commitment to the learning process,” Concejo said. “In the end, we try to ensure that the employee is motivated enough to move forward with their development in a continuous and sustainable manner over time.”

Here is our weekly look at fintech innovation around the world.

Latin America and the Caribbean

Asia-Pacific

Sub-Saharan Africa

Central and Eastern Europe

Middle East and Northern Africa

Central and Southern Asia

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Thought Machine Integrates with Wise

Thought Machine Integrates with Wise
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Daily news, Thought Machine, TransferWise, Wise

Cloud native core banking technology innovator Thought Machine has partnered with international payments company Wise (formerly Transferwise) in a deal that will enable banks, fintechs, and other financial institutions that are using ThoughtMachine’s core banking engine, Vault, to take advantage of the low-cost international fund transfer services provided by Wise.

“We have built a world-class financial technology partner ecosystem which our clients can tap into as they build a future-proof bank,” Thought Machine CEO Paul Taylor explained. “The firms we choose to partner with are those that have built meaningful, ultra-reliable products that ultimately improve the banking experience for customers. We look forward to working with Wise to bring its industry-leading payments solution to many more financial institutions, and customers, around the world.” 

To ensure cross-system interoperability, Thought Machine and Wise have built an integration layer that cuts down on the amount of development work needed to plug into Wise’s API by as much as 60%. The partnership is a response to the growing demand for faster, more affordable, and transparent multi-currency banking, and comes amid a broadening trend away from reliance on legacy core banking technology and traditional correspondent banking networks.

“Though the internet has transformed much of the economy, the global banking system has lagged behind and moving money internationally has remained slow, difficult, and expensive for most,” Wise Platform & Wise Business Managing Director Stuart Gregory said. “Our mission is to change this 一 a goal we share with Thought Machine. Our integration today makes it quicker and easier for financial institutions and banks to enable faster and cheaper payments for their customers and brings us one step closer to our mission of building money without borders.”

Wise is actually the second money transfer company that Thought Machine has teamed up with in the first half of 2021. In February, the company announced that it was working with TransferGo, who will use Thought Machine’s Vault to provide advanced platform capabilities that will enhance the customer experience. The company also recently forged partnerships with German software engineering company GFT to launch challenger bank BankLiteX, and with full-stack fintech solution provider Vacuumlabs, which leveraged ThoughtMachine’s Vault to power a virtual bank in Hong Kong. An alum of FinovateEurope, London-based Thought Machine has raised more than $148 million in funding.

A Finovate alum since 2013, Wise moves more than $6 billion every month, saving its 10 million customers $1.5 billion in hidden fees every year. Rebranding as Wise in February, the company unveiled its product roadmap earlier this month, highlighting new initiatives in customer experience, spending and cards, expansion, small business services, and security. The company offers a multi-currency account that enables individual users to take advantage of real exchange rates in more than 50 international currencies. Wise Business provides payment services including invoice payments, debit cards, P2P payments, and cash management to more than 400 businesses. The firm includes companies ranging from fellow Finovate alum Xero to challenger bank N26 among its customers.

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FinovateSpring: The Power of Data and the Role of the Customer in the Post-COVID Era

FinovateSpring: The Power of Data and the Role of the Customer in the Post-COVID Era
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2021, Speaker series

Our all-digital spring fintech conference is right around the corner. Here’s a look at some of the luminaries who will be sharing their insights at this year’s FinovateSpring, May 10 through May 13.

Seven in Seven

For years, we’ve put our demoing companies to the seven-minute test. Now its our experts’ turn on the clock. Our Seven in Seven main stage session on Tuesday, May 11, gives seven analysts, innovators, and executives seven minutes each to share their insights into the most critical issues facing banks and fintechs in 2021 and beyond.

  • Ronit Ghose, Citi – Bio
  • Hugh Shannon, OakNorth – Bio
  • Siri Borsum, Huawei – Bio
  • Alex Weber, N26 – Bio
  • Charles Potts, Independent Community Bankers of America – Bio
  • Nadia Edwards-Dashti, Harrington Star Group – Bio
  • Alex Johnson, Cornerstone Advisers – Bio

Main Stage Keynotes

Looking for a 30,000 foot view of the fintech landscape? Our mainstage, keynote addresses examine the terrain.

The Pandemic’s Lasting Impact on Financial Services and What Comes Next

The pandemic pushed financial services companies to innovate and accelerate their digital transformations overnight. Hitting the industry’s reset button has created growing pains and increased competition for some and opportunities for others, including new customers and partnerships– but what does this mean for the future of banking?

Melissa Manne, Marcus by Goldman Sachs – Session – Bio

Enabling a Data-Driven Enterprise

To streamline and automate compliance activities, leading firms are now implementing an enterprise data fabric to bring together data from across the enterprise, reducing manual effort, increasing accuracy, lowering latencies, and simplifying operations.

In this session we will present a subset of the research findings, describe what top analysts are calling “the future of data management,” and how it is being used to streamline both compliance initiatives and accelerate strategic business initiatives at top financial services firms.

Joe Lichtenberg, Intersystems – Session – Bio

How Covid Has Transformed Global eCommerce & Omnichannel Payments

How Will True Mobile Wallets Evolve & Will They Be Able To Connect Internationally?

Will Graylin, OV Loop – Session – Bio

A Digital Banking Roadmap For Community Banks & Credit Unions: Start With The Customer & Work Back

Rilla Delorier, Coastal Community Bank – Session – Bio

Power to the Panels!

From insights into customer engagement to expanding the role of women in fintech, our mainstage Power Panel discussions offer deep dives and diverse opinions on key issues in our industry.

Customer Insights – Sharing Real Life Examples Of Best Practice In CX And How To Blend Human & Digital CX

  • Dominic Venturo, U.S. Bancorp – Bio
  • Camilla Morais, Brex – Bio
  • Stephen Goldstein, RGAX – Bio
  • Lamont Young, Citizens Bank – Bio
  • Alyson Clarke, Forrester – Bio
  • Read more

How Will New Technologies, New Competitors And New Business Models Shape The Future Of Payments? Is Payments Orchestration About To Have Its Moment?

  • Andrew Steele, Activant Capital – Bio
  • Carolyn Criscitiello, Santander Bank – Bio
  • Eric Van Miltenburg, Ripple – Bio
  • Gilles Ubaghs, Aite Group – Bio
  • Read more

Lending 2.0 – What Are The Problems That Need To Be Solved For Consumers & SMEs In The New COVID 19 World?

  • Mark Ruddock, BFS Capital – Bio
  • Mercedes Bent, Lightspeed Venture Partners – Bio
  • Tom Burnside, LendingPoint – Bio
  • Louise Beaumont, TechUK – Bio
  • Read more

Paving The Way For The Next Generation Of Female Founders & Executives – How Can We Reach A Gender-Neutral Future In Financial Services?

  • Nisa Amoils, A100x – Bio
  • Sarah Wolter, FinTech Collective – Bio
  • Cat Hernandez, Venture Collective – Bio
  • Michelle Tran, NYC Fintech Women – Bio
  • Read more

Tickets for FinovateSpring are available now. Book your reservation by April 30 (this Friday!) and save $100 on the price of your four-day, all-access pass!

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Kid Capitalism: Teen Banking App Step Secures $100 Million in Series C

Kid Capitalism: Teen Banking App Step Secures $100 Million in Series C
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Daily news, Funding

Just a few days after Till Financial picked up a $5 million investment for its “kids-focused” spending management app and Greenlight raised a whopping $260 million for its technology that helps parents raise “financially smart kids,” teen banking app Step announced that it had scored $100 million in Series C funding for its financial wellness solution dedicated toward helping young people develop sound financial habits.

“Our mission is to help improve the financial futures of the next generation and we’re thrilled to have such a massive vote of confidence from investors, especially during Financial Literacy Month,” Step CEO and founder CJ MacDonald said. “Thirty-eight percent of teens say they lack the financial resources needed to achieve financial independence and this is a problem Step is well positioned to help solve as we educate millions of households every day.”

The round was led by General Catalyst and featured participation from an exceptionally diverse group of existing investors. This roster included Coatue, Stripe, Charli D’Amelio, The Chainsmokers’ Mantis VC, Will Smith’s Dreamers VC, Jeffrey Katzenberg’s firm WndrCo, actor Jared Leto, Franklin Templeton and NBA All-Star Stephen Curry. The investment takes Step’s total funding to more than $175 million.

In the time since Step launched in September of 2020, the company has amassed more than 1.5 million users of its financial wellness app. Step gives users a free, FDIC insured bank account, a secured spending card, and access to a P2P payments platform that enables users to send and receive money instantly. With 88% of the company’s users saying that Step is their first bank account, the platform claims that it is the only banking platform that enables youth to build a positive credit history before they reach 18 years old.

“For too long, conversations about money –– specifically how to manage it –– have been avoided despite what a critical role they play in shaping the future of the next generation,” actor, musician, and serial tech investor Jared Leto said. “Over twenty years ago, I set out to tackle this problem by starting a company in the space, so I’m excited to see Step addressing the financial literacy crisis head on with game-changing technology built to help young people learn about money in their digitally native environments.”

Step is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and was co-founded by MacDonald and Alexey Kalinichenko. The company’s financial solutions are backed by bank partner Evolve Bank & Trust.

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Capital for Credit Unions: VyStar Invests $20 Million in NYMBUS CUSO

Capital for Credit Unions: VyStar Invests $20 Million in NYMBUS CUSO
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Credit Unions, Funding, NYMBUS

In what the Miami, Florida-based fintech called a “landmark” fundraising, NYMBUS announced today that its new credit union service organization (CUSO) has secured $20 million in funding from VyStar Credit Union. The investment is the largest ever fintech funding round on behalf of a credit union.

“VyStar understands the challenges faced by the credit union industry, and we work diligently to identify the right partners like Nymbus that can deliver the disruptive solutions needed to help them thrive in today’s competitive environment,” VyStar EVP & Chief Operations Officer Chad Meadows said.

Founded last month, Nymbus CUSO was launched to help connect credit unions with fintechs to enable them to take advantage of new offerings that enhance services for customers and provide new growth opportunities for businesses. Former president and CEO of Partners Federal Credit Union, John Janclaes has been named President of Nymbus CUSO, and will lead the organization in its mission to serve as a “digital advocate for credit unions.”

“Based on the overwhelming response that Nymbus CUSO has already received in the market, we clearly address an overlooked opportunity for helping credit unions play to their strengths and make serious growth gains without breaking technology budgets,” Nymbus CEO and chairman Jeffery Kendall explained. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with VyStar in the effort, which is now accelerared with this considerable investment.”

The 16th largest credit union in the U.S., with assets of more than $10.8 billion, VyStar Credit Union is based in Jacksonville, Florida and serves more than 750,000 members from the 49 contiguous counties of North and Central Florida, as well as 10 counties in Southern Georgia. VyStar CU opened its 60th branch in February and, in March, announced that it had agreed to acquire Heritage Southeast Bank based in Jonesboro, Georgia.

“Today’s record investment speaks volumes to the confidence VyStar has placed in this new CUSO,” VyStar Chief Member Experience Officer Joel Swanson said in this week’s funding announcement. “Nymbus has come up with an entirely new approach for credit unions to innovate quickly for members that incorporates a truly sustainable growth strategy.”

Nymbus made fintech headlines just last week with news of a $15 million investment round led by Financial Services Capital. The round nearly doubled the FSC’s total investment in Nymbus and gives the firm more than $98 million in total capital raised. Nymbus began the year with the appointment of three women – Trish North, Michelle Prohaska, and Crina Pupaza – to C-level, executive positions. Founded in 2015, Nymbus most recently demoed its technology at FinovateFall in 2019.

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Brex Scores $425 Million to Fuel All-in-One Finance Platform for SMEs

Brex Scores $425 Million to Fuel All-in-One Finance Platform for SMEs
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Daily news, Funding

In a round led by Tiger Global, financial services and technology company Brex has raised $425 million, boosting its valuation to more than $7.4 billion.

“Our investors – new and existing – believe in our team, our business model, our product vision, our customers, and the future of Brex,” company co-CEO Henrique Dubugras said. “We are delighted to have them on board for the next phase of our journey.”

Speaking of the next phase, today’s investment comes as the company, which began with a corporate credit card product for venture-backed startups four years ago, announced the launch of a new all-in-one finance platform. The new offering combines spend management technology with billpay in a single dashboard and will be available for $49 a month. The platform facilitates responsible employee spending via corporate and vendor cards, eliminating the need for expense reports and personal reimbursements. Business owners can also easily track spending across business divisions to better understand spending trends by department, merchant, account, as well as by individual employees.

“Growing and maintaining a business should not depend on how good a small business owner is at managing their finances,” Brex CTO Cosmin Nicolaescu said. “Our all-in-one finance solution gives business owners peace of mind, and the time back to do more of what they love and remember why they started their business.”

In addition to this news, the fact that Brex applied to establish a “Brex Bank” earlier this year suggests that the company also could be en route to offering FDIC insured products to small businesses without requiring an intermediary bank as a partner.

“Brex Bank will expand upon its existing suite of financial products and business software, offering credit solutions and FDIC insured deposit products to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs),” the company noted in February. “Brex and Brex Bank will work in tandem to help SMBs grow to realize their full potential.”

Located in San Francisco, California, Brex includes ecommerce platforms like Cheers and Dr. Squatch, accounting companies like Pilot and Kruze, and startups like Hourly and Bounce among its customers. Founded in 2017, Brex enables companies in a variety of industries to better manage their finances via a combination of payment and cash management solutions. In the first quarter of this year, Brex reported customer growth of 80% and total monthly customer addition gains of 5x. The company said that 45% of its customers are currently small and medium-sized businesses.

“Brex is building the future of finance for the next generation of businesses,” Tiger Global partner Scott Shleifer said. “We are excited to partner with them as they continue growing rapidly, innovating their product offerings, expanding their customer base and leading an industry that is dominated by incumbents.”

Also participating in this week’s Series D round were new investors TCV, GIC, Baillie Gifford, Mardrone Capital Partners, Durable Capital Partners LP, Valiant Capital Management, and Base10. Existing investors Y Combinator Continuity, Ribbit Capital, DST Global, Greenoaks Capital, Lone Pine Capital, and IVP were also involved in the investment.

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Europe’s Robinhood Brings in the Bucks with $80 Million Investment

Europe’s Robinhood Brings in the Bucks with $80 Million Investment
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Currency Cloud, Finovate Global, Fintech OS, Moven, Revolut, Tinkoff Bank, VISA

In a round led by Prosus Ventures and Tencent, Amsterdam-based fintech BUX has secured $80 million in funding that will fuel both international expansion and new product development. The investment also featured a change in the leadership ranks at the company, with founder Nick Bortot handing over the CEO reins to COO Yorick Naeff.

“With this new funding round, BUX will continue to spearhead innovation by implementing advanced features to further shape the future of how Europeans invest,” Naeff said. We are extremely grateful to have top tier investors like Prosus Ventures and Tencent onboard to support us in our mission.”

With half a million customers in the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, France, and Germany, BUX enables investors to buy and sell shares and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), without having to pay commissions. Dubbed the “Robinhood of Europe”, BUX is a response to what Naeff said is a growing awareness of the importance of investing by younger Europeans. Naeff underscored financial uncertainty as a major concern among the younger generation and credited them for realizing that investing is “one of the few viable ways left” to manage that uncertainty. The self-directed nature of investing on BUX’s platform – for shares and ETFs, as well as cryptocurrencies on its BUX Crypto app, and CFDs on its BUX X solution – is another appealing aspect, Naeff said.

“Traditional financial market investing comes with a lot of friction and we firmly believe in the democratization of access to financial services for the next generation of investors,” Head of Europe Investments for Prosus Ventures Sandeep Bakshi said. “The existing solutions are expensive, complex and not designed for younger generations.” Alex Leung, Assistant GM at Tencent, Strategic Development, noted that Bux’s business model does not depend on some of the revenue-raising strategies that have been criticized at rivals like Robinhood. “BUX is the only neo-broker in Europe that offers zero commission investing without being dependent on kickbacks or payments for order flow,” Leung said. “This ensures that its interests are fully aligned with its customers.”

No valuation information was provided as part of the funding announcement. The company noted that its signature BUX Zero solution “has more than doubled its assets under management” in the past three months.

Here is our weekly look at fintech around the world.

Central and Southern Asia

Latin America and the Caribbean

Asia-Pacific

Sub-Saharan Africa

Central and Eastern Europe

Middle East and Northern Africa

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HSBC Rolls Out Recycled Plastic Payment Cards

HSBC Rolls Out Recycled Plastic Payment Cards
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Green Banking, HSBC

We’ve seen a widening range of ways that fintechs and financial services companies are responding to the global crisis of climate change. Finovate Best of Show winner Meniga, as just one example, teamed up with Iceland’s Islandsbanki earlier this year to launch its carbon footprint tracking, green banking solution, Carbon Insight. In March, we looked at 25 different fintech companies that were “going green” with initiatives that ranged from leveraging customer deposits to fund “climate-positive projects” to helping investors build portfolios of low carbon companies.

Today we learned that HSBC is commemorating this year’s Earth Day with news that it plans to eliminate single-use PVC plastic payment cards by the end of 2026. Instead, the bank will use recycled PVC plastic (rPVC), a shift already underway in markets like Malaysia and Sri Lanka. The new cards, part of HSBC’s goal of reducing its carbon emissions and reaching net zero in both operations and supply chain by 2030, are expected to reach the U.K. by summer, with markets in South Asia and North America – including the U.S. – getting the new cards by the end of the year.

“This is another step as we move towards a net zero business, to help the bank and our customers make a positive impact on the environment,” HSBC group head of retail banking products Richard Harvey said.

An issuer of 23 million cards a year, the transition to the rPVC-based cards is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 161 tons a year. The switch will also result in a significant reduction in plastic waste — by 73 tons a year.

Not all who heard HSBC’s Earth Day message were moved, unfortunately. A small group of climate change activists broke windows at the bank’s Canary Wharf headquarters as part of a protest against HSBC’s business with fossil fuel-based companies. Nine women were eventually arrested in the protest, which was planned by a group called Extinction Rebellion.

And while the incident likely took some of the shine away from the HSBC’s environment-positive messaging, when it comes to Earth Day activism, it could have been worse …

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MX and Moov Bring Instant Account Verification to Fintechs

MX and Moov Bring Instant Account Verification to Fintechs
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Daily news, MX

MX, which began the year with a $300 million investment that boosted its valuation to $1.9 billion, is collaborating with developer-first payments platform Moov Financial to give fintechs and other companies instant account verification (IAV) and money movement.

“Moov is transforming the way fintechs enable account verification, money movement, and ACH payments through APIs,” MX cofounder and CTO Brandon Dewitt said. “We align with their mission to help fintechs and organizations focus on building amazing new experiences. Fintechs like Moov are a big reason why a massive digital shift is happening across the banking industry.”

Moov enables platforms, marketplaces, and software companies to embed payment functionality into their solutions, providing seamless money acceptance, storage, and disbursement. The combined, turnkey solution enhances the account verification process, providing a faster, more secure, and reliable experience for customers who are adding banking or payment functionality to their offerings.

“Whether you think of yourself as a fintech or not, every modern company is seeking a way to automate its process to accept, store, and disburse money,” Moov CEO Wade Arnold said. “Developers want the best user experience possible for their application. MX’s ability to provide fast IAV makes the payment experience swift and more seamless than it would have been without the joint solution.”

A multiple time Finovate Best of Show winner, MX provides connectivity and data enhancement for more than 16,000 financial institutions and fintechs – including 85% of digital banking providers. Among the Utah-based firm’s most recent collaborations is its partnership with AbbyBank. The $616 million asset community-owned bank launched its PFM solution – an embeddable digital money management tool powered by MX and offering budgeting, subscription tracking, debt management, and more – in March.

“With MX, AbbyBank is giving its customers across Wisconsin greater clarity into their personal finances,” MX Chief Customer Officer Nate Gardner said. “(It’s) exactly the kind of innovation, partnership and money experience that MX loves to enable through our powerful data platform.”

Founded in 2010, MX most recently demonstrated its technology at FinovateFall 2019.

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Banking Technology Provider NYMBUS Scores $15 Million Investment

Banking Technology Provider NYMBUS Scores $15 Million Investment
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Daily news, Diversity in Fintech, Funding, NYMBUS, Women in Fintech

News of NYMBUS’ $15 million fundraising this week – and the company’s recent appointment of three women to key leadership positions – serves as a fitting bookend to a first quarter that began with big investment and big C-suite hires, as well.

In January, the Miami, Florida-based banking technology provider expanded its leadership team with the addition of Chief Alliance Officer Sarah Howell and Chief Product Officer Larry McClanahan. A month later, Nymbus secured a Series C investment of $53 million in a round led by Insight Partners.

“As the pandemic has pushed digital to the forefront, more banks and credit unions have turned to Nymbus as their partner for growth,” Nymbus CEO and Chairman Jeffery Kendall said when the funding was announced in February. “This new and significant investment validates a confidence in Nymbus to continue transforming the financial services industry with a banking strategy that buys back decades of lost time to speed digital innovation.”

Little did we know how quickly further valuation would arrive. This week’s investment by European private equity firm Financial Services Capital doubles its investment in Nymbus to more than $31 million. The funding gives Nymbus a total capital raised of more than $98 million.

“We look forward to continue working with Nymbus as they build out a best-in-class, cloud-native offering that is well positioned to be a leader in the industry and will transform our portfolio companies,” Financial Services Capital Managing Partner Miroslav Boublik said. He and fellow Managing Partner Matthew Hansen will join the Nymbus Board of Directors as part of the investment.

Also joining “Team Nymbus” is Veeva Systems co-founder Matt Wallach, who will serve as a Strategic Advisor. Nymbus will benefit from Wallach’s experience in co-founding one of the leading cloud software companies in life sciences. Founded in 2007 and, 14 years later, the first publicly traded company to transition into a public benefit corporation, Veeva now has a market capitalization of more than $40 billion and 975+ customers in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as in emerging biotech.

As mentioned, Nymbus’ funding announcement comes on the heels of the company further bolstering its leadership ranks with a trio of new, C-suite hires. The women – Trish North as Chief Customer Officer, Michelle Prohaska as Chief Compliance Officer, and Crina Pupaza as Chief People Officer – bring years of customer success, risk management, and people-centered programming experience to a company that has seen significant growth as banks turn increasingly toward digital transformation of their outdated legacy systems.

“In order to help our partner institutions serve the unique financial needs of niche audiences, success begins with diversity in our own Nymbus leadership,” Kendall said last week when the appointments were announced. “I’m incredibly proud of the impactful effort we are making to recruit a balanced male to female representation into our C-suite, and beyond confident of the value that Trish, Michelle, and Crina will each uniquely provide to both our team and partner clients.”

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Mastercard to Acquire Digital Identity Specialist Ekata for $850 Million

Mastercard to Acquire Digital Identity Specialist Ekata for $850 Million
By David Penn Posted on
Categories: Daily news, MasterCard, Mergers & Acquisitions

Mastercard’s announced $850 million acquisition of digital identity firm Ekata is a reminder that there is no way forward in digital commerce without a 21st century attitude toward issues of security and trust.

“The shift to a more digital world requires real solutions to secure every transaction and instill trust in every interaction,” Mastercard president of cyber and intelligence solutions Ajay Bhalla said. “With the addition of Ekata, we will advance our identity capabilities and create a safer, seamless way for consumers to prove who they say they are in the new digital economy.”

Seattle, Washington-based Ekata offers global identity verification to enable businesses around the world to link digital transactions to the people who make them. Via APIs and a SaaS tool, Ekata leverages data science and machine learning to help businesses detect fake accounts, cross-verify consumer data, reduce payment risk, and fight transaction fraud. With more than 2,000 corporate partners ranging from global merchants and financial institutions to marketplaces and digital currency platforms, Ekata enables its businesses to gain unique and valuable insights that allow them to make better risk decisions about their customers.

“The acceleration of online transactions has thrust global digital identity verification to the forefront as one of the biggest opportunities to build digital trust and combat global fraud,” Ekata CEO Rob Eleveld said. “The right identity verification solutions enable inclusive and frictionless experiences while, at the same time, ensuring customer privacy, control and security. Becoming part of the Mastercard Identity family ensures a broader, collective approach to meeting the growing demands of the digital economy.”

Founded in 2019, Ekata unveiled its merchant onboarding solution earlier this month. Designed to meet the needs of PSPs, B2B lenders, and marketplaces working with smaller, micro-merchants and sole proprietors, Ekata’s new platform automates the onboarding process via API and provides for more efficient manual review with a SaaS solution.

“Merchants today have plenty of options and will quickly turn to another payment service provider if an organization adds too much friction at onboarding or takes too long on approvals,” Ekata VP of Global Marketing Beth Shulkin said in a statement. “This is much more than a customer experience issue for PSPs and lenders; losing the lifetime value of a merchant has real bottom-line impact.”

Photo by Brooke Lewis from Pexels

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