Author: Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz)

Mastercard Launches Stablecoin Acceptance and Payments Capabilities

Mastercard Launches Stablecoin Acceptance and Payments Capabilities
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Daily news, MasterCard
  • Mastercard is enabling global stablecoin payments, allowing consumers and merchants to use stablecoins like cash using Mastercard’s network of merchant locations.
  • The launch is powered by Mastercard Crypto Credential and Mastercard Move, ensuring secure, compliant blockchain transactions and seamless conversion between stablecoins and bank accounts.
  • The new stablecoin payments capabilities are made possible by partnerships with major crypto partners like MetaMask, Binance, and OKX.

Stablecoins are going mainstream, and Mastercard wants to lead the charge. The payments company announced this week that it is launching global stablecoin acceptance and payments capabilities in order to allow consumers and businesses to use stablecoins as easily as the money in their bank accounts.

The new capabilities will allow Mastercard to ensure that people can make and receive stablecoin payments at any time of day, in any geography. Key to this launch is Mastercard Crypto Credential, which ensures secure, compliant, and user-friendly blockchain transactions by verifying user identities and metadata.

“When it comes to blockchain and digital assets, the benefits for mainstream use cases are clear,” said Mastercard Chief Product Officer Jorn Lambert. “To realize its potential, we need to make it as easy for merchants to receive stablecoin payments and for consumers to use them. We believe in the potential of stablecoins to streamline payments and commerce across the value chain. Unlocking this is core to how we navigate the rapidly changing world, giving people and businesses the freedom they want by providing the choices they deserve.”

The payments company is leveraging partnerships with MetaMask, Kraken, Gemini, Bybit, Crypto.com, Binance, Monavate, and Bleap to offer consumers many of the same benefits they enjoy when paying with their credit cards. For example, customers in the crypto ecosystem can earn rewards, pay, and spend the stablecoins in their crypto wallets using their traditional payment cards at the over 150 million merchant locations that accept Mastercard payments across the globe. Customers can also withdraw stablecoins into their bank accounts with Mastercard Move.   

Mastercard Move is the company’s comprehensive suite of money movement solutions designed to facilitate fast, secure, and flexible payments across channels. It enables individuals and businesses to send and receive funds globally through methods such as person-to-person transfers, business disbursements, and cross-border payments. Mastercard Move is particularly beneficial for crypto users as it allows them to seamlessly withdraw stablecoins into traditional bank accounts, bridging the gap between digital assets and traditional financial systems.

Mastercard is also partnering with crypto exchange platform OKX to launch the OKX Card, as well as with Nuvei, Circle, and Paxos to give merchants the option to receive their payments in stablecoins.

“OKX is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of digital assets,” said OKX Chief Marketing Officer Haider Rafique. “Our strategic partnership with Mastercard to launch the OKX Card reflects our commitment to making digital finance more accessible, practical, and relevant to everyday life. Together, we’re taking a significant step toward integrating stablecoins into daily transactions and creating richer experiences—while bringing new users on-chain through OKX’s leadership in crypto trading and our growing Web3 ecosystem.”

The stablecoin scene has been erupting this year. Not only have stablecoins been granted more regulatory clarity in the US, but they have also seen more mainstream institutional adoption, retail integration, and cross-chain interoperability, making them more easily transferrable across ecosystems. Additionally, they are used as a payments rail for smart contracts and tokenized assets, both of which have experienced recent growth.

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Thunes Raises $150 Million for US Expansion

Thunes Raises $150 Million for US Expansion
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news, Funding, TransferTo
  • Thunes raised $150 million in Series D funding from Apis Partners and Vitruvian Partners.
  • The funds more than double its previous 2023 round.
  • Thunes plans to use the funding to fuel US growth, drive AI innovation, and expand interoperability with the digital asset ecosystem, positioning itself against competitors like Wise and Airwallex.

Cross-border payments company Thunes has raised $150 million in Series D funding. The investment comes from private equity firms Apis Partners and Vitruvian Partners.

The new funding is not only Thunes’ largest round to date, but it is also more than double the $72 million the company landed in 2023. The company will use today’s funds to fuel its US expansion. Thunes has obtained licenses in all 50 US states, subject to regulatory approval. Establishing a strong footprint in the US will open up new opportunities to serve fintechs, e-commerce platforms, and financial institutions seeking faster global transaction capabilities.

“Thunes’ latest funding round is a clear validation of our strategy and our commitment to sustainable growth,” said Thunes CEO Floris de Kort. “Our performance, marked by a revenue run-rate of $150 million and positive EBITDA, demonstrates our ability to balance rapid expansion with financial prudence, even in a tumultuous market. This new capital enables us to extend our Direct Global Network, including in the United States, drive technological innovation, from Artificial Intelligence to digital asset ecosystem interoperability, and deliver superior value to the Members of our proprietary Network. In a challenging funding environment, our progress and resilience set a new industry standard.”

Thunes was founded in 2016 as TransferTo and rebranded to Thunes in 2019. The company offers a cross-border payments and collection network that supports 80 currencies, enables payments to 130 countries, and offers 320+ payment acceptance methods. Unlike traditional cross-border payments providers that often rely on correspondent banking networks, Thunes offers a direct, proprietary global network. This delivers faster, cheaper, and more transparent transactions and allows it to compete against players like Wise and Airwallex.

Among the company’s use cases are cross-border payments, business payments, virtual payments, and virtual account issuance. Headquartered in Singapore, Thunes also has offices in London, Paris, Shanghai, New York, Dubai, Nairobi, Arizona, and Barcelona.

The fundraise comes at a tough time in the venture capital climate, where funding rounds, especially of this size, have become increasingly rare. Thunes’ ability to secure $150 million highlights a warming investor climate, as well as increased interest in cross-border payment infrastructure.

“Thunes has revolutionized global cross-border payments by seamlessly integrating robust technology with a disciplined financial strategy that inspires confidence,” said Apis Partners Managing Partner & Co-Founder Matteo Stefanel. “The company’s impressive growth record and positive EBITDA performance, even in these unprecedented times, clearly underpin the trust of its Members and their ability to scale effectively. We have been closely monitoring Thunes’ remarkable journey and are consistently impressed by the team’s innovative approach, operational rigor, and strategic foresight. Thunes’ pursuit of excellence redefines industry standards and sets a high bar for reliability and performance in global payments. Lastly, we are especially proud of the work Thunes is doing in accelerating access to affordable financial services across the next billion users in emerging markets, and for Apis to play a small part in continuing this journey.”

Photo by Pixabay

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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: Alkami Technology, Fintech Rundown, Finzly, Kani Payments, Nubank, Payoneer

Fintech was relatively busy last week, and so was the Finovate events team. FinovateSpring makes its San Diego debut next week, kicking off on May 7, and our speaker roster is fabulous! Here’s a look at more of this week’s fintech news. We’ll continue adding news to this post throughout the week, so stay tuned!

Payments

Reporting, reconciliation, and compliance software company Kani Payments announced a strategic partnership with UK-based travel payments company Swiipr.

Payoneer invests $2 million over the next three years to support Endeavor, the Global Network of Trust of, by and for entrepreneurs. 

Finzly’s AWS-powered platform Payment Galaxy completes a benchmarking initiative in collaboration with AWS, validating that it can handle large transaction volumes.

Thunes raises $150 million in Series D funding.

Business financial management

Versapay names Elizabeth Bramlage as Chief Marketing Officer.

Digital banking

NuMark Credit Union selects Alkami to power its digital banking platform.

Nubank’s Mexico arm receives regulatory approval from the Mexican National Banking and Securities Commission to begin the process of becoming a full-service bank.

Photo by fauxels

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Amplify Credit Union Chooses IllumaSHIELD for Voice Authentication

Amplify Credit Union Chooses IllumaSHIELD for Voice Authentication
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Illuma Labs
  • Amplify Credit Union has partnered with Illuma to implement IllumaShield voice authentication, enhancing security and streamlining member verification.
  • IllumaShield’s passive audioprint technology verifies callers without security questions or special passphrases, leading to faster call center interactions and higher enrollment rates.
  • By automating identity verification, Amplify Credit Union expects to reduce call handle times, cut operational costs, and deliver a more seamless, trusted member experience.

Voice authentication solutions provider Illuma formed a strategic partnership with Amplify Credit Union this week. The Texas-based credit union selected Illuma for its IllumaShield caller authentication technology.

“Security and member experience are top priorities for Amplify Credit Union,” said Amplify Credit Union Chief Experience Officer Stacy Armijo. “Partnering with Illuma allows us to enhance both by implementing state-of-the-art voice authentication technology, ensuring that our members can access their accounts securely and effortlessly.”

IllumaShield helps banks and credit unions verify callers with its audioprint technology that continuously analyzes the unique characteristics of a caller’s voice and device using advanced signal processing, machine learning, and AI. This passive authentication eliminates the need for security questions or spoken pass phrases.

When a consumer calls into a call center using IllumaShield, they can complete enrollment simply by saying “yes” and continuing the conversation. The system does not require them to call into a specific line, wait on hold, or repeat a special phrase. As a result of the straightforward experience, Illuma reports that more than 95% of callers invited agree to enroll.

By automating the verification process, Amplify Credit Union can not only reduce call handle times but also lower operational costs associated with manual identity verification. At the same time, members benefit from a faster, frictionless experience that builds trust and loyalty.

Headquartered in Plano, Texas, and founded in 2016, Illuma specializes in voice authentication solutions for credit unions and community banks. Its flagship product, IllumaShield, is currently deployed at financial institutions across the U.S., helping streamline operations while strengthening fraud defenses.

Illuma is among the companies demoing their latest technologies at FinovateSpring 2025 on May 7 through 9 in San Diego. Check out more details or register today.

Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash

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BILL Launches New Procurement Capabilities for Small Businesses

BILL Launches New Procurement Capabilities for Small Businesses
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Bill.com, Daily news
  • BILL is expanding beyond payments by launching new procurement tools that unify accounts payable, receivable, expense management, forecasting, and payments into one centralized platform for small businesses.
  • The new release offers features like advanced approval routing, invoice matching, and bulk payments.
  • With the launch, BILL positions itself as a financial command center for SMBs, offering a holistic alternative to point solutions like Ramp by delivering integrated, customizable, and scalable cash flow management.

Small business financial software provider BILL unveiled new procurement capabilities this week. The California-based company is releasing new tools to help businesses and accountants take control of their cash flow. Adding this well-rounded set of procurement capabilities signals BILL’s intent to move beyond payments into a broader role as a small business financial command center.

BILL is enhancing its platform with new procure-to-pay capabilities, and bringing accounts payable, accounts receivable, payment cards, expense management, insights, and forecasting in a single solution. The additional procurement tools will enable businesses to efficiently manage, approve, and track purchase orders with greater accuracy. Features like advanced approval routing and automated invoice matching will help reduce fraud risk and payment errors, while streamlining workflows to minimize manual effort and increase operational efficiency.

While other platforms, such as Ramp, focus on specific elements of small business financial operations, BILL differentiates itself with a holistic approach that combines procurement, payments, and forecasting in one platform. Consolidating all of a business’ needs into one platform not only streamlines operations but also reduces the need for third-party add-ons and disjointed data reconciliation between systems.

“Our expansion into procurement reinforces how BILL is driving innovation and setting new standards for helping businesses and accountants to manage and control their cash flow, eliminate ‘busy work’, and make strategic decisions that drive long-term growth and success,” said BILL Founder and CEO René Lacerte.

The three new capabilities BILL is releasing include BILL Multi-Entity, which enables businesses and accounting firms to manage payments across multiple organizations from a single, centralized platform; the BILL API Platform, which allows businesses and accountants to tailor financial workflows to meet their own needs; and a bulk payments option that will save businesses time and money by paying thousands of bills at a time.

The new capabilities will allow, for example, a multi-location accounting firm to route purchase approvals through custom rules for each entity while managing all payments from a single dashboard. This reduces manual tracking, improves compliance, and frees up teams to focus on higher-value tasks.

“In an uncertain environment, control and visibility of cash flow is not only key to efficiency—it’s one of the most powerful levers a business has to be more resilient. Legacy spreadsheets and disparate tools are costing American businesses time, money and opportunity, and BILL is the only technology partner delivering more control, more value and more innovation SMBs need and deserve,” added Lacerte.

Founded in 2006, BILL helps 460,000 businesses automate their financial operations and has processed $266 billion in payments volume. The company, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker BILL, went public in 2019 and has a market capitalization of $4.55 billion.

Photo by Amina Filkins

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AI, Empathy, and Leadership: 5 Questions for Tech Product Manager Bhoomika Ghosh

AI, Empathy, and Leadership: 5 Questions for Tech Product Manager Bhoomika Ghosh
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2025, Interview, List series

AI is reshaping not just products but the very way product teams operate. To explore how the rise of AI is changing the role of the product manager, we sat down with Senior Tech Product Lead Bhoomika Ghosh. to get a better idea of the necessary balance between data and human intuition, and what ethical leadership looks like in the AI era.

A passionate technologist with a background spanning engineering, consulting, and product management, Ghosh has led product innovation at the intersection of AI/ML and customer experience. Her fascination with technology’s ability to solve human challenges began early in her career, wherein as an undergraduate, she developed an application that transformed 2D MRI slices into 3D models, helping doctors accurately identify tumor locations and volumes. This early venture sparked Ghosh’s passion for building technology that creates meaningful impact efficiently, and at scale.

We’re thrilled to feature her insights ahead of her appearance at FinovateSpring, where she will speak on the panel exploring gender diversity and responsible AI leadership.

AI is changing how products are built, but how is it changing how product managers operate? 

Bhoomika Ghosh: The evolution of product management in this AI era has been nothing short of transformative. While our north star as a product manager (PM) remains unchanged—i.e., solving customer problems and delivering utmost value to customers—what has shifted is how we navigate towards that vision with AI. I see two dimensions of AI transformation within the product management space: first, we see a rise in product managers who leverage AI as a productivity accelerator. Tools like Bolt and Cursor are revolutionizing our prototyping capabilities, reducing prototype development cycles from weeks to mere hours, and initial design times by 35%. This efficiency gain allows PMs to invest more time in understanding deeper emotional user needs and ensuring our products create genuine value. Second, we see AI-enhanced PMs, who are using AI to fundamentally transform customer experiences in ways we never imagined. For example, Microsoft’s 365 Copilot leverages AI to revolutionize customer service interactions, which resulted in a 40% reduction in resolution time through AI-powered insights and recommendations. Looking ahead, I see AI enhancing our ability to make better quality and higher quantity decisions faster and evolve with customers in real time to deliver what matters the most to them.

What role does human intuition play in AI product management? 

Ghosh: In today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape, AI adoption has surged from 33% to 65% in just the past year—making the role of human intuition in product management more crucial than ever. While AI excels at processing vast amounts of data and automating routine tasks, our uniquely human capabilities of judgment, critical thinking, and empathy remain irreplaceable. Take the evolution of customer service chatbots, for instance. While AI can handle >50% of routine inquiries, it’s the human product managers who recognize that customers need occasional human intervention for complex emotional situations, leading to hybrid human and AI solutions. This exemplifies what I call the “PM’s AI Trilogy of Responsibility,” where product managers in the AI world are now responsible to safeguard customer trust, ensure scalable efficiency, and measure genuine success beyond just automation metrics. The irony isn’t lost on me that in pursuing “artificial” intelligence, we’ve heightened the importance of “human” intelligence.

Let’s talk leadership. How do you think the rise of AI is reshaping what good leadership looks like in product and technology teams? 

Ghosh: In the AI era, product and technical leadership demand a fundamental reimagining of how we guide teams and build products. What’s fascinating is that while 92% of global business leaders report positive ROI from their AI investments, success isn’t purely about technological implementation—it’s about creating an environment where both innovation and ethical considerations flourish. We see that the most successful AI products emerge from teams where leaders have mastered the delicate balance between data-driven decision-making and human empathy. Take Netflix’s AI-powered recommendation system, which generates $1 billion in annual value not just through algorithmic excellence, but through leaders who understood the critical intersection of technical capability and user psychology. This exemplifies how modern tech leadership requires a dual focus: pushing technological boundaries while staying deeply anchored in customer impact and responsible AI practices. As we navigate this transformation, I also see good leadership exuded in a way where teams are taught to watch over their shoulders and think beyond the happy path scenarios. For instance, what happens if AI was to fail? What would be your contingency plans? These tenets will help leaders foster an environment where teams feel empowered to innovate responsibly, ensuring our products genuinely enhance human experiences.

Many industries beyond big tech are leveraging AI. What advice would you give to product teams in a traditional industry like finance who are building their first AI-driven solutions? 

Ghosh: The financial sector’s AI transformation offers powerful lessons for product teams embarking on their AI journey. While our brains might be the most sophisticated decision-making system, AI serves as a powerful amplifier of human capabilities, particularly in areas like fraud detection, personalized banking experiences, and risk assessment. In my experience, the key to approaching AI implementation is to solve specific customer pain points, and not solely use it as a technological showcase or a competitive advantage. I suggest AI implementation using a three-pronged approach. First, start with well-defined, high-impact use cases where AI can demonstrably improve customer experience rather than implementing AI for its own sake. Second, build cross-functional teams that blend domain expertise with AI capabilities. For instance, when developing AI-powered fraud detection systems, its combination with financial security expertise and machine learning capabilities enables real-time transaction monitoring and anomaly detection, protecting both customers and institutional integrity. Finally, and most crucially, establish robust feedback loops with your customers early in the development process. I often challenge teams to consider, “How would this feature feel to a user having their worst day?” This perspective is particularly vital in finance, where AI decisions can significantly impact people’s lives. I’ve seen the most successful AI adoption use cases aren’t simply using the technology, but rather building trust through it using transparent, ethical, and user-centric solutions.

Finally, what aspect of FinovateSpring are you most looking forward to? 

Ghosh: I’m particularly excited about participating in the gender diversity panel at FinovateSpring, where we’ll explore the crucial intersection of diverse leadership and responsible AI development across industries. As a woman leader in tech, I advocate that diverse voices in product development aren’t just about equity or quotas, but rather about building better, more comprehensive solutions that serve entire customer bases. Beyond the panel, I’m looking forward to engaging with fellow industry leaders about responsible AI implementation in fintech. As we see AI adoption in financial services growing at an unprecedented rate, the conversations around ethical AI development and secure deployment become increasingly critical. I’m eager to both share insights from successful AI implementations I’ve seen and learn from other organizations’ experiences in navigating this complex landscape.

Don’t miss your chance to hear Bhoomika Ghosh, along with a wide range of other thought leaders and experts, on the FinovateSpring stage next month on May 7 through 9. Tickets are now available!

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Feedzai Acquires Demyst to Enhance Data Orchestration

Feedzai Acquires Demyst to Enhance Data Orchestration
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Daily news, DemystData, Feedzai, Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Feedzai is acquiring Demyst to unify its AI-powered risk management with external data orchestration, enabling faster, smarter fraud detection and compliance decisions.
  • The integration of Demyst’s Zonic platform will help financial institutions streamline onboarding, enhance fraud prediction, and reduce friction in real-time risk operations.
  • As demand grows for dynamic, real-time data in financial services, this deal will enable Feedzai to offer a more comprehensive risk intelligence platform.

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

“There is no shortage of data in our industry—the trick is how to access the right data as quickly as possible so that you can accelerate risk decisions with the fewest consumer friction points,” said Feedzai CEO and Co-founder Nuno Sebastiao. “Demyst is a first mover and leader in accessing necessary data—internal or external—at the critical moment for any part of the user journey. Paired with Feedzai’s market-leading AI, this ensures every data point is fully utilized to drive smarter and faster decisions. More broadly, this acquisition marks a pivotal moment in continuing Feedzai’s evolution from a data consumer to a data provider.”

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

Founded in 2011, Feedzai is a risk operations platform specializing in identity verification, fraud prevention, and financial crime detection. The company’s AI-powered solutions span KYC, AML, watchlist screening, and transaction fraud monitoring to help financial institutions stop fraud in real time without compromising the customer experience. Today, Feedzai protects over one billion consumers in more than 190 countries and safeguards over $8 billion in transactions annually.

“External data is the next frontier of business impact for financial institutions, yet it is notoriously complex, involving a labyrinth of sources for KYC/AML, identity, fraud, credit checks, and compliance,” said Demyst CEO Mark Hookey. “We’re thrilled to join Feedzai to bring AI and data together at scale for our customers. Together we are building the most advanced solution for customer onboarding, fraud prevention, and risk management.”

Hookey, along with other key members of the Demyst team, will remain with Feedzai.

Demyst was founded in 2010 as an external data platform that enables financial institutions to discover, evaluate, and deploy third-party data quickly and securely. By streamlining access to hundreds of curated data providers across categories like identity, income, business verification, and credit risk, Demyst helps banks and fintechs make smarter decisions faster, without the typical data integration friction.

The deal highlights a growing interest in data orchestration and AI-driven risk management. As financial services companies grapple with increasingly sophisticated fraud tactics and regulatory demands, the ability to access, integrate, and act on real-time data is becoming crucial, especially as the costs of accessing and analyzing the data are increasing. By combining Feedzai’s AI and risk operations platform with Demyst’s external data orchestration capabilities, the deal positions Feedzai to offer a more holistic, end-to-end risk intelligence solution.

Photo by Markus Spiske

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8 Key Trends to Watch at FinovateSpring 2025

8 Key Trends to Watch at FinovateSpring 2025
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: FinovateSpring 2025

This year at FinovateSpring, we’re seeing a strong convergence of fresh technologies and real-world financial use cases. From embedded finance to AI-powered risk management, the innovation that will be on display during the event, which takes place May 7 through 9 in San Diego, is a signal of the rapidly evolving needs of both financial institutions and their customers. We analyzed the key themes across this year’s 40+ participating demo companies and uncovered eight standout trends shaping the future of fintech.

AI and Machine Learning Are Everywhere

AI is evolving from a nice-to-have feature into a foundational technology. This year, 15 companies are showcasing solutions powered by AI or machine learning to drive personalization, automation, and real-time decision-making. Whether it’s fraud detection, customer engagement, or operational efficiency, companies like APIMatic, Casca, Cinareo Solutions, Cratoflow, Crosswise, Crux Analytics, Illuma, Layerup, Parcha, Quavo Fraud & Disputes, QuickFi, Quivly AI, Solda.ai, Stack AI, and Winnow are showing that AI is the engine behind scalable, modern finance.

Digital Transformation Goes Deeper

As financial institutions continue to modernize, digital transformation is expanding beyond the basic front end changes we saw in 2020. Tools supporting the developer experience, infrastructure, and process redesign are now in the spotlight. Companies like APIMatic, Anonybit, Cinareo Solutions, Illuma, Intellect Design, Kaian, Layerup, Penny Finance, QuickFi, ReSight, Solda.ai, and Stack AI are helping banks shift to cloud-based, API-driven, and future-ready environments.

Consumer Banking is Getting Smarter

Consumer-focused solutions are trending with 10 companies offering innovations in retail banking. From improved digital experiences to smarter customer onboarding, companies such as Anonybit, Bits of Stock, CoHome, Hive Technologies, Instarails, Kaian, Parcha, Penny Finance, SuperMoney, and Winnow are reimagining how consumers interact with their banks.

Embedded Finance Gains Momentum

Embedded finance is enabling a broader range of companies– both financial and non-financial– to provide an increasingly diverse range of financial services. Nine companies, including APIMatic, BankShift, Casca, CoHome, DashDevs, Express Wages, Félix, QuickFi, and TAPP Engine are enabling financial services to be embedded within broader customer journeys in areas ranging from e-commerce to payroll to enterprise tools.

Payments Innovation Is Accelerating

From real-time disbursements to smarter infrastructure, payments remains a top priority. Companies like APIMatic, Cratoflow, DashDevs, Express Wages, Félix, Hive Technologies, Instarails, Intellect Design, and Quavo Fraud & Disputes are focusing on speed, transparency, and compliance across the payments stack.

Customer Acquisition Is Being Reimagined

Nine firms are focusing specifically on helping financial institutions attract, convert, and retain customers more effectively. Expect to see data-driven onboarding tools, personalized product recommendations, and engagement platforms from innovators like BankShift, Cinareo Solutions, CoHome, Covet, Crux Analytics, Layerup, Penny Finance, Solda.ai, and SuperMoney.

Business Banking Is Getting a UX Overhaul

Small and mid-sized businesses have historically been underserved when it comes to having an elegant banking user experience. This year, companies like Anonybit, Casca, Crux Analytics, Instarails, Intellect Design, Parcha, Winnow are presenting tools built to streamline onboarding, lending, and money movement for the business banking segment.

Security, Identity & Compliance Stay Front and Center

As fintech grows more sophisticated, so do fraudsters. Six companies—including Anonybit, DashDevs, Herd Security, Illuma, Solda.ai, Stack AI, Crosswise, Quavo Fraud & Disputes, ReSight, and Winnow—are focusing on identity verification, AML, and regulatory compliance to ensure security doesn’t fall behind innovation.

FinovateSpring is more than a showcase of new technology, it’s a preview of where the industry is headed. These trends reflect the real challenges and opportunities facing financial services, and the companies listed are among the ones leading the way. Register today to see what they bring to the demo stage.

Photo by Maximalfocus on Unsplash

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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: Fintech Rundown

After a turbulent couple of weeks in fintech, we’re starting this week with the news that Capital One’s $35 billion deal to acquire Discover has gained approval. This comes after last week’s positive news that Global Payments has agreed to acquire Worldpay. All of this proves that while fintech may be down, it is certainly not out. Here’s a look at more of this week’s fintech news. We’ll continue adding news to this post throughout the week, so stay tuned!

Payments

Blackhawk Network (BHN) has partnered with Monadnock Paper Mills to introduce Renovo, a new sustainable, fiber-based gift card substrate.

Toku raises $48 million Series A to grow its payments solutions in Latin America.

Digital banking

BrightStar Credit Union selects Jack Henry’s Symitar platform and complementary products to support its growth and deliver better member experiences.

Regulators approve Capital One’s $35.3 billion acquisition of Discover, minting the 8th largest US bank.

Velmie powers Sierra Leone’s first digital banking super app.

Lending

SoFi secures $3.2 billion expansion to its loan platform business across agreements with Fortress and Edge Focus.

Wealth management & investing

Sharia-compliant wealth creation platform Vennre introduces new Chief Product Officer Ahmed El-Sharkasy.

Clearwater Analytics finalizes acquisition of Enfusion.

Small business financial management

FundThrough acquires working capital platform Ampla.

DeFi

CompoSecure integrates Arculus with MoneyGram, marking the first hardware wallet to provide global cash in/cash out through Stellar.

Photo by Pixabay

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ValidiFI Adds Authoritative Bank Account Verification to its vAccount+ Suite

ValidiFI Adds Authoritative Bank Account Verification to its vAccount+ Suite
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Alumni News, Daily news, ValidiFI
  • ValidiFI has expanded its vAccount+ suite to include authoritative bank account verification, enabling real-time validation of account status and ownership using direct-source financial data.
  • The new tools include vAccount+ Verify and vAccount+ Coverage, which will help firms onboard customers, initiate ACH payments, and detect fraud with higher accuracy.
  • Built with AI and machine learning, the enhanced suite supports compliance with NACHA regulations and helps banks, lenders, and fintechs make smarter, faster decisions at scale.

Bank account and payment intelligence company ValidiFI recently unveiled enhancements to its vAccount+ suite. This week’s release will add new capabilities for authoritative bank account verification that firms can use when onboarding new customers, initiating ACH transactions, verifying payouts, and ensuring compliance with NACHA and anti-fraud regulations.

Authoritative bank account verification refers to the process of confirming a retail or commercial customer’s bank account ownership and status using official, direct-source data that is obtained from banks, core processors, or authoritative financial institutions. This is in contrast to traditional verification methods that rely on information supplied by the user, manual document uploads, or even micro-deposits. Instead, authoritative bank account verification leverages real-time data to confirm that an account exists, is open and active, and that the person or business claiming the account is indeed the rightful owner.

ValidiFI can leverage the new capabilities to validate up to 85% of accounts based on authoritative data and known transaction history. ValidiFI’s new authoritative bank account verification tool leverages AI and machine learning to analyze bank account and routing number patterns and relationships, which extends coverage to provide insights on 96% of accounts.

“Expanding the vAccount+ suite to include authoritative bank account verification empowers organizations in the B2B payments space to make informed decisions, optimize workflows, and improve risk management strategies,” said ValidiFI CEO John Gordon. “This addition reflects our commitment to delivering actionable insights that drive smarter, more efficient business operations.”

The two authoritative bank account verification tools include vAccount+ Verify, which verifies with authoritative sources for higher accuracy; and vAccount+ Coverage, which maximzes verification using all available data, including authoritative sources.

The tools verify the accuracy of the customer’s bank account and routing number, and offer the option to authenticate bank account ownership by matching the applicant’s details with the account owner’s information. The ownership details help organizations detect discrepancies and potential fraud.

Founded in 2014, ValidiFI offers real-time bank account verification and payment intelligence solutions for both retail and commercial customers. Its tools help lenders, banks, and fintechs improve credit decisioning, prevent fraud, and manage risk with more precision. ValidiFI’s platform is particularly effective in spotting suspicious patterns, such as synthetic identities or mule accounts, and in supporting compliance with account verification mandates such as NACHA’s WEB Debit Rule. By delivering actionable insights instantly, ValidiFI enables its clients to make confident, data-driven decisions at scale.

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Streamly Snapshot: Digital Transformation Challenges Facing Banks

Streamly Snapshot: Digital Transformation Challenges Facing Banks
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Streamly

Legacy systems, fragmented data, and operational silos have long challenged financial institutions trying to modernize. In this Streamly interview, R34DY CEO Mark Hetényi shares his perspective on how banks and fintechs can overcome these barriers by building smarter, more connected digital ecosystems. Drawing from his deep experience in financial services and digital transformation, Hetényi unpacks how to drive real change– not just cosmetic upgrades– across the industry.

In the conversation, Hetényi explains how meaningful transformation requires both cultural and technological shifts. He stresses the need for integration, collaboration, and customer-first thinking in order to eliminate inefficiencies and unlock new growth opportunities. It’s a timely and practical look at what it really takes to move from outdated infrastructure to agile, future-ready operations.

“You have to focus on the customer. I know that’s an overused phrase, so I’m not saying anything new with that. But a lot of the banks they envision what is the best fit product for themselves to build the next best product, and the customer is already three stations ahead with their own fintech solution and you’re not going to grab attention that way. So you first focus on the customer, but then you need an internal champion. I’ve worked with a lot of banks, worked internally as a deputy CEO as well, and if you don’t have an internal champion—a real, internal reason to change—usually, the transformation process goes amuck there.”

Mark Hetényi brings decades of experience at the intersection of banking, innovation, and strategy. As the CEO of R34DY, he is focused on equipping financial institutions with the tools and guidance they need to not just digitize, but to evolve. His leadership bridges traditional finance with digital capabilities, helping banks take a data-driven, customer-focused, approach.

R34DY is a digital transformation partner for financial institutions, helping them move beyond legacy systems and fragmented workflows. The company offers a platform that enables banks to orchestrate and optimize customer journeys, data flows, and product delivery through seamless integration. By bridging the gap between siloed systems and modern customer expectations, R34DY empowers institutions to unlock new value and thrive in a fast-changing financial landscape.

Photo by luis gomes

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Streamly Snapshot: Navigating Reputation Management in the Financial Sector

Streamly Snapshot: Navigating Reputation Management in the Financial Sector
By Julie Muhn (@julieschicktanz) Posted on
Categories: Streamly

Reputation is both an asset and a liability across every sector. This is especially true for financial institutions, as they rely heavily on consumer trust. However, in an era when the speed of information is accelerating, so is the risk of misinformation, public missteps, or brand erosion. In this Streamly interview, Valentina Kristensen, Corporate Affairs Director at OakNorth, joins us to share how banks and fintechs can strategically manage their reputations amid growing scrutiny from customers, media, and regulators.

During our conversation, which was recorded at FinovateEurope, Kristensen offers insight into how financial institutions can proactively build trust, respond to reputational threats, and create a culture of transparency, even in times of crisis. Her experience working across corporate affairs, media, and policy gives her a well-rounded perspective on the importance of reputation in shaping long-term business value.

“The first rule in a crisis is ‘don’t have a crisis,’ so effective planning is always crucial and as a regulated bank we have to do a lot of planning… So I think a lot of it is preparation and if you can avoid a crisis, then great. Obviously a lot of that comes from doing the right thing or making sure that your team are doing the right thing.”

Valentina Kristensen has been a leading voice in fintech communications and policy for nearly a decade. At OakNorth, she helps shape the bank’s narrative, build strategic relationships, and ensure that the company’s messaging reflects its values and mission. She frequently speaks on topics such as financial innovation, regulation, and the importance of building resilient, people-centric financial institutions.

OakNorth is a UK-based digital bank that serves growth-minded small and medium-sized businesses. Known for its tech-forward approach to credit decisioning, OakNorth combines machine learning with deep sector insights to deliver faster, more flexible lending. With a strong emphasis on responsible innovation and long-term partnerships, the company has become a standout in the challenger banking space, both for its performance and its reputation.

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

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