Author: Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz)

Spain Approves Neo as a B2B Challenger Bank

Spain Approves Neo as a B2B Challenger Bank
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: NEO

Corporate banking startup Neo announced it has just been authorized to offer multicurrency business accounts. The approval comes from the Bank of Spain and allows Neo to create a PSD2 payment institution.

“Our vision back in 2017 was to create a platform that can replace the old fashioned banking platform. A true ‘one-stop shop’ that offers all the financial products a corporate client needs to operate in a global environment,” said Laurent Descout, CEO. “Operating with Neo does not require any complex installation. It is 100% on demand with the client being in complete control. The platform ensures clients can reduce costs and increase efficiency by reducing manual tasks and improving processes. Our 100% API approach also offers clients great automation possibilities.”

By “one-stop shop” Descout means that Neo offers both investment and payment services and aims to bring all corporate finance functionalities together on a single platform.

Hosted on a core banking platform developed by Neo Fintech Lab in the U.K., Neo’s multicurrency account allows account holders to receive, store and pay in 30 currencies. The bank also enables clients to digitize their treasury department and offers features inspired by treasury management systems.

These banking products will run in tandem with Neo Capital Markets’ FX hedging services, which allow clients to hedge 90+ currencies and receive or make payments in 30+ currencies.

Receiving its banking license places Neo in competition with the likes of Sweden’s Klarna, which received its banking license in 2017, and Transferwise, which offers a borderless account that allows accountholders to receive funds from 30+ countries.

Neo’s multi-currency account will be available in Spain, France, U.K., and Poland in 2020.

At this year’s FinovateEurope conference in London, Descout, along with Neo’s Chief Product Officer Emmanuel Anton, demoed the company’s risk management solution and FX hedging engine. The company has 20 employees and has raised $5.6 million (€5 million).

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Bill.com Boosts Support for International Payments Offering

Bill.com Boosts Support for International Payments Offering
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Bill.com

Business payments company Bill.com is helping small businesses pursue international objectives– now in even more corners of the globe. This week, the California-based company doubled its International Payments offering by building out support for more than 70 countries and 50 currencies.

“Historically, innovation in international payments has been geared towards consumers,” said John Flora, VP of Product at Bill.com. “The sharp rise of cross border business growth and global interactions is driving demand for our International Business Payments platform which enables SMBs to easily and seamlessly do business globally.”

Launched last July, International Payments allows companies to conduct business abroad with visibility and payments control on a single platform. The tool offers the option for businesses to exchange payments by using a wire transfer for increased speed and security. When paying vendors in local currencies, there is no wire transfer fee. For international wires sent in U.S. dollars the fee is $9.99. The company estimates that this, combined with its competitive exchange rates, saves businesses up to 32% of the cost of traditional overseas transactions.

Flora noted that the company is far from finished building out International Payments. “We plan to aggressively expand our international payment capabilities in the coming months,” he said. In fact, Bill.com’s business as a whole seems to be bustling lately. Since the beginning of this year, the company’s payment volume has increased by 124% while monthly transactions have grown by 135%.

Founded in 2006, Bill.com helps businesses manage accounts payables and receivables with online billpay, custom invoicing, document storage, collaboration tools, and more. At FinovateSpring 2012, CEO Renee Lacerte debuted the company’s CashView tools. Since then, Bill.com has grown to process more than $60 billion each year for its network of three million members.

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Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Baker Hill, Bill.com, Bitbond, Daon, Digital Onboarding, Hyperwallet, NEO, PayPal, Revolut, Xignite

On Finovate.com

  • Spain Approves Neo as a B2B Challenger Bank.
  • Bill.com Boosts Support for International Payments Offering.
  • Xignite Forges Strategic Partnership with XPansion.
  • Bitbond Celebrates Successful STO; Raises More than $2.3 Million in New Capital.
  • PayPal’s Hyperwallet to make sure Limebike’s gig workers get paid for charging scooters.

Around the web

  • Baker Hill’s NextGen to power growth in commercial lending for Hawaii State FCU.
  • Digital Onboarding to grow engagement and provide the digital banking experience for Manatee Community FCU.
  • Daon to fuel security component of CTMS’ KYC and onboarding solutions aimed at banks in France.
  • Revolut unveils new tech hub in Berlin.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

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InComm Makes Third Acquisition this Year with Purchase of Meridian Loyalty

InComm Makes Third Acquisition this Year with Purchase of Meridian Loyalty
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: InComm, Mergers & Acquisitions

Prepaid payments innovator InComm is continuing its shopping spree this week. The Atlanta-based company announced it has agreed to buy Meridian Loyalty, a loyalty and incentives company that creates engagement tools for large corporations. The amount of the acquisition was undisclosed.

The move not only offers InComm access to Missouri-based Meridian Loyalty’s global database of Fortune 500 clients, it also will bolster InComm’s incentives product offerings that include B2C, B2B, and employee programs. Specifically, Meridian Loyalty’s technology will help InComm reach beyond its stored value products and offer holistic, brand-focused services such as travel and merchandise redemptions.

Explaining the purchase, InComm CEO Brooks Smith said that it’s moving the company towards “helping [its] customers maximize the performance of their programs.” Sam Toumayan, President and Owner of Meridian Loyalty, added, “… [O]ur point of view has been rewards-agnostic from day one. We’re incredibly excited to be joining the InComm team and finding innovative ways to drive positive client outcomes.”

InComm offers more than 500,000 points of retail distribution with 1,000+ brand partners in more than 30 countries. The company debuted CorFire Mobile Commerce at FinovateFall 2011. More recently, InComm showed off the Cashtie API at FinDEVr Silicon Valley 2014. Last month, the company purchased Hallmark Business Connections, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards that provides employee incentive programs. In March InComm acquired Linq3 Technologies, an Atlanta, Georgia-based digital lottery company.

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Visa and PayPal’s New Deal

Visa and PayPal’s New Deal
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: PayPal, VISA

Just one day shy of Canada day, Visa and PayPal inked a deal to enable Canadian consumers to instantly access funds via Instant Transfer, a tool PayPal launched in the U.S. earlier this year.

While the U.S. service is powered via a partnership with JPMorgan Chase, PayPal’s Instant Transfer in Canada is powered by Visa’s push payments system, Visa Direct. The Canadian rollout of the new tool uses Visa debit card rails to move money from a customer’s PayPal account to their bank account in real time.

President of PayPal Canada Paul Parisi said that the company is focused on creating efficiencies for customers. “Instant Transfer is just one more way we are giving control and flexibility to our customers, allowing them to send and spend their money on their own terms,” he added.

The launch of Instant Transfer is expected to offer gig economy workers faster access to their earnings, which often are paid via PayPal or Venmo. The tool will also help PayPal compete with Zelle, a bank-owned P2P money transfer tool (and PayPal competitor) which relies on ACH to move funds, a process which often takes three days to complete.

PayPal charges the same for its Instant Transfer service as it does for its debit card transfer. Users pay one percent of the transaction up to $10.

PayPal was founded in 1998 and has a market capitalization of $138 billion. The company showcased its Instant Account Creation feature at FinovateFall 2012. 

Visa demoed at FinovateSpring 2010 and also showcased at our developers conference in 2014. The company has 39 APIs that offer developers tools for commercial payments, data and analytics, identity an security, offers and benefits, payments, and more.

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Morocco’s CIMR to Use Daon to Make Sure its Clients are Still Living

Morocco’s CIMR to Use Daon to Make Sure its Clients are Still Living
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daon

Biometric solutions company Daon is leveraging its partnership with North African technology company GEMADEC to help create a life certificate digitalization solution for the Moroccan Interprofessional Pension Fund’s (CIMR’s) mobile app.

Leveraging Daon’s IdentityX platform the mobile app, CIMR DIALCOM, provides CIMR with the client’s proof of life. The app prompts the user to take a dynamic selfie that certifies not only identity but also liveness by having the user complete a series of “life challenges” such as eye blinks and head movements.

To complete authentication, the app compares the selfie with a picture on the user’s photo ID. After the user is authenticated and is confirmed living, the app authorizes their pension payment.

Daon most recently presented its authentication technology at FinovateFall 2016. The company offers verification technology that uses a range of biometrics, including fingerprint, face, voice, iris, keystroke, palm, or a combination. Founded in 2002, Daon is headquartered in Reston, Virginia. Tom Grissen is CEO.

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AIFC and Fidor Solutions to Boost Fintechs in Kazakhstan

AIFC and Fidor Solutions to Boost Fintechs in Kazakhstan
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Fidor Bank

Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) and Fidor Solutions have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to drive fintech innovation in Kazakhstan and economic development in Central Asia, reports Jane Connolly of Fintech Futures, Finovate’s sister publication.

As a result of the MoU, the two organizations plan to foster fintech collaboration by developing initiatives to support a cashless economy in Kazakhstan and provide joint fintech education programs with key regional universities.

The understanding also includes support in developing the AIFC fintech marketplace and providing mentorship and partnership for accelerator programs.

Created by President Nursultan Nazarbayev in 2015, the AIFC drives innovative financial and technology initiatives with accelerator and incubator programs. It also attracts partnerships and investments from fintechs and venture capital firms.

Dubai-based Fidor Solutions – sister company to Fidor Bank – offers technology and advisory services to financial institutions with a focus on open digital banking.

“AIFC has great ambitions for its fintech innovation programme that go beyond borders,” said Kairat Kelimbetov, governor of AIFC. “We are proud to be growing our fintech network by signing an MoU with Fidor, a European fintech that has successfully developed internationally. Their contribution will be valuable to all our members and partners.”

“Fidor share similar core values to AIFC, such as openness and knowledge sharing,” added Gé Drossaert, board member and group CCO of Fidor. “The collaboration between our organizations will pave the way for fintech success in the region with a direct impact on the digital economy and financial access.”

The MoU was signed during the launch of the Fintech Summit of the Astana Finance Days in Nur-Sultan.

Fidor Solutions provides digital solutions for Fidor Bank, which demoed at FinovateEurope 2011. In 2016, the challenger bank was acquired by France’s Groupe BPCE for $158 million. Last year, however, Fidor requested a split from the 200-year-old bank and earlier this year the company’s founder and CEO, Matthias Kröner, stepped down citing “different views on future strategy.”

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Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Apex Clearing Corporation, eToro, Fidor Bank, Klarna, myInvenio, PayPal, Revolut, VISA

On Finovate.com

  • AIFC and Fidor Solutions to Boost Fintechs in Kazakhstan.
  • Visa and PayPal’s New Deal.

Around the web

  • Apex Clearing partners with Apex Crypto to launch cryptocurrency platform that helps financial advisors introduce digital currency trading into their clients’ portfolios.
  • Revolut taps banking veteran Richard Davies as Chief Operating Officer.
  • Klarna and BigCommerce expand partnership to also include Klarna’s European core markets.
  • eToro’s cryptocurrency wallet adds support for 120 ERC-20 standard tokens.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

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NCR Acquires D3 Banking Technology

NCR Acquires D3 Banking Technology
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: D3 Technology, Mergers & Acquisitions, NCR Corporation

As seems to be the trend this year, D3 Banking Technology has found itself a buyer–and it’s a big one. The digital banking services company announced this week it has been acquired by ATM giant NCR for an undisclosed amount.

Georgia-based NCR, which owns 27% of the global ATM market, anticipates that adding D3’s digital banking expertise will help it move its own digital banking services into new markets. Most notably, NCR plans to expand from cloud-based tools for community financial institutions into on-premise solutions for large banks.

“D3 has a well-earned reputation for innovation and product excellence and delivers one of the most advanced digital platforms for large banks,” said Michael D. Hayford, president and CEO of NCR. “NCR’s Digital First Banking solutions help financial institutions connect with consumers whenever, wherever, and this acquisition helps NCR provide banks of all sizes with an exceptional digital experience.”

D3 CEO Mark Vipond called NCR “a great fit” for D3 and said that the timing of the deal is right. “This transaction enables us to capitalize on new market opportunities and bring top-tier capabilities to our mutual and future clients,” he added.

For NCR, the purchase comes at an interesting time. The $3.7 billion company put itself up for sale in May of this year. And, according to the New York post, two firms have bid on NCR but have recently left the negotiating table. A deal has yet to be finalized.

Since it was founded in 1997, D3 Banking has raised $35 million. The Nebraska-based company debuted its small business banking capabilities at FinovateFall 2015.

NCR, which is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “NCR,” has roots dating back to 1884, when the company was founded as the National Cash Register Company. NCR most recently demoed its VR collaboration for ATMs at FinovateSpring 2017.

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Ninth Wave Lands New Investment

Ninth Wave Lands New Investment
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Funding, Ninth Wave

Data connectivity expert Ninth Wave announced it received a strategic investment from private equity firm SARORAS Private Capital.

The amount of the minority investment was undisclosed but the company said it is “significant.” Ninth Wave said it will use the funds to accelerate the growth of the Ninth Wave Platform, form new sales and marketing initiatives, and expand its leadership team.

“We have been continually focused on advancing our technology, team and strategic partnerships with companies and individuals that help us provide the highest level of services and counsel,” said George Anderson, Founder and CEO of Ninth Wave. “SARORAS is the perfect partner for us and pairs an expertise in our industry with the experience and proven playbook to scale our business.”

SARORAS, which typically invests in middle market technology and business services companies, said that Ninth Wave’s management team, reputation, and technology were the top factors for its investment.

Ninth Wave positions itself as the financial data supply chain, offering a SaaS solution that delivers financial data through a universal standard that satisfies open banking requirements. In addition to data access and data aggregation tools, Ninth Wave also provides tax services that streamline and simplify tax reporting.

Last year, Ninth Wave was spun out from its parent company, Enterprise Engineering, Inc. (EEI). Anderson debuted the newly-formed company at FinovateFall 2018 in New York. The Ninth Wave platform offers access to more than $8 trillion in AUM for eight of the top 10 wealth managers. Since launching last year, Ninth Wave has analyzed more than 10 billion transactions.

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Finovate Alumni News

By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Backbase, D3 Banking, D3 Technology, Gusto, InComm, Lendio, NCR Corporation, Ninth Wave, Revolut, Tradeshift, WeInvest

On Finovate.com

  • Ninth Wave Lands New Investment.

Around the web

  • Lendio moves headquarters from South Jordan to Lehi, Utah.
  • Revolut launches charitable giving feature.
  • Backbase is named a leader in the Forrester Wave for Digital Banking Engagement Platforms for the third year in a row.
  • InComm becomes exclusive distributor of Amex prepaid cards in Canada.
  • Tradeshift launches Tradeshift Go 2.0, a payments product offering that increases visibility into employee spending.
  • Gusto partners with Accelo to sync time-off requests from Gusto to Accelo’s real-time scheduling and resource management module.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

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HackerOne to Help Keep Facebook’s Libra Bug-Free

HackerOne to Help Keep Facebook’s Libra Bug-Free
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: HackerOne

By this point, you already know about Libra, Facebook’s cryptocurrency, and the corresponding Calibra Wallet (if you don’t, check out TechCrunch’s deep dive).

There has been plenty of controversy about the new currency, from privacy concerns to complaints about the “decentralized” model giving too many big players too much power. But one of the public’s concerns, security, is in good hands.

That’s because bug bounty and vulnerability disclosure platform HackerOne is working with Facebook to find security vulnerabilities in the code of Move, the cryptocurrency’s open-source programming language. The bug bounty is being conducted in addition to the Libra Association’s testnet available on GitHub.

“The Libra Association is a global effort and so is the Libra Bug Bounty Program. We will be globally inclusive as we promote researcher contributions from all over the world and host bug bounty events in diverse locations,” said the Libra association.

HackerOne offers a platform that recruits security researchers and white hat hackers to identify security weaknesses for its clients, including Twitter, Airbnb, Uber, Yelp, and the U.S. Department of Defense. Since it was founded in 2012, 1,300+ organizations have partnered with HackerOne to find over 120,000 vulnerabilities and award over $51 million in bug bounties.

The California-based company has offices in London, New York, Singapore, and the Netherlands. In 2017, HackerOne earned the Favorite FinDEVr Debut award for its presentation at FinDEVr New York and won the Crowd Favorite award at its FinDEVr London presentation. Mårten Mickos is CEO.

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