Grab Takes Majority Stake in E-Payment Service OVO

Grab Takes Majority Stake in E-Payment Service OVO

Southeast Asia’s super app Grab is moving even further into the payment solutions space this week. The company has more than doubled its stake in e-wallet app OVO.

Grab’s stake in Bumi Cakrawala Perkasa, OVO’s parent company, has gone from 39% to 90%. Currently, the remaining 10% of OVO is split equally between two firms, IDE Teknologi Indonesia and Cakra Finansindo Investama, which both claim a 5% stake.

“We are pleased to complete the first part of a wider exercise to restructure our ownership. We welcome a greater commitment from Grab,” said an OVO spokesperson. “We’re working in close consultation with the regulators to complete the ownership restructuring process, and are confident this will allow us to better serve the financial services needs of Indonesians.”

OVO was launched as a corporate rewards system for Lippo Group and in 2017 expanded to e-payments. According to data released last year from Bank Indonesia, OVO processed 37% of all digital wallet transactions in Indonesia, marking the largest share in the nation.

According to Nikkei Asia, Grab will likely bring more Indonesia-based investors to acquire stakes in OVO. That is because the region’s central bank, Bank Indonesia, stipulates that at least 15% of e-payment operators needs to be locally owned. Nikkei Asia cited local media conglomerate Elang Mahkota Teknologi as a potential candidate for the purchase.

To date, Grab has acquired three companies, including B2B2C wealthtech provider Bento, mobile payments solutions provider iKaaz, and ecommerce solutions company Kudo.

After launching as a ride-hailing company, Grab has expanded to offer a wide variety of products and services (hence its classification as a super app). The Southeast Asia-based company now serves consumers, merchants, and drivers with deliveries, financial services, a hotel-booking tool, payment processing and rewards, business financing, and more.


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Interac Acquires Rights to SecureKey Digital ID Services

Interac Acquires Rights to SecureKey Digital ID Services

Two Canadian fintechs have struck a deal this week. Payments network and digital ID provider Interac has agreed to acquire rights to digital ID and authentication provider SecureKey’s digital ID services for Canada.

Interac, which is building a network to help Canadians digitally share and verify their identity credentials, will leverage SecureKey’s digital ID services, along with its operations, technology, and innovation. Ultimately, Interac seeks to accelerate secure online service delivery and offer strong privacy and fraud protections for the digital economy in Canada.

“At Interac, we believe that digital ID is the key to empowering all Canadians to participate equally and safely in the future of the digital economy,” said Interac CEO Mark O’Connell. “Through this acquisition, we are proud to increase our investment in leading identification and authentication capabilities as we work to support businesses and governments across Canada in delivering secure and convenient digital ID experiences for Canadians.”

Both companies will continue to operate as separate entities. Interac will implement Verified.Me, a digital ID verification network built on distributed ledger technology, and Government Sign-In by Verified.Me, a secure sign-in tool to access 280+ government services.

“As the pandemic has made abundantly clear, the way Canadians use their identity documents and how they prioritize accessing services digitally has changed forever,” said Chief Officer of Innovation Labs & New Ventures at Interac Debbie Gamble. “The need to accelerate innovation to provide secure and convenient options for people to transact with their identities is critical.”

This announcement follows Interac’s acquisition of Ottawa-based 2Keys, a company focused on creating secure digital experiences, in 2019.

Founded in 2008, SecureKey has made a couple of key partnerships recently. The company partnered with Onfido in March of 2020 to offer real-time photo ID verification and teamed up with Simplii Financial in May of 2020 to offer Simplii clients with secure access to government services.


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TransUnion to Acquire Neustar for $3.1 Billion

TransUnion to Acquire Neustar for $3.1 Billion

Credit and risk underwriting firm TransUnion announced plans today to acquire digital identity solutions company Neustar. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year for $3.1 billion.

“The credit information and analytics that TransUnion provides make trust possible between consumers and businesses,” said TransUnion President and CEO Chris Cartwright. “As digital commerce continues to grow globally, TransUnion’s powerful digital identity assets, enhanced by Neustar’s distinctive data and digital resolution capabilities, will enable safer and more personalized online experiences for consumers and businesses.”

With the addition of Neustar’s data and analytics to enable consumers and businesses to transact online with greater confidence, TransUnion expects the purchase will expand its digital identity capabilities.

Specifically, TransUnion’s acquisition is expected to help the company break out of the traditional credit scoring space by leveraging Neustar’s OneID platform, which will help TransUnion unify its digital identity capabilities. This includes TLO data assets and fusion platform, the iovation device reputation network, and the digital marketing capabilities of Tru Optik.

As part of the purchase, TransUnion will acquire Neustar’s employees, data, and products.


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Mastercard Acquires CipherTrace to Sharpen Security Around Digital Assets

Mastercard Acquires CipherTrace to Sharpen Security Around Digital Assets

Mastercard has agreed to acquire cryptocurrency intelligence company CipherTrace for an undisclosed amount.

Founded in 2015, CipherTrace offers security and fraud monitoring activities for clients’ crypto-related programs. As CipherTrace CEO Dave Jevans states it, the company helps “banks or cryptocurrency exchanges, government regulators or law enforcement to keep the crypto economy safe.”

Mastercard will combine CipherTrace, which offers insights into more than 900 cryptocurrencies, with its own cyber security solutions to provide customers “the same trust and peace of mind that consumers currently experience with more traditional payment methods.”

CipherTrace’s solutions will help Mastercard differentiate its card and payments offerings and help the company’s clients protect their own clients, comply with regulations, and build their own digital asset products. Additionally, Mastercard’s purchase will help the payments company increase its presence with new clients such as fintechs, crypto-wallet providers, and governments.

“Digital assets have the potential to reimagine commerce, from everyday acts like paying and getting paid to transforming economies, making them more inclusive and efficient,” said Mastercard President of Cyber & Intelligence Ajay Bhalla. “With the rapid growth of the digital asset ecosystem comes the need to ensure it is trusted and safe. Our aim is to build upon the complementary capabilities of Mastercard and CipherTrace to do just this.”

Today’s move isn’t Mastercard’s first foray into the crypto realm. The New York-based company already holds partnerships with Uphold, Gemini, and BitPay to create crypto cards; has created tools support CBDCs; and has launched programs to support blockchain technology, NFTs, and stablecoins on its network.


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Better.com Acquires U.K.-Based Property Partner

Better.com Acquires U.K.-Based Property Partner

Mortgagetech company Better.com announced today it has acquired Property Partner, a U.K.-based property investment company, for an undisclosed amount.

Property Partner is a property crowdfunding investment platform that offers users fractional ownership of rental property homes. The company’s investors can select a diversified portfolio of properties to own and receive monthly rental income from those properties that is paid out as a dividend. Since it was founded in 2014, Property Partner has raised $35.2 million and accumulated $194 million (£140 million) in assets under management from its 9,000 users.

“Combining Property Partner’s unique residential property investment platform with Better’s arsenal of homeownership products and services changes the game for the future of real estate investment,” said Better Founder and CEO Vishal Garg. “We’re turning residential real estate into a liquid asset class and changing how families can grow their wealth. Together, we will lower costs, improve convenience, and deliver huge value to all real estate market participants.”

This marks the second U.K.-based company that Better has acquired this summer. In July, the New York-based company bought Trussle, a digital mortgage brokerage company based in London. Both of these moves hint at Better’s potential plans for international expansion. The company currently offers mortgages in 46 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.

Today’s deal comes ahead of the company’s planned SPAC merger, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year, with Aurora Acquisitions Corporation. The deal will value Better at $7.7 billion.

Founded in 2016, Better offers mortgages for home purchases and refinances, real estate agents, title insurance, and mortgage insurance. The company has funded $30.9 billion in home loans and provided over $7 billion in coverage through its insurance products.

Last month, Better launched a cash offer program that allows a customer to buy a home using cash. Better purchases the home on a customer’s behalf, then finalizes the customer’s mortgage after the deal has closed. The buyer can move in as soon as Better finalizes the purchase, but pays Better prorated daily rent until their mortgage is approved and they buy back the home from Better.


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PayPal to Acquire BNPL Player Paidy for $2.7 Billion

PayPal to Acquire BNPL Player Paidy for $2.7 Billion

PayPal announced plans today to acquire Japan-based Paidy, a payments company with a buy now, pay later (BNPL) offering that facilitates transactions for both merchants and consumers. The deal is expected to close for $27 billion (¥300 billion) in the fourth quarter of this year.

PayPal’s purchase will work alongside its existing ecommerce business in Japan, which is the third largest ecommerce market in the world. Paidy will also expand PayPal’s capabilities, relevancy, and distribution in Japan’s domestic payments market.

“Paidy pioneered buy now, pay later solutions tailored to the Japanese market and quickly grew to become the leading service, developing a sizable two-sided platform of consumers and merchants,” said VP and Head of Japan at PayPal, Peter Kenevan. “Combining Paidy’s brand, capabilities, and talented team with PayPal’s expertise, resources, and global scale will create a strong foundation to accelerate our momentum in this strategically important market.”

Paidy was founded in 2008 and enables its six million registered users to make purchases online without the use of a debit or credit card. Instead, Paidy operates on a BNPL model by billing customers for all purchases at the end of each month. Payments can be made via bank transfer or in-person using cash at a convenience store.

This model works not only for ecommerce purchases, but also for brick-and-mortar transactions. The company’s Paidy Link tool was launched earlier this year and allows customers to link digital wallets, including PayPal, to make purchases using the digital wallet but make payment via Paidy. For PayPal, Paidy’s model that circumvents credit and debit card rails is a good thing. It enables PayPal to own the payment flow (and the revenue that comes with it).

“Paidy is just at the beginning of our journey and joining PayPal will accelerate our plans to expand beyond ecommerce and build unique services as the new shopping standard,” said Paidy President and CEO Riku Sugie. “PayPal was a founding partner for Paidy Link and we look forward to working together to create even more value.”

Sugie, along with Paidy Founder and Executive Chairman Russell Cummer, will continue to lead Paidy, which will continue to operate and maintain the brand.

Paidy marks PayPal’s 23rd acquisition, following Honey in 2019 and Curv and Happy Returns in 2021. The purchase of Paidy, with its BNPL capabilities, hints at PayPal’s evolution into becoming more of a holistic shopping platform.


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Paysafe Acquires SafetyPay for $441 Million

Paysafe Acquires SafetyPay for $441 Million

In the latest fintech tie-up, Paysafe has acquired SafetyPay. The all-cash transaction marks Paysafe’s 13th acquisition and is expected to close for $441 million in the fourth quarter of this year.

Paysafe aims to leverage Florida-based SafetyPay, which has locations in 16 countries– 11 of which are located in Latin America– to boost its own presence in that geography.

SafetyPay was founded in 2006. The company enables users to make online cash payments, bank transfers, and cross border transactions without a payment card. The company’s network includes more than 380 banks and it works with 180,000 brick-and-mortar locations as cash collection points.

U.K.-based Paysafe was founded in 1996 and offers similar payment services as SafetyPay, including an online cash payments tool. Paysafe also provides digital wallets, standalone and integrated point of sale tools, and a digital marketing marketplace where advertisers can acquire new customers, monetize their traffic and generate revenue through partnerships.

Once the acquisition closes, the SafetyPay team will work as part of Paysafe’s eCash and online banking solutions group. SafetyPay CEO Gustavo Ruiz Moya will become CEO of eCash for Latin America and Global Head of Open Banking.

Paysafe’s previous acquisitions have greatly increased the breadth of its services. The company’s brands include Income Access, Paysafecard, Paysafecash, Neteller, Petroleum Card Services, and Skrill. Among Paysafe’s clients are MindBody, RentMoola, Policy Expert, and Amilia.


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Currencycloud Valued at $963 Million On News of Visa Acquisition

Currencycloud Valued at $963 Million On News of Visa Acquisition

Global payments platform Currencycloud is the latest fintech to catch the eye of Visa, which announced this week that it has agreed to acquire the London-based fintech in a deal that values the company at $963 million (GBP 700 million). The acquisition announcement noted that the pact builds on a partnership that extends back to 2019 and bolsters Visa’s foreign exchange capabilities, enabling them to better serve FIs, fintechs, and other partners, as well as help them explore new use cases and payment flows.

“At Currencycloud, we’ve always strived to deliver a better tomorrow for all, from the smallest start-up to the global multi-nationals,” Currencycloud CEO Mike Laven said. “Re-imagining how money flows around the global economy just got more exciting as we join Visa.” Laven added that bringing Currencycloud’s expertise in fintech to Visa’s network will “enable us to deliver greater customer value to the businesses moving money across borders.”

Currencycloud will continue to operate out of its London, U.K. headquarters and its current management team will remain intact.

The acquisition news comes just a few weeks after the Currencycloud announced a partnership with Global Processing Services (GPS) to expand access to cross-border payments. The collaboration will give fintechs the ability to enhance their current product offerings with products like multi-currency digital wallets and services like point-of-sale foreign exchange.

“For Fintechs, building a multi-currency solution requires a huge effort across multiple functional and regulatory domains,” Currencycloud co-founder and VP of Partnerships & Enterprise Stephen Lemon explained when the collaboration was announced in June. “By working with Currencycloud and GPS, fintechs can reduce the complexity involved and get to market much more quickly for a fraction of the cost of self-building, while vastly reducing ongoing operational risk and overhead.”

A Finovate alum for more than six years, Currencycloud most recently demonstrated its technology on the Finovate stage in 2018, where the company presented its Global Collections product. Since then, Currencycloud has grown into a platform whose APIs have enabled processing of more than $100 billion in transactions for companies ranging from neobanks to financial services corporations. Currencycloud currently supports nearly 500 bank and fintech customers, reaching more than 180 countries.


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Digital Investment Platform Munnypot Acquired by Cairngorm Capital

Digital Investment Platform Munnypot Acquired by Cairngorm Capital

Sometimes a partnership is not enough and only a full-fledged union will suffice.

This is the approach taken by Cairngorm Capital, a U.K.-based private equity firm that announced this week that it had acquired FinovateMiddleEast alum Munnypot – along with investment management services provider Whitefoord – in order to launch a new digital wealth management firm, Verso Wealth Management.

“Our firm believes that the parallel trends of the increased complexity of consumers’ advice needs, their growing adoption of digital services and rising automation in wealth management will endure over the long term,” Cairngorm Capital’s Neil McGill explained. “The combination of award winning technology, high quality advice, and an exceptional management team ensures that the Verso Group is well placed to capitalize on this.” 

Founded in 2015 and making its Finovate debut three years later in Dubai, Munnypot was developed to serve both mass market investors who struggle to secure traditional financial advice, as well as existing investors looking for a goal-based, low-cost, digital alternative. Munnypot offers Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), General Investment Accounts (GIAs), and Junior ISAs (JISAs) that enable parents to make investments on behalf of their children. Designed for investment and savings goals that are at least five years in the future, Munnypot analyzes the investor’s objectives and other key details to provide tailored advice on the most suitable investment plan to meet those goals

The new firm will be run by Munnypot CEO Andrew Fay and Managing Director Simon Redgrove, who will take identical positions in leadership for Verso. Also joining Verso’s executive ranks will be Whitefoord Chief Executive Vince Whitefoord who will lead the firm’s discretionary investment management business. Verso will operate as a combination of human expertise from its client advisors and investment professionals with an automated investment advice capability. This approach is designed to appeal to a broader range of potential customers, including small savers and those new to equity investing.

“Verso will make it far easier for advisors to maximize efficiency, reduce compliance risk and increase revenue,” Fay said. “Our goal is to become the leading digitally driven IFA consolidator and there’s no limit to our ambition.”


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Investment App Stash Grabs Financial Literacy Platform PayGrade

Investment App Stash Grabs Financial Literacy Platform PayGrade

Along with the fanfare surrounding so-called meme stocks and the “power of the individual trader” last year, there was a dark side. Investing and trading platforms that had embraced gamification were being accused of not fully preparing their customers for the dangers involved in stock trading – especially in volatile, illiquid stocks. Critics demanded that these platforms spend more time – and money, if necessary – educating their customers for their own benefit as well as for the good of the investing and trading industry, which has recovered impressively since the dot.com bust 20 years ago.

This is the spirit in which we take the news that Stash, a New York-based, mobile-first investment platform that made its Finovate debut in 2017, has acquired financial literacy platform PayGrade. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition marks Stash’s first acquisition and its biggest fintech news headline since a whopping $125 million Series G fundraising back in February.

Brandon Kreig, CEO and co-founder of Stash said that the acquisition was an example of the company’s mission to “empower everyday Americans to invest for the future.” He noted that personal finance education is not emphasized in American schools – with 43 out of 50 states not requiring coursework in personal financial management – and that an overwhelming number of American adults – as much as 80% – live “paycheck to paycheck.”

“With PayGrade,” Kreig explained, “Stash will provide teachers, parents, and children with interactive tools to learn effective money management skills that will last a lifetime.”

Stash enables users to begin investing on its platform with as little as $1 a month. The company’s “Stash Beginner” program allows investing – including fractional share investing – as well as banking, portfolio recommendations, savings strategies, and a Stock-Back card that helps users earn stock every time they use the card for shopping. Stash also offers Growth and Plus plans that add features such as portfolios for children, premium research, and enhanced bonuses for using the Stash Stock-Back card.

Purchasing PayGrade is not the only way that Stash will support the cause of financial literacy this year. Stash’s acquisition news arrived just a few days before the company announced that it was partnering with the Suh Family Foundation and the Big Yard Foundation to launch a financial literacy program over the summer. Dubbed the Stash101 Summer School, the program will be conducted in partnership with Portland Public Schools and will give 160 middle school students an introduction to vital money management and wealth building.

“From investing and banking to education and retirement planning, we believe everyone has the power to achieve greater financial freedom—one step at a time.” Krieg said. “We’re thrilled to deepen our commitment to childhood education through Stash101 and this special summer school program in Portland with the Suhs and Big Yard. It’s going to be a tremendous four weeks for the kids.”

Stash101 is part of the Portland Interscholastic League Trajectory Math Program, which provides additional learning resources for historically underserved students. The course will include a simulated economy experience in which the students will complete tasks like renting desks, while earning a salary and learning about the difference between savings and credit. The classes will be held between July 6 and July 27 at a pair of schools in the Portland School system.


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Ping Identity Acquires Fraud Detection Firm SecuredTouch

Ping Identity Acquires Fraud Detection Firm SecuredTouch

A pair of Finovate alums have announced plans to “tie the knot” this week. Intelligent Identity solution provider Ping Identity has agreed to acquire fraud and bot detection and mitigation specialist SecuredTouch. Terms of the transaction were not immediately available.

By leveraging a variety of enabling technologies – including machine learning, AI, behavioral biometrics, and deep learning – SecuredTouch’s technology empowers fraud and risk teams to identify suspicious and potentially malicious behavior across all digital entities. The acquisition will integrate SecuredTouch with Ping Identity’s PingOne Cloud Platform, giving business customers the ability to better understand and prevent malicious activity. Customers will have the option of using SecuredTouch as a standalone solution or as part of the PingOne platform.

Ping Identity founder and CEO Andre Durand said that the acquisition “accelerates” the company’s mission to provide cloud-based identity and anti-fraud solutions to businesses to help them fight a wide range of cyberthreats ranging from emulators to account takeover.

“Identity isn’t just about knowing who your customers are, it’s about knowing when someone is pretending to be a customer,” Durand explained. “As companies undergo massive digital transformation initiatives, the need for seamless, frictionless, and secure identity solutions to confidently understand both those situations is imperative.”

Ping Identity made its Finovate debut at our first European fintech conference in 2012. In the years since, the Denver, Colorado-based company has become the identity management solution provider of choice for 60% of the Fortune 100 and forged partnerships with technology companies like Microsoft and Amazon. Most recently, Ping Identity collaborated with ProofID to enhance identity security for Tesco Bank, the banking division of Tesco, the largest supermarket retail chain in the U.K.

Headquartered in Ramat Gan, Israel, SecuredTouch demonstrated its behavioral biometrics technology at FinovateFall 2018. The company’s solution analyzes more than 100 different behavioral behaviors – from scroll velocity to touch pressure – to create a unique user profile that benefits from continuous verification. Winner of Best Product at the Loyalty Security Association Lion’s Den event this spring, SecuredTouch earned a patent for its continuous use authentication in 2019.

“This is a defining moment for our industry as identity security and fraud come together,” SecuredTouch CEO Alasdair Rambaud said of this week’s acquisition news. “Ping Identity’s enterprise proven and robust platform provides the perfect foundation for SecuredTouch’s advanced fraud detection capabilities.”


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Nutmeg Acquired by JPMorgan Chase

Nutmeg Acquired by JPMorgan Chase

Just when you thought the big banks might be getting a little too complacent about the challenge from fintech, JPMorgan announced today that it will acquire U.K.-based digital wealth management platform Nutmeg. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but Reuters cited a source who gave Nutmeg a valuation of more than $972 million (£700 million).

JPMorgan Chase CEO of International Consumer Sanoke Viswanathan said that the acquisition would give the bank the opportunity to “build Chase in the U.K. from scratch using the very latest technology.” The Nutmeg acquisition also will complement JPMorgan Chase’s U.K. digital bank launch scheduled for later this year.

A Finovate alum since 2012, Nutmeg was a pioneer in offering affordable, automated financial planning and investment services. Now the largest digital wealth manager in the U.K., Nutmeg has grown into a platform with more than 140,000 clients and $4.9 billion (£3.5 billion) in assets under management. Investors can open an account with as little as £100 or £500, depending on the product, and configure their investment goals and risk level, as well as investment style in a minutes. With a product suite that includes a variety of ISAs (Lifetime, Junior, Stocks and shares) as well as pension and general investment accounts, Nutmeg leverages exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to keep costs low and diversification options broad for investors.

Nutmeg and JPMorgan are far from strangers. The two companies announced a partnership back in November of last year to launch a “bespoke new investment offering” called Smart Alpha for Nutmeg customers. The new Smart Alpha portfolios blend Nutmeg’s core investment principles and expertise in exchange-traded funds and fractional investing with JPMorgan Chase’s in-house multi-asset knowledge and experience. Smart Alpha portfolios are designed for investors of all risk levels who want a globally diversified, dynamic portfolio derives additional returns via smart and transparent security selection.


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