As Finovate goes increasingly global, so does our coverage of financial technology. Finovate Global: Fintech News from Around the World is our weekly look at fintech innovation in developing economies in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Central and Eastern Europe.
Central and Eastern Europe
- Raiffeisen Bank Romania unveils eight fintech finalists for its Elevator Lab Challenge.
- Alfa-Bank Belarus migrates to WAY4 platform from digital payments solutions provider OpenWay.
- 150Sec.com takes a look at the graduating cohort of 19 fintech startups emerging from Latvia and Estonia accelerator programs.
Middle East and Northern Africa
- Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) signs MoU with Astana Financial Services Authority.
- Bahrain Development Bank (BDB) announces closing $100 million fundraising round for its Al Waha Fund of Funds.
- Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) introduces its regulatory framework for spot crypto asset activities.
Latin America
- BlueRush teams up with Kunder to forge partnership with Chilean pension fund leader, AFPHabitat.
- Integrated Biometrics announces its 10-print fingerprint scanners have become the standard for financial service organizations in Mexico.
- Argentine fintech Increase earns Best of the World award for its positive social and environmental impact.
Asia
- MatchMove powers the first contactless prepaid Mastercard in South Asia
- Singapore’s PayNow service to be extended to corporate customers with launch of PayNow Corporate later this summer.
- Cambodia announces plans to build $70 million data center to support development of the country’s digital economy.
Sub-Saharan Africa
- IT News Africa’s 5 Most Innovative Startups in Kenya list features P2P micro lending marketplace Pezesha; SaaS mobile commerce platform, Sky.Garden; and FX and payment platform, BitPesa.
- EcoFin Hebdo looks at the rise of insurtech in Africa. In French.
- Online sports betting in Nigeria sees boost as popularity of digital payments agrows.