Fintech

Transforming wealth management through macroeconomic insights

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0000

How can wealth managers deliver confidence, clarity, and long-term value for their clients in an increasingly complex global financial landscape?

Why Financial Services firms are prioritising application modernisation in 2025

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 15:00:00 +0000

How does AI-assisted low-code application development allow financial institutions to future-proof?

Conducting the payments orchestra: Why IT will drive future transaction banking models

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Practical use cases of SaaS adoption, and how it helps banks build effective transaction banking models

Practical AI in Payments: Moving Beyond Buzzwords to Bottom-Line Impact

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 15:00:00 +0000

How important is it to align data components and achieve higher straight through processing (STP) rates?

Deep Dive into the Future of Fintech: What’s Happening on Day 2 at FinovateEurope 2025

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 23:13:58 +0000

Over the past month, we’ve highlighted most of the speakers that will grace the Finovate stage next week at FinovateEurope 2025 (there’s still time to register for the event!). From keynote presentations to demoing companies and panels, our previews offer a sneak peek into the wide range of sessions that will showcase some of the newest thoughts and ideas in fintech and banking in 2025.

In our final segment of this series, we are showcasing the five breakout stages that will be held on the second day of the conference. These stages dive into some of the most pressing topics in financial services today. Whether you’re a banker, fintech founder, investor, or analyst, these sessions will arm you with the insights and strategies needed to stay ahead.

Here’s what’s on the agenda for Day 2’s breakout stages:

Customer Experience Stage

Panels and keynotes on this stage will discuss how to serve today’s digital-first customers. This stage will showcase strategies for redefining banking UX, leveraging AI for hyper-personalization, and ensuring seamless omnichannel experiences. Industry thought leaders will discuss how to balance innovation with security, tackle legacy tech challenges, and meet evolving customer expectations.

Expect to hear about:

AI-powered customer journeys
Embedded finance and contextual banking
What to know about how customers view the world

Payments Stage

Thought leaders on this breakout stage will discuss the evolution of payments: from fraud to opportunities in real-time to cross-border and beyond. With global e-commerce booming and alternative payments like stablecoins on the rise, this track is essential for anyone involved in B2B, B2C, or P2P payments.

Expect to hear about:

How regulators are addressing authorized push payment fraud
How can banks reimagine payments
How to capture growth opportunities

Lending Stage

This breakout stage will cover how the newest technologies are impacting lending, risk, and consumer credit. You’ll hear updates on small business lending, embedded lending, as well as consumer lending.

Expect to hear about

How agentic AI is reinventing business lending
The revenue opportunity in small business lending
How to capture the opportunity in BaaS-powered embedded lending

Banking, Regulation, and Risk Stage

With all of the changing regulations in 2025, you don’t want to be caught unaware. Experts on our regulation and risk stage will inform you on what you need to know about the newest regulations. There will also be a panel highlighting the latest on cybersecurity and risks in emerging technologies.

Expect to hear about

How regulators are cracking down on risk management
Rising bank fraud threats
What you need to know about DORA, FiDA, eIDAS, and DMA

Artificial Intelligence Stage

You will hear plenty about AI throughout the two-day event, and for good reason. The technology is changing everything from the way we work to the way we think to how we manage risk. Because AI is so fundamental, we’re dedicating two rounds, for a total of six sessions, for discussions about AI, its impacts, and what you need to know.

Expect to hear about

Leading use cases for GenAI
Strategies for successful AI
The real value and risks of AI

These breakout tracks aren’t just about listening — they’re about engaging, learning, and networking with other leaders who are facing the same issues. Whether you’re focused on customer experience, payments, lending, regulation, AI, or all five, there are dedicated tracks to help you stay ahead of industry shifts, discover fresh opportunities, and spark new partnerships.

Join us at FinovateEurope 2025 and be part of the conversations that matter.

The post Deep Dive into the Future of Fintech: What’s Happening on Day 2 at FinovateEurope 2025 appeared first on Finovate.

Illuma Receives Financing for Voice Authentication Security Solutions

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 23:13:40 +0000

Illuma has secured strategic financing from Stifel Bank. The amount of the financing was undisclosed.
The funds add to the company’s $9 million Series A funding round it received in September of 2024.
Illuma plans to use the funds to accelerate product innovation, expand its market reach, and help financial institutions safeguard interactions.

Voice authentication solutions provider Illuma received strategic financing from Stifel Bank. While the amount of the financing was not disclosed, it adds to the $9 million Series A funding the company received in September of 2024.

“Our tech and operations teams went through deep due diligence and have been highly impressed with the quality and simplicity of Illuma’s offerings, which address a critical gap for mid-market FIs,” said Senior Vice President of Venture Lending and Banking Stifel Bank Nick Elsenpeter. “We are excited to support their continued growth.”

Illuma will use today’s financing to help community banks and credit unions enhance security and streamline authentication processes across voice channels. More specifically, the funds will help the company accelerate product innovation, expand its market reach, and further support financial institutions in safeguarding consumer interactions.

“This strategic financing marks an exciting milestone for Illuma as we continue to scale and provide financial institutions with cutting-edge authentication solutions,” said Illuma CEO Milind Borkar. “The support from Stifel underscores the growing demand for frictionless security solutions that reduce operational costs while enhancing consumer trust. With this financing, we are well-positioned to expand our capabilities and further solidify our leadership in the market.”

Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Illuma offers a flagship product, Illuma Shield. The Illuma Shield authentication tool replaces traditional knowledge-based authentication (KBA) practices, such as asking security questions or prompting for PINs, with a real-time voice authentication solution. The low-friction solution not only enhances the caller experience, but it also improves operational efficiency for the financial institution while helping prevent fraud.

When a consumer calls into a call center using Illuma Shield, 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.

As fraud continues to rise and the need for a seamless customer experience escalates, organizations can no longer afford to rely on outdated authentication methods that frustrate customers and leave security gaps. Traditional KBA techniques are increasingly vulnerable to social engineering attacks and data breaches. Voice authentication solutions like Illuma’s can help reduce fraud risk while enhancing operational efficiency, cutting down on call times, lowering authentication costs, and ultimately building consumer trust. As the industry moves toward more sophisticated identity verification methods, voice authentication solutions like Illuma’s will play a crucial role in the future of secure and efficient financial interactions.

Founded in 2016, Illuma recently won Best of Show at FinovateFall 2024 in New York for its deepfake detection technology. Check out the award-winning demo below.

Photo by Tiger Lily

The post Illuma Receives Financing for Voice Authentication Security Solutions appeared first on Finovate.

Bybit wallet hack sees crooks nab $1.4bn in ETH

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:34:00 +0000

Crypto exchange Bybit says hackers have stolen nearly $1.5 billion in Ethereum (ETH) from one of its cold wallets.

Nordic fintechs Two and Avarda team up on white label payments offering

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:35:00 +0000

Two, a European leader in B2B payments technology, has announced a strategic partnership with Avarda, a white label payments specialist in northern Europe. Together, they are introducing a fully integrated white label payment solution tailored for both businesses and consumers in the Nordic e-commerce market.

UK government issues tender to bring open banking to Gov.UK Pay

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:42:00 +0000

The UK government is inviting bidders for a £49 million contract to embed open banking technology into its Gov.UK Pay payments platform.

MoonPay appoints Derek Yu treasurer

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:24:00 +0000

MoonPay, the global leader in crypto payments, announced that it has appointed Derek Yu as Treasurer. Yu brings a decade of audit and treasury expertise to the company, most recently serving as Treasurer of leading regulated blockchain infrastructure and tokenization platform, Paxos.

Forbes debuts 18 new firms to Fintech 50 list

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:18:00 +0000

Forbes has released its annual Fintech 50 list for the tenth year, highlighting the top growing fintech businesses in the industry.

Citi, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, RBC fined for disclosing UK bond pricing

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:21:00 +0000

UK regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has fined Citi, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, and the Royal Bank of Canada £104.5 million for sharing sensitive information about UK bonds between 2009 and 2013.

Securities and Futures Commission unveils roadmap to make Hong Kong a global virtual asset hub

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:14:00 +0000

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) outlined a 12-point strategy today to boost Hong Kong’s virtual asset (VA) market.

Bybit makes liquidation data accessible through new API

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:59:00 +0000

Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has launched an industry-first initiative by making all liquidation data fully accessible to the public via its enhanced API. This bold step positions Bybit as a leader in transparency, offering institutional investors, analysts, and traders real-time, granular insights into market dynamics—a critical edge in the fast-evolving crypto landscape.

XTB scores securities license in Chile

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:52:00 +0000

XTB, a global company that provides individual investors instant access to financial markets worldwide, has received a securities agent license in Chile. This is a significant milestone for the company as it expands its presence in Latin America.

Klarna to be rolled out in 600 Euronics stores across UK

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:48:00 +0000

Klarna, the AI-powered payments and commerce network, and Combined Independent Holdings (CIH), the electrical buying group that is the UK arm of Euronics, Europe's largest electrical buying group, have partnered to bring Klarna to Euronics.co.uk— with plans to roll out Klarna in up to 600 Euronics stores across the UK.

Financial Inclusion in 2025: Will Fintech Finally Close the Gaps?

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 07:30:52 +0000

Financial inclusion has been a fintech buzzword for years, yet 2025 appears to be the one year where...

Crunchbase declares historical data dead; relaunches as AI-powered predictions engine

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 00:01:00 +0000

Crunchbase is getting an AI-powered makeover, moving away from historical company data towards predictive intelligence that it says will help users forecast with unerring accuracy how private firms are set to grow, what their funding rounds will look like, and future acquisitions.

Capital on Tap scores £750m in funding facilities

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 00:01:00 +0000

London-based small business credit card provider Capital on Tap has secured £750 million in funding facilities.

Chase to restrict Zelle payments stemming from social media

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 00:01:00 +0000

Chase has warned customers that it will start blocking payments to social media contacts through the Zelle P2P network over fraud concerns.

MANSA Raises $10 Million for Blockchain-Based Payments

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 21:00:14 +0000

Stablecoin payments provider MANSA has secured $10 million in funding.
Of today’s investment, $3 million in pre-seed funds come from Tether and Polymorphic Capital, and an additional $7 million are from institutional investors.
MANSA will use the funds to expand into Latin America and Southeast Asia.

Stablecoin-based payments solutions company MANSA has raised $10 million to help payment companies alleviate global liquidity challenges.

The $10 million consists of $3 million in pre-seed funds co-led by Tether and Polymorphic Capital with participation from Faculty Group, Octerra Capital, and Trive Digital. The additional $7 million comes from institutions, including corporate investors, quantitative funds, and alternative investment firms.

“Securing $10 million in pre-seed and liquidity funding marks a significant milestone in our mission to transform the way money moves. By bringing payments on-chain and leveraging efficient liquidity solutions, we are addressing critical challenges in cross-border transactions — making payments faster, cheaper, and more reliable worldwide,” said MANSA CEO and Co-Founder Mouloukou Sanoh. “This funding accelerates our global expansion, enabling us to empower payment companies with seamless, real-time settlement infrastructure and drive the future of payments.”

MANSA will use the funds to support its expansion into Latin America and Southeast Asia, regions where liquidity challenges hinder cross-border transactions. The company plans to scale its liquidity infrastructure and develop strategic partnerships by expanding the reach of its cross-border payments liquidity solutions.

Co-founded by Mouloukou Sanoh and Nkiru Uwaje, MANSA offers stablecoin-powered liquidity solutions that help reduce prefunding requirements and enable instant settlement across markets. The company helps optimize treasury management by ensuring that liquid funds are always available when and where they are needed.

“MANSA’s vision for addressing liquidity challenges in cross-border payments aligns with our mission to create a more efficient and inclusive financial system. By leveraging USDT for real-time settlements and instant payouts, MANSA is solving critical pain points for payment companies operating in emerging markets. We are proud to collaborate with MANSA and support their efforts to reshape global payment infrastructure,” said Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino.

MANSA launched in August of 2024 and has since focused on building partnerships with major payment companies across Africa, Asia, and South America. These partnerships have resulted in MANSA processing $27 million in transaction volume, with nearly $11 million of that on-chain transaction volume occurring in January.

Photo by Magda Ehlers

The post MANSA Raises $10 Million for Blockchain-Based Payments appeared first on Finovate.

CredCore raises $16m

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:29:00 +0000

CredCore, a vertical-AI company that transforms debt capital markets for lenders and borrowers, today announced $16M in Series A. The round was led by Avataar Ventures, with participation from Inspired Capital, Fitch Group, BellTower Partners, and senior executives in asset management and financial services.

Live Oak Bank Implements Finzly’s Fedwire Solution

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:06:22 +0000

Live Oak Bank has enhanced its commercial and small business banking services by partnering with Finzly for its Fedwire solution.
Finzly’s technology enables 100% straight-through processing (STP) and will help ensure the bank is compliant with upcoming ISO 20022 regulations.
Finzly is a two-time Finovate Best of Show award winner. The company most recently demoed its technology at FinovateSpring 2022 in San Francisco.

Payment and financial solutions provider Finzly announced this week that Live Oak Bank has enhanced its commercial and small business banking services by implementing Finzly’s Fedwire solution. The deployment enables 100% straight-through processing (STP) and facilitates the bank’s compliance with upcoming ISO 20022 compliance requirements ahead of schedule.

Fedwire is a real-time electronic funds transfer system operated by the Federal Reserve Banks, enabling financial institutions to send and receive money. It is the main network in the US used by businesses and government agencies for large and/or time-critical payments. ISO 20022 refers to a new message format that will be adopted by the Fedwire Funds Service on July 14, 2025, four months later than the initial deadline of March 10 established in June 2022. The goal of the new format is to enhance the quality of financial messaging, facilitate cross-border payments, and reduce manual processing.

Finzly’s Fedwire solution provides instant settlement, real-time visibility, and complete automation for Fedwire payments. The technology leverages Finzly’s pre-wired, tested, and certified connections to the Fed to keep banks and other financial institutions a step ahead when it comes to implementing Fedwire, complying with ISO 20022 standards, and launching new value-added services. Banks benefit from not only faster settlements, streamlined payments, and automation of key tasks, but also from the ability to seamlessly support multiple cores. This enables banks to process transactions across multiple core systems while integrating with digital banking, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and fraud monitoring via open APIs.

“This partnership with Finzly gives our payment infrastructure the flexibility to adapt to customers’ needs, while also allowing us to streamline operations for our internal teams,” Mark Moroz, Live Oak Bank Head of Deposits and Payments, said. “With 100% STP in Fedwire processing and seamless multi-core integration, we are positioned to set new benchmarks in speed, efficiency, and customer experience.”

Headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, Live Oak Bank is a cloud-based digital bank that serves small businesses throughout the US. One of the largest SBA 7(a) lenders by dollar volume, Live Oak Bank initially specialized in providing financing for niche businesses such as veterinarians and dentists. Today, Live Oak Bank has more than $12 billion in assets as of Q4 2024 and is publicly traded on the NYSE under the ticker LOB. Founded in 2008, Live Oak Bank has a market capitalization of $1.49 billion.

“We are proud to partner with Live Oak, a bank led by visionary leaders, offering modern, connected banking services for its customers,” Finzly founder and CEO Booshan Rengachari said. “Our partners at Live Oak Bank are committed to delivering the best solutions without compromise. We are excited to support them in this mission.”

Two-time Finovate Best of Show winner Finzly most recently demoed its technology on the Finovate stage at FinovateSpring 2022 in San Francisco. At the conference, the North Carolina-based fintech showed how its bank operating system, FinzlyOS, enables organizations to quickly launch a modern, new digital bank from scratch. The bank featured direct connections to all payment networks, including ACH, wires, RTP, FedNow, and Swift, as well as a multi-currency general ledger, low-code customer-onboarding forms, online experiences, and more.

Live Oak Bank is only the latest partnership announced by Finzly this year. In February, the company reported that San Antonio, Texas-based Vantage Bank had chosen its unified payment hub to consolidate and future-proof its payment infrastructure. A family-owned community financial institution with a commitment to innovation and a strong focus on international services, Vantage Bank has $4.5 billion in assets. Also, at the beginning of the year, Wings Credit Union, Minnesota’s largest credit union with more than $9.3 billion in assets, announced that it was going live on Finzly’s Fedwire platform.

Photo by Mark Teachey

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ECB investigates settlement of DLT-based transactions in central bank money

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:29:00 +0000

The European Central Bank is looking into how to settle distributed ledger technology-based transactions in fiat money.

Wildfire launches Benefits & Loyalty Amplifier tech

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:27:00 +0000

Wildfire Systems Inc., an innovative financial technology platform that powers loyalty and reward programs and shopping companions, today announced Benefits & Loyalty Amplifier (BLAM), an enhancement to its platform.

Apiture signs Freedom Bank to digital platform

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:24:00 +0000

Apiture, a leading provider of digital banking solutions, today announced that The Freedom Bank of Virginia (“Freedom Bank”), a next-generation community bank headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, has converted its online and mobile banking solutions to the Apiture Digital Banking Platform.

Affirm and Shopify bring partnership to Canada

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:23:00 +0000

Affirm (NASDAQ: AFRM), the payment network that empowers consumers and helps merchants drive growth, and Shopify, a provider of essential internet infrastructure for commerce, today announced an expanded global agreement.

Tauris publishes open-source private security token for banks

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:21:00 +0000

Taurus SA, a global leader in digital asset infrastructure, is proud to announce the publication of an open-source confidential token standard for debt and equity tokenisation in collaboration with the Aztec Foundation.

Digital Lighthouse to deliver training to the Financial Services Forum

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:51:00 +0000

A newly-created North East based performance marketing agency has announced a new partnership with a major national finance body.

Faster Payments Council releases 2025 Faster Payments Barometer

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:49:00 +0000

The U.S. Faster Payments Council (FPC), in collaboration with Volante Technologies, today released results from the 2025 Faster Payments Barometer, the latest in its series of comprehensive studies analyzing the adoption, trends, and perceptions surrounding faster payments in the United States.

SEC creates Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:38:00 +0000

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has created a Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit (CETU) to focus on combatting cyber-related misconduct and to protect retail investors from hackers and the misuse of AI.

Revolut doubles down on hybrid working

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:12:00 +0000

Revolut may be preparing to move into a new HQ in London's Canary Wharf, but the fintech is staying true to its pledge to allow employees to continue to work from home.

Varo closes on $29 million capital raise

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:00 +0000

US digital bank has closed on $29 million in funding as part of an investment round targetting a $55 million raise.

AI powered Attribution Intelligence in Banking

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 08:23:56 +0000

In today's competitive banking landscape, marketing teams face mounting pressure to justify and opti...

Scalable Capital Teams Up with BlackRock to Expand Access to Private Equity Investments

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:22 +0000

Digital investment platform Scalable Capital has teamed up with BlackRock to make it easier for investors in Germany to add private equity investments to their portfolios.
The partnership will make Scalable Capital the first digital investment platform to enable investors to participate in the BlackRock Private Equity Fund.
Headquartered in Germany, Scalable Capital made its Finovate debut at FinovateEurope 2016 in London.

A new partnership with BlackRock will enable Scalable Capital to offer its customers in Germany access to alternative investments, including in private equity. The new offering will provide access to investments in companies that are not listed on stock exchanges, giving non-professional investors the benefit of potentially higher returns and greater diversification previously available only to a few.

“For decades, investing in private companies was reserved for institutions and the ultra-wealthy,” Scalable Capital CMO Maximilian Meyer wrote on LinkedIn this week. “Not anymore. Scalable Capital is making Private Equity accessible – in partnership with BlackRock.”

Scalable Capital will be the first digital investment platform to offer access to the BlackRock Private Equity Fund. The fund consists of co-investments in which majority stakes in private companies around the world are acquired together with a network of private equity managers. The fund differs from many other private equity funds insofar as it is an open-end fund, rather than closed-end. This, among other things, enables investors to redeem invested capital more regularly than they would with a closed-end fund. Further, returns and dividends are reinvested by the fund, which can provide greater compound interest and higher returns over time.

A minimum one-off investment of €10,000 is required to invest in the BlackRock Private Equity Fund but, after that commitment is made, investors can use the fund as part of a savings plan. To support access to the new asset class, Scalable Capital has enhanced its platform with a fully digitized suitability check, a two-week revocation option for purchase orders, and a comprehensive range of information to help investors make informed investment decisions.

The partnership between Scalable Capital and BlackRock comes at a time when the demand for private equity is growing. Especially for investors with a longer time horizon, private equity investment can provide both portfolio diversification as well as high return potential. In its partnership announcement, Scalable Capital noted that private equity has produced nearly 15% annual growth in US dollars over the past 20 years, outperforming the MSCI World Index. The company noted additionally that compared to a traditional portfolio with an asset mix of 60% stocks and 40% bonds, the inclusion of up to 20% in private market investment can provide a superior risk/reward profile as well.

“As alternative investments such as private equity are becoming increasingly relevant for participation in economic growth, we now make them accessible to investors,” Julius Weller, Vice President Broker at Scalable Capital, said. “With the expansion of our investment platform to include this segment, clients gain access to the high return potential of private companies. We also achieve the favourable terms and simple handling for private equity that Scalable Capital is known for.”

Scalable Capital made its Finovate debut at FinovateEurope 2016 in London. In the years since then, the Munich, Germany-based company has become a leading digital investment platform in Europe. More than €27 billion is held on Scalable Capital’s platform by more than one million customers.

BlackRock is a leading provider of investment, advisory, and risk management solutions. The company is also the world’s largest asset manager with $11.5 trillion in assets under management, $40 billion of which are in alternative assets. Founded in 1988, BlackRock is headquartered in New York.

Photo by Pixabay

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Special Ops: Open Source, Digital Assets, Leveraging the Cloud, and Adaptive Banking at FinovateEurope

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 14:40:00 +0000

Last week, we introduced you to a handful of special addresses taking place at FinovateEurope 2025, 25-26 February in London at the Intercontinental O2. This week, we’re sharing another four special addresses covering a range of topics from open source innovation and the rise of digital assets to leveraging the cloud and the power of process intelligence.

To learn more about what’s coming at FinovateEurope next week, visit our FinovateEurope hub today. And if you haven’t bought your ticket, there’s no time like the present to register and save your seat.

Supercharging financial services with Open Source & MySQL

Featuring Jim Gallagher (LinkedIn), Oracle MySQL Alliances & Channels Manager for UK and Ireland, this special address will discuss how MySQL powers cutting-edge solutions that drive transformation across financial services. Gallagher will show how open source collaboration is fueling new standards, enhancing security, reducing costs, and accelerating growth.

Founded in 1977 and currently headquartered in Austin, Texas, Oracle is a cloud technology company that provides businesses and organizations with the computing infrastructure and software they need to innovate, boost efficiency, and become more effective. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure provides higher performance, security, and cost savings.

Digital assets: Ready for take off

Featuring Nick Kerigan (LinkedIn), Managing Director, Head of Innovation, Swift, this special address will help financial services companies make the most out of the growth in the digital asset market, which is forecast to grow up to $15 trillion by 2030. Kerigan will discuss recent developments in digital assets and currencies worldwide and share insights from Swift’s 2025 live trials that are helping facilitate transaction interchangeability on its network for both current and new forms of value.

A member-owned cooperative, Swift is a leading provider of secure financial messaging services. Swift’s messaging platform, products, and services connect more than 11,000 banking and securities organizations, market infrastructures, and corporate customers in 200+ countries and territories.

Trends, challenges, and strategic imperatives — is hybrid cloud the way forward for business leaders?

Featuring Waheed Mahmood (LinkedIn), Financial Services Lead, and Matt Armstrong (LinkedIn), Solution Director, Financial Services, with Rackspace Technology, this special address will examine how IT leaders optimize workloads, build resilience, and drive the next wave of digital transformation. The discussion will leverage insights from a Rackspace Technology survey of more than 1,400 global tech leaders on the importance of futureproofing through adaptability and flexibility.

San Antonio, Texas-based Rackspace Technology is an end-to-end, hybrid, multicloud, and AI solutions company. The firm designs, builds, and operates customer cloud environments across all major technology platforms, regardless of both technology stack and deployment model.

Become the adaptive bank – thrive on change with process intelligence

Featuring Joaquim Nogueira (LinkedIn), Industry Principal for Banking, Celonis, this special address will discuss how process intelligence gives companies a living, moving, digital twin of their entire value chain. Nogueira will also explain how, with a decade of process improvement knowledge and AI, process intelligence shows companies where value is hiding, and enables teams and technologies to capture it.

Munich, Germany-based Celonis has helped more than 1,000 of the world’s largest companies realize value across the top, bottom, and green line. The company’s Process Intelligence Platform leverages the data companies already have and use, and presents them with a living digital twin of their end-to-end processes. The platform is system-agnostic, bias-free, and provides all parties with a common language for understanding and enhancing processes.

The post Special Ops: Open Source, Digital Assets, Leveraging the Cloud, and Adaptive Banking at FinovateEurope appeared first on Finovate.

Women in Fintech: A Conversation About Loyalty Ecosystems in Financial Services with Becky Hill

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:53:43 +0000

How can banks and financial services providers ensure that their loyalty programs are in sync with consumer behaviors and preferences? What is a loyalty ecosystem and how can financial institutions benefit from being a part of one?

We caught up with Becky Hill, President of Vanson Technology Services and former Senior Vice President of Loyalty at U.S. Bank. In our extended conversation – in partnership with William Mills – we discuss the power of loyalty in fostering long-term relationships and better customer engagement in financial services.

We also discuss loyalty when it comes to relationships between companies and their employees, and how engagement and sales incentive programs can help them retain top talent and develop greater organizational resilience.

Founded in 1997, Vanson Technology Services specializes in technology and software solutions for loyalty, channel incentive, and employee engagement programs. The Minneapolis, Minnesota-based company offers capabilities in points earning technology, fulfillment catalog management, email communications, site and data management, customer service and support, reporting, and more.

Tell us more about your professional experience. What were some of your major accomplishments and career highlights while working at U.S. Bank?

Becky Hill: Before joining Vanson Technology Services last summer, I spent most of my career in U.S. Bank’s payments division. Initially, I supported the credit card acquisition strategy for the bank’s consumer and small business programs. This gave me a solid understanding of the credit card profit and loss (P&L), which helped me gain insights into what drives consumer behavior and how to capture their interest. I learned that people expect banks to simplify complexities for them and that offers need to clearly show their value and benefits.

Later, my responsibilities included managing all aspects of the bank’s Rewards platform for internal and co-branded credit card programs that included a variety of cards like Cash+, FlexPerks, Fidelity and Harley-Davidson. I would partner with program managers to support acquisition, attrition, benefit, and redemption strategies to keep the bank’s cards top-of-wallet.

Why is it important to shape your loyalty programs around consumer behaviors and preferences?

Hill: Understanding consumer behavior is key to designing effective loyalty programs because people value convenience and consistency. Loyalty programs work best when they’re simple and easy to navigate, especially when it comes to redeeming rewards. Over the years, these programs have become more sophisticated but keeping them clear and straightforward is still the key to success.

How would you define a loyalty ecosystem?

Hill: A loyalty ecosystem brings together programs, technology, and partnerships to engage and reward customers and employees. It’s about simplifying the process while delivering meaningful value. For Vanson, this means offering an easily configurable rewards platform that helps companies transform their incentive programs into formal campaigns that drive employee motivation, enhance performance and longevity, and build brand loyalty. We believe a successful loyalty ecosystem is built on understanding behavior and providing clear, flexible incentives. It’s not just about rewards — it’s about fostering long-term relationships through transparency, simplicity, and thoughtful execution.

How can financial institutions be part of the loyalty ecosystem?

Hill: Financial institutions can play a key role in the loyalty ecosystem by partnering with loyalty platform providers to offer their clients Prepaid Rewards cards. These cards give consumers the flexibility to spend as they choose, while financial institutions can capitalize on revenue opportunities, such as interchange fees.

How is this ecosystem evolving in the near future?

Hill: Technology is always evolving, and loyalty programs will continue to focus on streamlining the end user experience for ease and convenience. Loyalty platforms will need to be flexible and have the capabilities to provide a variety of offerings from redemptions selection, gamification, educational lessons, experiences, and personalized communication strategy. Customer-centricity will continue to be a big part of the loyalty program technology evolution, especially as the industry starts to utilize AI-driven analytics to engage members.

Let’s talk about within companies. What does an effective employee and sales incentive program entail?

Hill: An effective employee engagement and sales incentive program requires the right technology. The technology should be straightforward, flexible, and tailored to support the specific needs of the program. It should be easy to implement, quick to deploy, and designed to drive engagement and performance without unnecessary complexity. Vanson offers a technology platform with configurable tools that provides self-administer options to drive results.

Equally important is having the right partner. A good partner provides valuable support throughout the journey, helping companies configure rewards to fit their unique needs and assisting with add-ons like developing email campaigns and enhancing engagement strategies. Together, the right technology and partnership can create a successful program.

Why should a company consider offering employee engagement and sales incentive programs?

Hill: Offering employee engagement and sales incentive programs is critical for retaining top talent and ensuring the resilience of your organization. People are motivated by more than just salary — they value recognition, work-life balance, and meaningful benefits. Incentive programs don’t have to be complex; even simple, day-to-day recognition can go a long way. It’s about creating a program that works for all employees, not just a select few. However, implementing these programs requires a cultural shift within the organization, combining both a change in mindset and the right technology to support it. Focusing on your employees’ needs and making them feel valued is key to long-term success.

You joined Vanson Technology Services less than a year ago. What tips and guidance can you provide other professionals who are transitioning industries?

Hill: I’ve had the unique opportunity to work on both the client side and now the vendor side of Loyalty programs across multiple industries. Being on this side — with firsthand knowledge of client expectations — has pushed me to think differently about what we deliver and how we meet client expectations. It’s also opened the door to more strategic conversations, like helping other loyalty companies within CORA Group’s portfolio expand into new verticals. At the end of the day, it’s about maintaining strong networks and staying open-minded to new opportunities.

What is your biggest piece of professional advice?

Hill: Always stay true to yourself and uphold your integrity. Take the time to identify the key decision-makers and those who truly understand what’s happening within your organization. Knowing who can make decisions and offer support is crucial — otherwise, you risk getting caught in unnecessary red tape. Building strong relationships and trust with your peers is essential, as effective leadership relies on the two-way flow of information. Above all, remain focused on what will move the business forward.

Photo by Louis Droege on Unsplash

The post Women in Fintech: A Conversation About Loyalty Ecosystems in Financial Services with Becky Hill appeared first on Finovate.

FinovateEurope 2025 Sneak Peek Series: Part 7

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:12:48 +0000

A look at the companies demoing at FinovateEurope in London on February 25. Register today using this link and save 20%.

AQ22

AQ22 is an agentic banking orchestration platform automating financial workflows, from credit assessment and compliance to investment management and debt collection, helping banks streamline decision-making.

Features

AI-driven automation: Streamlines credit, investment, and compliance.
Seamless integration: Connects with any banking system.
Agentic intelligence: Enhances financial decision making.

Who’s it for?

Banks, credit unions, and financial institutions.

Deriskly

Deriskly helps financial services firms improve customer experience, automate compliance, and enhance trust through better communication and complaint analysis with safe and explainable AI.

Features

Enhances customer experience by improving communication clarity
Automates compliance with regulatory and brand guidelines
Identifies complaint patterns to drive better product decisions

Who’s it for?

Banks, financial services firms, insurers, and fintech companies.

Homely

Homely is an end-to-end, AI-powered digital journey for first-time buyers, empowering them to realize the dream of home ownership.

Features

Homely offers a unique, hyper-personalized AI-powered journey to realize home ownership.

Who’s it for?

Retail banks, businesses offering Homely to their employees, and individuals.

Neural Defend

Neural Defend is an AI-agentic deepfake detection startup founded by MIT researchers combating the $10.5 trillion global financial fraud problem with their patent pending algorithm.

Features

Delivers AI Agentic deepfake detection
Offers a multi-modal solution with audio, video, image, and expression detection
Provides real-time detection

Who’s it for?

Digital banks, fintechs, EKYC, verification companies, onboarding companies, insurance companies, media channels, dating companies, and government agencies.

Tweezr

Tweezr is an AI-powered surgical code assistant that pinpoints where developers should make changes across millions of lines of legacy code without breaking critical functionality.

Features

Delivers faster time-to-market for changes in legacy systems
Produces higher developer productivity in legacy environments
Obviates the need to launch the next ~$1B modernization program

Who’s it for?

Any financial institution with a complex legacy IT estate.

The post FinovateEurope 2025 Sneak Peek Series: Part 7 appeared first on Finovate.

Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 16:19:49 +0000

Partnerships and collaborations in the payments space lead fintech headlines at the beginning of this holiday-shortened week. Be sure to check Finovate’s Fintech Rundown all week long for the latest updates in fintech and financial services.

Payments

Account-to-account (A2A) payment infrastructure provider Token.io teams up with payment orchestrator Fabrick.

InComm Payments collaborates with Mastercard to offer Mastercard “Give Hope” gift cards in support of the American Red Cross.

Real-time payments framework Payfinia partners with B2B2C SaaS embedded finance solutions provider TAPP Engine.

Card issuer and processor Paymentology forges strategic partnership with UAE-based fintech Mamo.

Transaction management software company Redpin opens new payments corridor to Brazil.

Open banking

Moldova-based digital wallet and electronic money institution (EMI) Paynet partners with open banking services provider Salt Edge.

Digital identity

OneID and Adobe announce partnership to enhance identity verification for Adobe digital signatures.

Lending, credit, and underwriting

TransUnion Kenya and FICO team up to offer two new risk solutions to help expand access to credit.

Digital banking

SaaS cloud banking platform Mambu announces strategic partnership with Spain’s Ibercaja Banco.

Armalytix unveils its bank statement scanning tool.

Photo by May Guo

The post Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News appeared first on Finovate.

EU Payment and E-Money Licenses: 2024 Data and Three-Year Trends

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 13:23:26 +0000

This article offers insights into the number of e-money and payment institution licenses issued in t...

Musk, Trump and What’s Next in Payments

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:51:41 +0000

The first months of 2025 have passed so quickly that there is barely time to reflect. First the

Advantages and Challenges of Launching a Business with MSB Registration in Canada

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 15:21:37 +0000

Canada's Money Services Business (MSB) registration is gaining traction among fintech entrepreneurs ...

GenAI, Agentic AI and Their Place in Modern Banking

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Joining the FinextraTV studio, Barb Morgan, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Temenos discussed how a customer focus is shaping banking innovation. From adoption of cloud and SaaS, modular core banking modernization and the role of AI. How she believes that AI is actually no longer a buzz word, but an accepted part of the modern workplace. Along with the use case for real-time data, Morgan discusses the differences between GenAI and Agentic AI.

Finovate Global: Fintechs Representing 13 Countries to Demo at FinovateEurope 2025

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 20:34:00 +0000

This year at FinovateEurope 2025, our 32 demoing companies represent a baker’s dozen of countries from around the world. Of the 32 companies, nine are headquartered in the UK, and seven of them are making their Finovate debuts this year.

Last year, FinovateEurope featured companies from 15 different countries. This year, we’re thrilled to see a similarly diverse group. Here’s where the rest of our FinovateEurope 2025 demoing companies are based.

Arva AI – United States
AQ22 – Lithuania
Bitpowr Technologies – United States
b-next – Germany
CyberUpgrade – Lithuania
Dimply – Ireland
ID-Pal – Ireland

Intuitech – Hungary
Light Frame – United States
Mati Labs – United States
Mifundo – Estonia
Moonjelly – The Netherlands
Neural Defend – India
PayIP – South Africa
Plumery – The Netherlands

PromoComply – Canada
R34DY – Hungary
Regsearch AI – Luxembourg
RE-ViVE – United States
Stack AI – United States
Torus – Lithuania
Tweezr – Israel
Xavier – Germany

FinovateEurope is right around the corner: 25-26 February at the Intercontinental O2 in London. Friday, 14 February is the last day to take advantage of big, early-bird savings on the price of your ticket. If you haven’t registered yet, visit our FinovateEurope hub today and save your seat!

Here is our look at fintech innovation around the world.

Middle East and Northern Africa

Tabby, a financial services and shopping app in MENA, announced a $160 million Series E funding round that brought the company’s valuation to $3.3 billion.
Qatar-based Islamic financial institution Al Rayan Bank partnered with financial software application provider Finastra to launch its new Islamic core banking solution.
Israel fintech BitStock raised $400,000 in seed funding.

Central and Southern Asia

The Banker featured Golomt Bank and the rise of open banking in Mongolia.
Indian digital payments firm ToneTag secured $78 million in new funding.
TBC Uzbekistan announced successful deployment of its AI-based, proprietary Uzbek language models.

Latin America and the Caribbean

Ripple teamed up with Portuguese currency exchange provider Unicâmbio to support cross-border payments between Portugal and Brazil.
Brazilian payments and banking technology provider Dock introduced new Chief Technology Officer Thiago Teixeira.
Latin American global collections firm Takenos launched its Spicy Card, enabled by Pomelo, in Argentina.

Asia-Pacific

Malaysian Earned Wage Access (EWA) specialist Payd raised $400,000 in an extension of its seed funding round.
New Zealand’s Inland Revenue service issued a Request for Information (RFI) as part of an effort to influence the growth of open banking in the country.
Bangladesh-based commercial bank Trust Bank teamed up with TerraPay to help students pay tuition fees.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Nigeria-based multi-currency accounts platform Raenest secured $11 million in Series A funding in a round led by QED Investors.
South African fintech Stitch acquired ExiPay, a company that enables brick-and-mortar stores to securely accept in-person payments via point-of-sale (POS) terminals.
Advanced Television looked at the evolution of South African fintech marketing.

Central and Eastern Europe

Berlin-based invoicing and payables automation management platform Monite unveiled iFrame solution to help SMB platforms deliver financial products and services.
UK-based supply chain finance provider Orbian announced plans to acquirer Czech payment institution Roger.
German accounting, taxation, and payroll startup Integral raised $6.5 million (€6.3 million) in pre-seed funding in a round led by General Catalyst and Cherry Ventures.

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood

The post Finovate Global: Fintechs Representing 13 Countries to Demo at FinovateEurope 2025 appeared first on Finovate.

TransUnion Teams Up with Credit Sesame to Launch Direct-to-Consumer Experience

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:10:59 +0000

TransUnion is partnering with Credit Sesame to launch a freemium credit education platform.
The new platform will give U.S. consumers daily access to their credit score, tailored financial offers, and premium credit monitoring services.
By leveraging Credit Sesame’s expertise in the freemium credit space, TransUnion expects to increase consumer engagement and grow its direct-to-consumer business.

Credit protection platform TransUnion and consumer credit management company Credit Sesame have teamed up this week. TransUnion has tapped Credit Sesame to launch a direct-to-consumer, freemium credit education solution for US users.

TransUnion is positioning the new credit education solution as an “experience” that will be integrated with premium credit monitoring services. The new tool will bring consumers their daily credit score and report from TransUnion and offer them access to third-party financial offers that are tailored to their individual goals and credit profile.

TransUnion’s US consumers will have access to the new platform beginning in the first half of 2025.

“Personal empowerment is a key component of our commitment to Information for Good,” said TransUnion President of US Markets Steve Chaouki. “By providing a free-first experience that includes financial offers, we engage with more consumers, enabling them to better understand their financial situations and take action to manage their financial futures. By integrating our freemium offering with our enhanced premium credit and identity monitoring services, we expect to deliver a more expansive product offering to consumers and position our direct-to-consumer business for sustainable growth.”

Credit Sesame was founded in 2010 to show consumers their daily credit score, credit report summary, and credit monitoring alerts. In 2020, the California-based company launched Sesame Cash, digital banking tools, including a pre-paid debit card and credit builder solution.

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, TransUnion provides tools to help businesses and consumers assess creditworthiness, detect fraud, and make informed financial decisions. The company operates in more than 30 countries, helping organizations manage risk and empowering consumers with access to credit and wealth-building tools.

“We’re committed to empowering consumers to take charge of their financial health,” said Credit Sesame CEO Adrian Nazari. “We have a track record of success in the freemium credit space, helping millions of Americans effectively manage their credit and create better opportunities for themselves and their families. By leveraging our Sesame platform, we expect that TransUnion will be able to deeply engage consumers and support them in achieving their financial goals.”

Photo by RDNE Stock project

The post TransUnion Teams Up with Credit Sesame to Launch Direct-to-Consumer Experience appeared first on Finovate.

Corpay Launches Multi-Currency Accounts

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 19:23:23 +0000

Corporate payments company Corpay launched multi-currency accounts.
The new multi-currency accounts allow businesses to receive, hold, and pay in 12 currencies through dedicated accounts.
Corpay joins a long list of fintechs, including Wise and Revolut, that offer multi-currency accounts.

New York-based corporate payments company Corpay announced it has added multi-currency accounts to its business offerings. The new offering will enable businesses to expand globally and manage their foreign currency from a single place.

Corpay offers accounts payable automation tools, commercial card solutions, and cross-border tools such as multi-currency risk management and global invoice automation. The company serves 800,000 businesses and organizations across a range of industries. Today’s launch will help businesses transacting in foreign currencies simplify their treasury management in a single place instead of opening and managing multiple foreign bank accounts.

“Our goal is to continuously develop solutions that transcend borders, allowing for seamless international operations,” said Corpay Cross-Border Solutions Chief Product & Digital Innovation Officer Tim Watson. “After meticulous development that integrates our customers’ feedback and industry insights, our centralized account solution caters to the needs of businesses engaging in overseas markets across diverse jurisdictions and currencies. It streamlines account opening and management across multiple currencies and countries, simplifying complexity and allowing our customers to focus on their business first.”

The multi-currency accounts allow companies to receive and pay out in 12 currencies via a dedicated account in their business’ name. On the backend, the business will see a unique account assigned to each currency that the accountholder trades. This simplifies the payments and receivables process and lowers the barriers to enter global markets.

Corpay is launching the new multi-currency accounts after completing pilot testing and adjusting the tool based on customer feedback. “The development of Multi-Currency Accounts has been a collaborative effort with our customers, and their buy-in and willingness to provide feedback has been instrumental,” said Corpay Cross-Border Solutions Group President Mark Frey. “Through our ongoing commitment to client centricity and addressing their needs, we have dedicated ourselves to continuous industry research and competitor analysis, while also constantly gathering invaluable feedback from our customers. Ultimately, our goal is not only to create a best-in-class product, but also to enhance the future success of our clients.”

Launching multi-currency accounts places Corpay in the company of Wise, Revolut, Payoneer, Airwallex, Finzly, and others who also offer multi-currency accounts. Unlike many of the competitors, however, Corpay differentiates itself by offering a wide range of treasury management solutions.

Founded in 1992, Corpay is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker CPAY with a market capitalization of $25.5 billion. In addition to its corporate payments arm, the company also offers products and services in vehicle payments and lodging payments.

Photo by Karthikeyan Perumal

The post Corpay Launches Multi-Currency Accounts appeared first on Finovate.

Understanding and Leveraging GCCs for Transformational Growth

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Speaking from the FinextraTV virtual studio, Sharada Nandakumar, CEO, Voya India and Roshan Shetty, BFSI & Public Services Head - Americas, Tech Mahindra help to define what Global Capability Centres are, why they can be so transformational and the challenges to securing great talent that come with them.

The Impact of Political Change on Blockchain Integration

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Miles Paschini, CEO, FV bank joins FinextraTV in the virtual studio to discuss the integration of blockchain into traditional banking, its misconceptions and how recent political changes might impact its future.

Mambu: Predictions report provides expert insights for success in 2025

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

With a new year comes new insights and in this FinextraTV interview, Anthony Nonnis, Global Head of Partnerships at Mambu, shares some of the key trends in financial services from Mambu’s 2025 Partner Predictions Report. Diving into some familiar topics such as Embedded Finance, AI and regulatory changes, Nonnis explains how financial institutions can build a modular, scalable approach to prepare for these changes.

What Are 'Future Safaris' and The 5 L's to Success?

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Joining FinextraTV from CES in Las Vegas, Todder Moning, Head of Applied Foresights, U.S. Bank, shares his insights into the innovations at CES and how they inform his team’s view on the future. From explaining the role of futurists in banking to describing his 5 Ls for success, Moning provides his tips for future-proofing in the financial industry.