Author: Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz)

PayNearMe Lands $50 Million to Expand into New Markets

PayNearMe Lands $50 Million to Expand into New Markets
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, PayNearMe
  • PayNearMe raises $50 million in Series E funding, bringing its total funding to $168 million since its founding in 2009.
  • The company is rebranding its platform as PayXM, signaling a shift from payment processing to Payment Experience Management.
  • The shift shows PayNearMe’s focus on the customer experience in which it aims to make payments seamless, strategic, and embedded across industries.

Payments innovator PayNearMe is raking in $50 million in Series E funding from Atlantic Vantage Point (AVP). The investment brings PayNearMe’s total raised to $168 million since it was founded in 2009.

The California-based company will use today’s funds to expand into new markets and fuel its product offerings. As part of this, PayNearMe is renaming its platform PayXM, recognizing its product evolution in what it calls Payment Experience Management. The company aims to use PayXM to enable businesses to manage the entire payment journey with a single platform and integration.

“PayNearMe has redefined what it means to deliver a modern payment experience. The company is uniquely positioned to solve challenges in a space long underserved and overlooked,” said AVP General Partner and Head of Growth Fund, North America Elizabeth de Saint-Aignan. “PayNearMe’s vision and proven execution are changing how non-commerce businesses approach payments, and we’re excited to support them in this next stage of growth.”

PayNearMe was founded in 2009 to enable unbanked individuals to transact online by paying with cash at brick-and-mortar retailers. Today, the California-based company offers payment processing, exception management, and diverse payment options for banks, toll companies, mortgage servicing companies, online gaming, auto lenders, and buy here pay here payment collectors.

The move from a pure payments processor to a Payment Experience Management provider reflects PayNearMe’s effort to position its payments offering as a strategic driver of customer experience, not just a back-office function.

“For too long, payments have been treated only as a cost of doing business,” said PayNearMe CEO Danny Shader. “We see improving payments as a powerful opportunity to help businesses differentiate, drive customer satisfaction, and improve business results. AVP’s funding will allow us to deliver the benefits of Payment Experience Management to more clients and in new markets.”

Today’s $50 million investment shows that investors see opportunity in rethinking payments not as plumbing, but as an experience. In launching PayXM, PayNearMe is betting that the next wave of fintech will come from embedding payments to make them invisible, seamless, and integrated into the customer experience.

Photo by mingche lee

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JPMorgan’s Data Access Agreement: Plaid’s Perspective

JPMorgan’s Data Access Agreement: Plaid’s Perspective
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Alumni profile, Plaid

Updated: This post previously stated that the renewed data sharing agreement does not cover account access for payments, which was incorrect. Plaid has clarified that the data sharing agreement covers all types of data sharing, including payments.

Late yesterday, JPMorgan Chase and Plaid announced that they have mutually agreed to renew their data access agreement that dictates how Plaid is able to pull data on their shared customers from JPMC.

The renewed agreement’s most notable feature is a new pricing structure. Plaid will now pay JPMC to facilitate data access for its fintech clients. Aside from the financial terms, the deal also sets commitments from both sides to ensure consumers can access their data securely. Additionally, the firms have pledged joint investment in innovation and technology to make data sharing faster, safer, and more efficient.

Plaid’s take

Since JPMC initially signaled in July that it plans to charge aggregators to access consumer data, there have been many conversations on both sides of the debate regarding why or why not banks should charge for data access. Given the multiple stakeholders involved, including banks, fintechs, aggregators (like Plaid), and end consumers, there are multiple viewpoints on what charging for data access should look like.

As a central player in this debate, Plaid has a lot to lose (or win) depending on how fees are assessed. To that end, Plaid COO Eric Sager emphasized the firm’s willingness to collaborate with JPMC to preserve the consumer experience: “We have always believed consumers should have the right to access and share their own financial data, and JPMorganChase has been a partner in that effort,” said Sager. “This extended agreement ensures ongoing access for the millions of Chase customers who rely on Plaid every day to connect with the products and services they trust.”

To back up those assurances, Plaid outlined three key takeaways from the renewed agreement:

  • Continuity is guaranteed
    Plaid says existing JPMC customers can keep accessing fintech services without disruption.
  • No pricing changes for now
    Current contracts and customer fees remain unchanged.
  • Advocacy continues
    Plaid will keep pushing for consumer data rights in the CFPB’s 1033 rulemaking.

This agreement is likely to set a precedent in future cases with other large banks and aggregators, shaping not only how data is shared but also how payments are initiated and monetized. As more institutions move to formalize similar arrangements, the industry will be watching to see whether these pricing structures trickle down to smaller players and, ultimately, to consumers. With the CFPB’s 1033 rulemaking still in flux, JPMC and Plaid’s renewed deal may serve as both a template and a test case for the next phase of open banking in the US.

Photo by Pixabay

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Starling to Bring its Digital Banking Platform to North America

Starling to Bring its Digital Banking Platform to North America
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news
  • UK-based Starling Bank is bringing its SaaS banking platform, Engine, to North America with a $50 million investment, a new New York headquarters, and new leadership under Jody Bhagat.
  • With 4,000+ US banks and credit unions weighed down by legacy cores, Engine aims to deliver modular, API-based, cloud-native tech proven in Europe and Australia.
  • Starling’s move positions it not just as a digital bank, but as a banking technology competitor to legacy core providers.

UK-based Starling Bank announced last week that it is bringing its digital banking platform, Engine by Starling, to North America. The move marks the next step in Starling’s transformation from a digital bank into a global technology provider.

Starling launched Engine in 2022 to take its technology stack that powered Starling’s own growth in the UK and package it as a SaaS solution for other financial institutions. Expanding into North America signals Starling’s ambition to compete in one of the world’s most crowded banking technology markets.

Behind the launch are both a new regional headquarters in New York and a new leader. Starling appointed former Personetics President of Global Banking Jody Bhagat to bring Engine into the new region. Bhagat now serves as President of North America for Engine by Starling, and has been tasked with building a team to bring Engine to North American financial institutions. The company sees the move as a natural addition, given the new market opportunities with the region’s 4,000+ mid-tier banks and credit unions.

“The North American market is highly competitive, and many banks and credit unions feel constrained by legacy technology,” said Bhagat. “Digital-forward financial institutions are seeking a partner that can deliver technology transformation that drives real business results. Tried and tested in Europe and Australia, Engine by Starling has strong proof points demonstrating how the platform helps banks better acquire and serve customers. I’m incredibly excited by the opportunity to bring Engine’s proven, cloud-based banking tech to North America. Progressive mid-tier banks and credit unions are seeking ways to operate more efficiently, to serve their customers digitally in a more intuitive way, and to innovate more rapidly. Engine’s distinctive platform and capabilities will enable them to do just that.”

Starling is fueling the move into North America by investing $50+ million in its North American footprint, including its New York office, local hires, employees brought in from Starling’s UK-based team, and a Toronto-based Canadian team.

The move into New York isn’t Starling’s only new office supporting Engine this month. The bank also opened offices in Dubai, UAE, and Sydney, Australia to work with the digital banking tool’s international clients and partners

Starling was founded in 2014 and launched Engine to bring Starling’s tech stack to financial institutions overseas. Engine provides SaaS banking technology to bring modern banking to banks around the world in a modular, API-based, cloud-native, and scalable way. In 2024, the company’s first customer, Salt Bank, became Romania’s first digital-native bank and has since captured 4% of the country’s banking market.

Starling’s push into North America highlights the rise of banks evolving into technology providers. By turning its in-house tech into a SaaS platform, Starling is positioning itself not just as a challenger bank, but as a challenger to the core banking vendors that dominate the US market. For mid-tier banks and credit unions struggling with legacy cores, the arrival of Engine creates both pressure and opportunity to modernize quickly.

Photo by Mike Bird

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Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News

Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news, Fintech Rundown, Intuit, Jack Henry, MoneyGram, Qover, SigFig

FinovateFall may have wrapped up last week, but the fintech news cycle continues to roll on. Check out the latest happenings in banking and fintech below. We’ll continue adding news to this post throughout the week, so stay tuned!

Crypto and DeFi

Stablecore, which enables community financial institutions and credit unions to offer stablecoins and other digital assets, secures $20 million in funding.

Reliance Global Group (RELI) expands into cryptocurrency and blockchain-enabled insurance-linked assets.

Tether unveils USA₮, its US-regulated dollar-backed stablecoin.

Lending

Mobilization Funding launches Maximus, an all-in-one loan management platform for contractors and manufacturers.

Lendbuzz files for IPO.

Payments

Global payment orchestration platform Yuno launches NOVA, a series of AI agents that help remove friction from ecommerce transactions.

Payments network MoneyGram announces its mobile app featuring a digital, USD-backed stored value account for both fiat currencies and stablecoins.

HALA raises $157 million in Series B rounds led by TPG and Sanabil Investments.

Affirm live for in-store purchases with Apple Pay on iPhone.

Intuit and Clair partner to deliver on-demand pay.

Business financial management

DianaHR raises Seed round to bring HR-as-a-Service to SMBs.

Wealth management

SigFig rebrands as Tandems; rolls out AI-embedded tools.

Digital banking

Mercantile Bank selects Jack Henry to evolve its technology infrastructure, streamline operations, and support its long-term growth strategy.

Compliance & regulation

Arva AI and FairPlay partner to advance powerful and compliant agentic AI in financial services.

Insurtech

Insurtech Qover and Swiss insurer Helvetia announce in-depth collaboration to advance embedded insurance solutions.

Fraud prevention

WorkFusion raises $45 million to support development of agentic AI to fight financial crime.

Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán

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Congrats to the 2025 Finovate Awards Winners!

Congrats to the 2025 Finovate Awards Winners!
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Finovate Awards

We are thrilled to unveil the winners of the 2025 Finovate Awards! This is our opportunity to recognize companies driving fintech innovation forward and individuals bringing new ideas to life across 26 categories.

The finalists

This year’s Finovate Awards brought together leading banks, fintech firms, and individuals across 26 categories. After reviewing hundreds of applications, we first announced our finalists last month. Now, after weeks of deliberation, our expert judging panel has selected the winners.

The judges

Our awards are meaningful because they are decided by a panel of industry experts, representing a diverse range of perspectives across banking, fintech, investing, and technology. This group of fintech experts has had the difficult task of selecting the final winners, and their work is now complete.

The winners

Without further ado, here are the 26 winning companies of the 2025 Finovate Awards. Congratulations to all! These companies and leaders represent the best of fintech innovation today. Which winner are you most excited about? Join the conversation and share your thoughts on social.

Best Alternative Investment SolutionInvestiFi
Best Anti-Fraud/AML SolutionOscilar
Best Back-Office/Core Services SolutionSAP Fioneer
Best Banking as a Service ProviderZindigi
Best Consumer Lending SolutionWisetack
Best Consumer-Facing Payments SolutionEngage People
Best Corporate Payments SolutionTransferMate
Best Customer Experience SolutionMillennium bcp
Best Digital BankNubank
Best Embedded Finance SolutionUnion Credit
Best Enterprise Payments SolutionCheckout.com
Best Financial Mobile AppDBS Bank
Best Fintech PartnershipEngine by Starling, GFT Technologies & Salt
Best Generative AI SolutionDataVisor
Best ID Management/KYC SolutionIncode Technologies
Best Insurtech SolutionClearwater Analytics
Best Marketing/Customer Acquisition SolutionBMO
Best RegTech SolutionFinScan
Best SMB/SME Banking SolutionApiture
Best Wealth Management SolutionFlourish
Excellence in Financial InclusionPayJoy
Excellence in SustainabilityVyStar
Executive of the YearRaj Seshadri
Innovator of the YearChandini Jain
Most Impactful AI-Based SolutionTalkdesk
Top Emerging Fintech CompanyWinnow

Photo by Designecologist

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ID.me Raises $340 Million at a $2 Billion Valuation

ID.me Raises $340 Million at a $2 Billion Valuation
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Daily news, Funding, ID.me
  • ID.me raised $340 million in a Series E investment plus a credit facility, which boosts its valuation to over $2 billion and brings its total funding to $1.1 billion.
  • The funding will accelerate secure, reusable digital identity solutions and combat AI-driven fraud, which cost the US up to $521 billion annually.
  • ID.me now counts 152 million users, totaling 60% of US adults, with adoption across 20 federal agencies, 45 states, and 600+ brands.

Digital identity network ID.me revealed this week that it has raised $340 million in a Series E financing round plus a credit facility. The round values ID.me at more than $2 billion. 

Ribbit Capital led the investment, while existing investors Ares Credit Funds and Moonshots Capital, as well as new investors, including Positive Sum, also participated. ID.me will use the funding to accelerate its mission to expand access to secure, reusable digital identity and to stop AI-driven fraud.

The funds, which bring ID.me’s total raised to $1.1 billion, come at a time of rising fraud across the globe. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the US government lost up to $521 billion annually to fraud between 2018 and 2022. The increase in fraud is fueled by stolen identities and deepfakes, both of which are increasing vulnerabilities faster than ever.

“Fraud is evolving at the speed of AI—and so are we,” said ID.me Founder and CEO Blake Hall. “Secure identity is foundational to AI ecosystems that will depend on memory, context, and authentication, and ID.me is leading the charge. This funding strengthens our ability to expand secure digital access, protect privacy, and innovate faster to stay ahead of criminal networks.”

ID.me was founded in 2010 to serve as a digital identity wallet that helps users prove and share their identities online without disclosing additional personal information. The company maintains a digital identity network that includes 20 federal agencies, 45 state agencies, and 600+ retail brands, all of which use ID.me to verify customers’ identities and affiliations. ID.me’s ID wallet helps users prove they belong to certain affiliated groups, such as teachers, students, first responders, or military veterans.

Last year, ID.me added 20.4 million new wallets, which breaks down to over 55,000 each day. That same year, it also powered more than 409 million successful logins, representing a 44% increase year-over-year. In total, ID.me counts 152 million users, representing nearly 60% of adults in the US.

“We believe the AI revolution will reshape the global economy, and identity will be its foundation,” said Ribbit Capital General Partner Justin Saslaw. “As AI agents become ubiquitous, trusted identity tokens will enable secure, seamless interactions between people, organizations, and machines. ID.me has built one of the most advanced and widely adopted digital identity wallets in the world, giving it a durable advantage in creating and scaling the identity tokens that will power this new era. We’re excited to partner with Blake and the ID.me team as they expand their leadership in the token-driven AI economy.”

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Gusto To Acquire Retirement Specialist Guideline

Gusto To Acquire Retirement Specialist Guideline
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Daily news, Gusto, Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Payroll and HR platform Gusto plans to acquire retirement plan provider Guideline, expanding its small business benefits offerings.
  • While terms of the deal were not disclosed, Guideline was valued at $1.15 billion in 2021, and given that fintech valuations have compressed by around 26%, is estimated to be worth around $851 million today.
  • The combined companies aim to simplify retirement plan access for tens of thousands of small businesses, especially as states increasingly mandate employer-sponsored retirement options.

Payroll, benefits, and HR management solutions company Gusto unveiled plans to acquire retirement plan provider Guideline.

While financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, Guideline had a $1.15 billion valuation in 2021 and claimed an annualized revenue of $140 million as of January 2025. Generally speaking, fintech valuations have been compressed by about 26% on average since 2021, so it is roughly estimated to be valued at $851 million today.

Gusto, originally known as ZenPayroll, was founded in 2011 to provide a cloud-based payroll, benefits, and HR management solution. The company’s tools help businesses track time and attendance, onboard new employees, manage existing talent, and more. In 2015, Gusto added to its small business offerings by offering health insurance and workers’ compensation, and a year later launched 401(k) retirement plans via a partnership with Guideline. Today, the San Francisco-based company serves more than 400,000 small businesses and is now valued at $9.3 billion.

Founded in 2015, Guideline helps businesses offer 401(k) and IRA retirement benefits to their team in a simplified approach. The California-based company works with small-to-mid-size businesses, franchises, and self-employed individuals across multiple industries, with dentist offices being the top category.

While Guideline has a direct-to-business approach, it also offers its plans via distribution partnerships with ADP, Block, Intuit, Paylocity, TriNet, and Rippling—all competitors of Gusto. Interestingly, Guideline plans to maintain integrations with those partners even after the acquisition closes.

Together, the two will serve tens of thousands of small businesses, offering them an integrated approach to adding retirement benefits, no matter the size of their team. Today’s deal will help Gusto serve its customers with more of Guideline’s services without having to worry about revenue sharing.

“We’re going to have the ability, in the right moment at the right time, to help [small business customers] if they want. It’s never going to be something they have to do—it’s always their choice—but help them understand that they can actually go provide retirement benefits to their team,” said Gusto CEO and Co-Founder Josh Reeves. “And so one thing I’m really, really excited about is I think we’re going to have a chance to help a lot more companies with retirement benefits by being together than if we had stayed separate.”

The acquisition is especially salient for Gusto, given that some states have passed mandates that now require businesses to provide their employees with retirement plans. The move also helps Gusto differentiate itself from competitors like ADP and Paychex by owning more of the retirement infrastructure directly, rather than relying solely on partnerships. In doing so, Gusto is strengthening its full-service appeal as the go-to HR and benefits provider for small businesses.

Photo by MART PRODUCTION

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4 Flashpoints of the CFPB’s Section 1033 Comment Request

4 Flashpoints of the CFPB’s Section 1033 Comment Request
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: List series, Thought Leadership

After the CFPB withdrew its lawsuit over Section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Act, the bureau stated that it would begin a new, “accelerated” rulemaking process with an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) within three weeks. That three-week period ended last week, on August 22nd, when the CFPB published its Personal Financial Data Rights Reconsideration, effectively kicking off the new rulemaking process.

Much is riding on how this rule takes shape, not only for banks, but for fintechs and consumers alike. Visa’s recent move to abandon its US open banking initiatives underscores just how high the stakes are. In its latest release, the CFPB asked for comments and data to guide its decisions on four critical issues tied to Section 1033. Below, we’ll walk through each issue and explore the potential impact.

Representatives: who deserves access to the data?

The first of the four issues is defining who can serve as a representative on behalf of the consumer. The question essentially asks who can make a request to access the consumer’s data on their behalf. Today, this includes not only the consumer themselves, but also third-party aggregators and fintechs, as well. If the CFPB decides to narrow this scope, it could potentially block third-party services from accessing consumer data, limiting it to the consumer and the bank itself.

The latter would favor incumbents as it allows them ultimate control. For fintechs, this would create a risky environment. The uncertainty would make it risky to invest and build APIs that could be restricted in the future.

Fee structures: who pays for data access?

The second of the four issues seeks to determine the optimal amount of fees that banks should be able to charge in response to a customer-driven request. As a result, data access may no longer be free for aggregators, which may require them and fintechs to reshape their business models in response.

Charging for data would allow banks to recoup compliance costs for API access, but may receive negative attention from fintechs and consumers. Additionally, fintechs with already thin margins may be forced to look for an exit.

Data security: weighing threats vs. benefits

The third of the four issues the CFPB spotlighted is the threat and cost-benefit analysis for data security associated with complying with Section 1033. If the Bureau requires compliance with tighter security requirements, all stakeholders will feel the repercussions of tighter security expectations.

With tighter compliance, small fintechs that previously had limited compliance requirements may now need to step up to higher standards. This could ultimately lead to consolidation, since large, well-resourced firms would be able to more easily meet compliance.

Data privacy: the cost of protection

The final of the four issues the CFPB spotlighted is the threat landscape surrounding data privacy associated with Section 1033 compliance. The Bureau may set new limits on how fintechs are allowed to monetize consumer data in an effort to maintain their privacy.

With new guardrails on how they are allowed to monetize consumer data, fintechs may face limitations on using data for personalized marketing or other secondary data uses. As a result, innovation may slow down, but consumers may gain more confidence.

Your turn to comment!

The CFPB’s recent call for comments is more than regulatory housekeeping. It is highly consequential and will determine the future of open banking in the US. The Bureau’s questions signal real costs, risks, and opportunities.

It is important to make your voice heard on these issues! In the six days that the comment period opened, only seven comments have been submitted. Send your comments to the CFPB by October 10, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST.

Photo by Erik Mclean

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Ant International, Standard Chartered, and Swift Build Bank-to-Wallet Payment Solution

Ant International, Standard Chartered, and Swift Build Bank-to-Wallet Payment Solution
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Daily news, Standard Chartered Bank
  • Ant International, Standard Chartered, and Swift have launched a new bank-to-wallet solution linking Swift’s 11,500-institution network with Alipay+’s 1.7 billion digital wallet accounts across 36 providers.
  • The service offers faster, regulated alternatives to stablecoins, with ISO 20022 backing to ensure interoperability, compliance, and scalability for cross-border payments.
  • Beyond speed, the initiative aims to boost financial inclusion, giving underbanked consumers access to funds through wallets they already use while allowing banks to stay relevant in wallet-first markets.

Global payments and fintech provider Ant International, international banking group Standard Chartered, and provider of secure financial messaging services Swift are banding together this week to launch a bank-to-wallet payment solution.

The three are leveraging Swift’s network of over 11,500 financial institutions in more than 200 countries and territories, as well as Ant International’s global wallet gateway service Alipay+. The new payment solution will connect Swift’s network to the 1.7 billion user accounts on the 36 global digital wallets in Alipay+’s ecosystem.

“We are very excited to be part of this ground-breaking multilateral collaboration with Swift, banking leaders, and Alipay+ e-wallet partners to facilitate bank-to-wallet transactions on a global scale,” said Ant International General Manager of Global Remittance Jacques Xu. “Ant International will continue to support such cross-sector collaboration with fintech innovations, to build a more connected payment and financial ecosystem for businesses and consumers with ever higher standards of transparency and security, as part of our focus on promoting global interoperability and inclusion.”

The digital wallet can also create an onramp into the traditional financial system. That’s because wallets connected to banks via Swift create a bridge that allows users to build transaction histories, potentially improving access to credit, insurance, and other financial services. Additionally, it has the potential to help unbanked and underbanked consumers because the bank-to-wallet capabilities allow them to receive money directly into a wallet they already use, circumventing the barriers to opening a bank account.

“In a world of fast-moving innovation with a growing number of ways to move value, consumers and businesses expect more choice and optionality in their international payments experience,” said Swift Chief Executive, Asia Pacific, Kevin Wong. “Swift is at the forefront of providing a best-in-class experience with greater flexibility and choice. This collaboration with Ant International and Standard Chartered reflects that strategic commitment to faster, frictionless payments across multiple networks.”

The first transactions on the new payments solution have already been successfully completed between a Standard Chartered Bank customer account and a partner e-wallet.

The launch of the new bank-to-wallet solution comes as stablecoin capabilities gain traction as an alternative for cross-border payments. However, while stablecoins promise fast, low-cost settlement, regulatory uncertainty and fragmentation have limited their adoption at scale. By contrast, today’s initiative shows how banks and fintechs can deliver many of the same benefits through established, regulated rails. Backed by the ISO 20022 messaging standard, the model also ensures interoperability and compliance with global payment systems, giving it a more durable foundation than many of today’s experimental stablecoin frameworks.

This partnership is a great example of how traditional banks and infrastructure services are collaborating with international tech players, moving from competition to interoperability. By linking Swift’s rails with Alipay+’s wallet ecosystem, the bank-to-wallet solution not only brings underbanked consumers into the financial system, but also strengthens cross-border payments. For Standard Chartered, it offers a chance to remain as a central player in markets where digital wallets dominate. The launch is also validating for fintechs that digital wallets have now gone mainstream.

“We are pleased to be the bank of choice to conceptualize, test, and deliver this innovation,” said Standard Chartered Global Head of Transaction Banking Michael Spiegel. “It is testament to the versatility of our banking platform and our strategic relationship with both Swift and Ant International. We will continue to push the boundaries of finance to shape the future of our industry, securely and in compliance with regulatory requirements.”

Photo by Sora Shimazaki

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Pipe Taps Airwallex to Power Same-Day Payouts

Pipe Taps Airwallex to Power Same-Day Payouts
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news
  • Pipe is partnering with Airwallex to expand its global reach, leveraging Airwallex’s infrastructure for same-day and next-day payouts to SMBs in need of fast working capital.
  • Airwallex’s global network supports local collections in 60+ countries and transfers in 21+ countries, which will help Pipe deliver seamless, localized financial services as it scales.
  • Pipe is already live in the UK and Canada with Airwallex, and is preparing to launch in Australia by year’s end.

Global trading platform for recurring revenue streams Pipe has selected global commercial payments and financial platform Airwallex to help Pipe grow globally.

The partnership enables Pipe to tap into Airwallex’s tools for delivering same-day and next-day payouts to small businesses that rely on accessing working capital quickly. Combining Airwallex’s extensive international coverage with Pipe’s local payment rails will help Pipe scale its platform globally while ensuring its clients enjoy seamless, localized financial experiences.

Pipe was founded in 2019 to provide businesses with access to working capital and financial tools. The company helps business owners who want to have the option of launching in multiple markets, saving them the hassle of selecting different partners and infrastructure providers.

“Our goal at Pipe is to enable software platforms that are serving SMBs to unlock revenue potential through embedded financial tools—no matter where they operate,” said Pipe CEO Luke Voiles. “With its broad global coverage and deep product capabilities, Airwallex gave us the support to launch in our first international market in weeks, not months. That speed and scale are critical for us as we look to expand our global footprint.”

Airwallex provides alternative accounts to help businesses manage their funds, access capital, control their spending, and embed financial services. The company helps businesses collect funds like a local in 60+ countries and make local transfers in 21+ countries. Founded in 2015, the Melbourne, Australia-founded company now processes $200 billion each year.

Pipe has already demonstrated momentum in its partnership with Airwallex, launching in the UK in late 2024 and entering Canada earlier this year. The California-based company is set to expand further, with plans to go live in Australia before the end of this year and a vision to enter markets across Europe and Asia Pacific in 2026.

“Pipe is bringing innovative embedded financial solutions to global markets with remarkable speed, and we’re proud to help power that momentum,” said Airwallex CRO Kai Wu. “Our global payments infrastructure was built to help leading businesses like Pipe reach new heights, expand access to new markets and verticals, and help them better serve their customers around the world.”

Today’s partnership is a testament to the fact that embedded financial services and offering global payments infrastructure are no longer optional but essential, especially for firms that want to scale. For Pipe’s business customers, this could make the difference between competing locally and thriving globally.

Photo by haryadi lilik

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Chime Workplace Integrates Workday Wellness Tools

Chime Workplace Integrates Workday Wellness Tools
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news
  • Chime is partnering with Workday to integrate Chime Workplace into Workday Wellness, expanding access to financial wellness tools through employers’ existing HR systems.
  • Chime Workplace helps employees manage money, save, and build credit, while giving employers insights into overall financial health and benefit usage.
  • The move positions Chime beyond consumer banking, signaling its push into the employer-driven financial wellness space.

Chime announced its latest move to build up Chime Workplace, the financial wellness suite it launched in March of this year. The company has partnered with HR solutions company Workday, becoming a Workday Wellness partner for financial benefits. 

Chime will integrate Workday Wellness into Chime Workplace to bring financial wellness into its employee benefits suite. Chime Workplace offers employers a single platform with financial wellness tools and an aggregated view of employee financial health. The platform helps employees manage their money, track their savings, build their credit, and more.

Workday was founded in 2005 to provide HR tools as a service to businesses across industries. Today, in addition to offering a wide range of HR tools, the company also offers AI tools such as agents, financial tools such as payroll and financial management, legal tools such as contract intelligence, supply chain management solutions, and more.

Under the partnership, organizations using Workday can turn on benefits for their employees using Chime Workplace directly through Workday Wellness in their existing HR systems. Workday’s Workday Wellness solution offers its clients insights into which benefits their employees want and use, helping them to improve their programs and add appropriate new offerings, all in the Chime Workplace dashboard. Chime Workplace will be available via the Employer Benefits Selection Portal for Workday customers. 

“Employees today are increasingly looking to their employers for competitive financial wellness benefits,” said Workday General Manager, HCM, Workforce Management and Payroll Cristina Goldt. “Our partnership with Chime makes it easy for Workday customers to provide their workforce with financial wellness tools directly through Workday Wellness. This ultimately helps them manage money, build credit, and save—fostering a more financially confident and resilient workforce.”

The integration is Chime’s latest move to differentiate itself as a competitor in the challenger banking field. The company was founded in 2012 and formed Chime Enterprise in 2024 after acquiring employee rewards and loyalty platform Salt Labs. Chime has more than 8.7 million members. By embedding its workplace tools into HR platforms like Workday, the company is positioning itself not just as a consumer bank alternative, but as a partner in the employee benefits ecosystem. This shift may indicate that Chime intends to grow beyond direct-to-consumer banking and capture a larger share of the employer-driven financial wellness market.

Photo by Höhenverstellbar Tischgestell Maidesite

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Make the Most of FinovateFall with the Event App

Make the Most of FinovateFall with the Event App
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateFall 2025

FinovateFall is just around the corner (taking place September 8 through 10 in New York), and we can’t wait to welcome fintech leaders, bank executives, investors, and analysts back to our flagship show. With discussion sessions, networking opportunities, and 60+ demos packed into three days, it’s important to have the right tools at your fingertips to help you navigate the event. That’s where the ConnectMe event app comes in.

You can think of the app as your personal conference assistant. It gives you everything you need to maximize your time at FinovateFall, starting today and continuing after the event.

Plan Ahead

With the app, you can browse the full agenda, bookmark the sessions and demos that matter most to you, and build a personalized agenda to manage your on-site schedule. Whether you want to see the latest fintech demo on stage or catch a discussion on open banking, you’ll know exactly where you need to be and when.

Connect with the Right People

Networking has always been a cornerstone at Finovate, and the app makes it even easier. Use the attendee directory to see who else will be in the room, send messages, and set up meetings in advance. The app features an AI-powered matchmaking feature that highlights the people and companies most relevant to you, making it easy for you to make the high-impact connections you’re looking for.

Stay in the Loop

From last-minute speaker updates to location details, the app keeps you informed in real-time so you don’t miss a thing. You can also engage in live polls and Q&A during sessions, making the event more interactive and getting your voice heard.

Keep the Conversation Going

Your FinovateFall experience doesn’t end when the conference does. The app remains open after the event, giving you continued access to contacts, content, and discussions. Whether you missed a meeting or wanted to follow up with a contact you met on the networking floor, the app makes it easy to keep building relationships and follow up on new opportunities.

To download the FinovateFall ConnectMe app, keep an eye on your email inbox for a link and a code to get in. Be sure to set up your details within the app ahead of the show in order to hit the ground running. Whether this is your first Finovate or your fifteenth, the app is the best way to ensure you can maximize your event experience.

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