Venmo Processes $1 Billion in January

Venmo Processes $1 Billion in January

VenmoHomepage

If there was ever a question if Venmo has achieved mainstream status, today’s news has the answer: The startup – owned by online payments processing company Braintree, which PayPal purchased for $800 million in 2013 – just exceeded $1 billion in payments processed in the month of January, the highest volume in a single month.

This is more than 2.5x the volume Venmo processed in January 2015 and more than 10x the amount processed in 2014.

Venmo’s short blog-post announcing the news doesn’t comment much on the achievement, other than to say, “We thought this was a pretty big milestone, so we wanted to share it with you.”

GametimeVenmoThe startup’s peer-to-peer payments service is popular among millennials. It enables users to link their debit card to the platform to transfer money for free; paying with a credit card carries a 2.9% fee. PayPal CEO Dan Schulman reports the average user sends money through the app several times weekly.

This week’s announcement comes on the heels of Venmo’s report that it plans to start monetizing its service by opening Braintree’s iOS v4 SDK and Android v2 SDK to U.S. merchants. Payments will be free for end users, and merchants will be charged 2.9% plus $0.30 for each transaction. Food delivery service Munchery and event ticket seller Gametime (pictured right) are piloting the program with a limited number of beta users.

Braintree debuted Venmo Touch at FinovateSpring 2013. More recently, at FinDEVr San Francisco 2015, PayPal’s Justin Woo discussed how developers can increase checkout conversion.

You can catch Braintree’s latest presentation to developers at FinDEVr New York 2016 next month. Register now to save your seat or send your developer.

FinDEVr APIntelligence

FinDEVrNY16-V2(wdate)We’re taking our FinDEVr developer showcase to New York on March 29 & 30, 2016. Register today.

Developer news

The latest from FinDEVr San Francisco 2015 presenters

  • eWeek quotes Arxan CMO Patrick Kehoe on the problem of app security on health and finance apps.
  • PayPal taps into Bitcoin by adding Wences Casares to its board.

Alumni Updates

  • InComm to launch digital open-loop prepaid products for distribution as part of incentive and loyalty programs.
  • Avoka featured in roundup of Australia fintech startups.

Stay current on daily news from the fintech developer community! Follow FinDEVr on Twitter.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • PayPal Taps into Bitcoin by Adding Wences Casares to Board”
  • Taulia Raises $46 Million in Series E; Names New CFO”
  • Check out “Finovate Debuts: Authy’s Password Alternative”

Around the web

  • DriveWealth teams up with StockRadar to provide investors in China with access to U.S. stocks.
  • DNB Luxembourg goes live with Temenos core banking system.
  • Three credit unions in British Columbia—Bulkley Valley Credit Union, North Peace Savings and Credit Union, and Spruce Credit Union— choose DNA account processing technology from Fiserv.
  • Wealthfront launches new, free portfolio review service.
  • Insuritas to power insurance agency solution for Greater New Orleans Federal Credit Union.

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

PayPal Taps into Bitcoin by Adding Wences Casares to Board

PayPal Taps into Bitcoin by Adding Wences Casares to Board

PayPalHomepage1.13

CasaresPayPal today announced it has selected Wences Casares, founder and CEO of bitcoin wallet Xapo, to its board of directors.

Casares will serve on PayPal’s Compensation Committee and is the ninth member of PayPal’s board.

Before founding Xapo, which released a bitcoin debit card last fall, Casares was head of Lemon mobile wallet (sold to LifeLock in 2013). He also founded Finovate alum Bling Nation, a mobile payment and merchant-rewards solution for the pre-smartphone era (if you’d like to see some retro fintech, check out Bling Nation’s FinovateFall 2010 demo). Though the startup gained traction with PayPal and a number of banks, Bling Nation closed its doors in 2011 after failing to land merchant partnerships.

PayPal debuted its Instant Account Creation at FinovateEurope 2012. PayPal’s Braintree presented at FinDEVr San Francisco 2015 and will show off what’s new for developers at FinDEVr New York 2016 in March.

FinDEVr APIntelligence

FinDEVrNY16-V2(wdate)We’re taking our FinDEVr developer showcase to New York on 29/30 March 2016. Super Early Bird tickets are on sale through this Friday, 15 January, so register today and save.

The latest news from FinDEVr San Francisco 2015 presenters

  • Network International plans UAE deployment of cashless, cardless payment technology developed by Quisk.
  • Gem raises $7 million in Series A.

Stay current on daily news from the fintech developer community! Follow FinDEVr on Twitter.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • CUneXus Raises $1 Million, Signs Partnership with Edmunds.com”

Around the web

  • Tradeshift brings its procure-to-pay solution to Zurich Insurance Group.
  • Suffolk Country National Bank to deploy Fiserv technology to improve customer experience.
  • FIS joins the CardLinx Alliance.
  • Signifyd adds Bill McKiernan, founder of CyberSource, to its board.
  • Shoeboxed earns a spot on NerdWallet’s list of must-have apps for entrepreneurs.
  • Trade IT named runner-up in Wealth Management category of the Fin Track Awards for its Trading Ticket solution.
  • Nostrum Group CEO Richard Carter featured on the cover of the Yorkshire Business Insider.
  • Topicus Finance mentioned in Banken.nl column on the rise of crowdfunding in the Netherlands.
  • Simon Cadbury of Intelligent Environments writes about digital-only banks for TechWeek Europe.
  • “European Breakout List for 2016” features several Finovate alums.

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

 

FinDEVr APIntelligence

FinDEVr2016-NY-(Stacked)V2Are you building new financial technology? Be sure to check out coverage from our recent developer conference in San Francisco. We’re taking the fintech developer tool showcase to New York on 29/30 March 2016. Stay tuned for details.

The latest from FinDEVr San Francisco 2015 presenters

  • Fortune: How Venmo plans to make money.
  • PayPal and Aramex partner to create www.ishoptheworld.com, a one-stop cross-border marketplace.

Alumni updates

  • InComm acquires TibiDono, Austria-based marketing and gift card distribution company.

Stay current on daily news from the fintech developer community! Follow FinDEVr on Twitter.

Finovate Alumni News

Around the web

  • Wipro appoints Abidali Neemuchwala, CEO and member of the board, and names TK Kurien as executive VP.
  • Top Image Systems announces quarter-million-dollar eFLOW5 upgrade project of Hong Kong subsidiary of a top-ten Chinese bank.
  • Let’s Talk Payments interviews Peter Burridge, Hyperwallet CRO and president.
  • PYMNTS interviews WePay’s Global Vice President of Sales and Success Kurt Bilafer about customer intimacy in online commerce.
  • Fortune: How Venmo plans to make money.
  • PayPal and Aramex partner to create www.ishoptheworld.com, a one-stop cross-border marketplace.

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

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • “Gusto, Formerly ZenPayroll, Closes on $50 Million Funding”
  • “U.K.-Based Yoyo Rolls Out Mobile Wallet in U.S.”

Around the web

  • B2B commerce technology company Handshake teams up with Xero.
  • Braintree launches new extension of its v.zero SDK in partnership with Magento Commerce.
  • CRIF Credit Solutions unveils new, fully responsive website geared toward international audiences.
  • Business Insider names Kabbage, Twilio, and Prosper as 3 of 42 startups that grew to be worth billions in 2015.
  • Top Image Systems to deploy eFLOW Digital Mailroom at GED Bulgaria.
  • NerdWallet’s five financial tips from robo-adviser CEOs feature insights from leaders of Betterment, Wealthfront, TradeKing Advisors, FutureAdvisor, and Personal Capital.
  • Nine months after launching, One Touch from PayPal reaches 10 million users in 23 countries.

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

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • “Take Two: Toshl Launches Version 2.0 for iOS and Web”
  • “Ripple Technology Drives Invoice Trading Platform”
  • “Moven to Forgo Username, Password for 80% of Mobile Account Interactions”

Around the web

  • FIS launches new fintech accelerator in collaboration with Arkansas-based Venture Center.
  • Prosper Marketplace taps Kunal Kaul as its new EVP of Operations.
  • Newsfactor Business Report looks at prepaid debit cards for businesses offered by Green Dot, Karmic Labs, and Bento for Business.
  • eSignLive from Silanis Technology named a leader in digital transaction management by Aragon Research.
  • Azimo and TransferWise featured in The Telegraph as safe ways to give money during the holidays.
  • The Asset highlights Fastacash in a review of how fintech is changing finance in Asia.
  • Twilio Video now available to everyone in public beta.
  • PayPal’s Braintree now powers Facebook payments.
  • Dwolla introduces Dwolla.js javascript library that allows platforms to verify bank accounts and transfer funds without storing sensitive information.

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

FinDEVr APIntelligence

FinDEVr2016-NY-(Stacked)V2Are you building new financial technology? Be sure to check out coverage from our recent developer conference in San Francisco. We’re taking the fintech developer tool showcase to New York on 29/30 March 2016. Stay tuned for details.

Developer news

  • Harvard Business Review: The Changing Economics of App Development.

The latest from FinDEVr San Francisco 2015 presenters

  • Aberdeen Asset Management selects Markit to value hard-to-price assets for positions with limited market data.
  • Developer reviews Authy’s two-factor authentication.
  • PayPal among the companies highlighted in Inc.’s look back at Money20/20.
  • Thomson Reuters unveils its new desktop platform, grouping all of its FX transaction venues into one single point of access.
  • Business Insider lists BehavioSec and Fidor as “companies we wish were big the U.S.”
  • Silicon Slopes Podcast hosts Ryan Caldwell, MX CEO, as he discusses how to improve online banking.
  • Thomson Reuters unveils latest version of its tax-technology platform, Thomson Reuters ONESOURCE.
  • Yodlee’s Ynext unveils new incubator class.
  • Business Insider names BehavioSec among the 12 hottest Nordic fintech startups.

Alumni updates

  • “Trulioo Selected as Runner-up for Startup Canada Award for Innovation”
  • Xero reaches 600,000 subscribers in 180 countries.
  • VentureBurn features Entersekt CEO Schalk Nolte.

Stay up to date on daily developments by following FinDEVr on Twitter.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • “Roostify Garners $500,000 in Funding from Wells Fargo Accelerator”
  • “Dream Payments Launches its EMV mPOS System in Canada”

Around the web

  • Digital Insight and CUneXus team up to bring digital lending technology to Digital Insight’s financial institution clients.
  • Thomson Reuters unveils its new desktop platform, grouping all FX transaction venues into one single point of access.
  • NBT Bank to deploy Sales Enablement from Fiserv, a mobile messaging solution for wealth managers.
  • PaySwag and PayPal are among the companies highlighted in Inc.’s look back at Money20/20.
  • Entrepreneur.com features Vouch, a social network for credit.
  • StartupSmart profiles document-capture specialist, Shoeboxed.
  • Persistent Systems designs and implements online communities for cloud-managed wi-fi solution provider, AirTight Networks.
  • Trulioo Selected as Runner-up for Startup Canada Award for Innovation.
  • Orasi Software signs partnership agreement with Kony Solutions.

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