Finovate Global is our weekly look at fintech innovation in developing economies in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Central and Eastern Europe.
Asia-Pacific
- TurnKey Lender opens new office in Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur.
- Instarem raises $41 million to fund global expansion.
- Singapore FinTech Association and FinTech Australia ink Memorandum of Understanding.
Sub-Saharan Africa
- Nigerian online lender OneFi to acquire Nigerian payment solutions company Amplify.
- Finextra features its list of the top South African fintech startups to look out for in 2019.
- Born2Invest highlights the fintechs in Africa’s emerging startup industry.
Central and Eastern Europe
- Tinkoff Mobile, a subsidiary of Tinkoff Bank, announces service in six new regions.
- CEE fintech watchers are keeping an eye on the pending launch of the “first bank for the Russian Internet” VR_Bank.
- Vienna, Austria-based fintech Bitpanda adds its first stablecoin, Tether, introducing the new asset class on its trading platform.
Middle East and Northern Africa
- Egypt’s central bank sets aside $58 million to fund fintech startups in the country.
- Arabian Business looks at the continued dominance of cash in Saudi Arabia, despite the growth of the country’s fintech sector.
- ZDNet reviews how new technologies like AI and automation represent challenge and opportunity for countries in the MENA region.
Central and South Asia
- Wipro launches its AI and machine learning-powered accounts payable, KYC, and other solutions on Amazon Web Services.
- Sri Lanka’s Bank of Ceylon goes live with Clari5 Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Solution to address money laundering threats.
- Fintech Futures looks at Indian micro lending startup, Spoon, as it prepares to go live.
- PakWired reviews the likelihood that Pakistan will legalize cryptocurrencies by the end of the year.