Finextra Research: Latest fintech news, analysis, interviews, features and opinion by industry experts

CoreChain raises funds for blockchain-based B2B payments network

CoreChain Technologies, a digital B2B payments network built on blockchain, has raised $1.25 million in pre-seed funding.

04 August 2021

Company update/retail

Figure Technologies and Homebridge Financial Services to merge

Figure Technologies, Inc. (Figure™), a leader in transforming financial services through the power of blockchain technology, today announced it has signed an agreement to merge with Homebridge Financial Services in a landmark deal that will reshape the technology landscape of the nation’s mortgage industry.

03 August 2021

News/crypto

Bitpanda to invest €10 million to build blockchain R&D hub

Vienna-based digital investment platform Bitpanda is to open a blockchain research & development hub, employing 30 full-time developers.

03 August 2021

Company update/people

Blockchain Association Singapore appoints Richard Teng, former ADGM CEO, to advisory board

Blockchain Association Singapore (BAS) today announced the appointment of Mr Richard Teng, former CEO of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), as a member to its Advisory Board.

02 August 2021

News/crypto

State Street expands crypto offering with Lukka

State Street has signed up with crypto enterprise Lukka to provide clients with middle and back office capabilities for digital asset fund administration.

30 July 2021

News/crypto

BofA and Coinbase join Paxos Series D round

Blockchain infrastructure platform Paxos has added Bank of America, Coinbase Ventures, Founders Fund and FTX to its recent $300 million Series D funding round.

29 July 2021

Company update/startups

Figure Technologies closes $200 million Series D

Figure Technologies, Inc. (Figure), a leader in transforming financial services through the power of blockchain technology, officially closed its Series D fundraise of $200 million at a $3.2 billion valuation, welcoming new investors including entities and funds managed and/or advised by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc., Blockchain.com, Rockaway Blockchain, HOF Capital, Endeavour Capital, National Bank Holdings, Goldentree Asset Management and L1 Digital.

28 July 2021

News/crypto

Estonian central bank talks up digital euro experiment results

A blockchain-based digital euro could in theory support almost unlimited numbers of payments being processed at the same time with a very large money supply and with a smaller carbon footprint than the card payment system, concludes Estonia's central bank following an experiment with the ECB.

28 July 2021

News/startups

Mastercard launches Start Path programme for crypto and blockchain

Mastercard is launching a version of its Start Path startup programme specifically for firms in the cryptocurrency and blockchain space.

27 July 2021

News/markets

Azimut Investments prepares for go-live with FundsDLT

Azimut Investments is set to be first asset manageer to go live on FundsDLT, a blockchain-based technology platform for the investment fund industry.

27 July 2021

Company update/Blockchain

Blockchain trade finance platform Factorin raises investment from MTS

The Venture building arm of the international investment firm Digital Horizon announces the sale of a controlling stake in a blockchain platform Factorin to Mobile TeleSystems PJSC, Russia’s largest mobile operator and a leading provider of media and digital services. Factorin, the two year old blockchain-based trade finance platform, was valued at $23 million.

27 July 2021

News/startups

Sila raises $13m

Sila, an API platform that provides payment infrastructure as a service while ensuring regulatory compliance, has raised $13 million in Series A funding led by Revolution Venture.

27 July 2021

News/payments

Blockchain-based commercial payments firm Paystand raises $50m

Blockchain-enabled commercial payments outfit Paystand has raised $50 million in a Series C round of funding led by NewView Capital.

23 July 2021

News/crypto

India and Nigeria push ahead with CBDC plans

India and Nigeria, two of the world's largest emerging economies, are ramping up their plans to launch central bank digital currencies.

23 July 2021

Company update/regulation

SETL proposes new approach to blockchain regulation

SETL, the London based blockchain company, today published a whitepaper on how to “Realise the Regulated Internet of Value” based on a multi-asset approach to tokenisation.

23 July 2021

News/crypto

PayU partners Celo to bring stablecoin payments to merchants

PayU is teaming up with mobile-first open-source blockchain payments outfit Celo to launch a new stablecoin option to hundreds of thousands of merchants.

21 July 2021

Company update/people

LedgerEdge appoints Michelle Neal as CEO of US operations

LedgerEdge, the next-generation ecosystem for trading, announces the appointment of Michelle Neal as CEO of US operations.

20 July 2021

Company update/crime

Everest integrates blockchain API with Oracle financial crime suite

Everest, a regulated fin-tech company with blockchain solutions for biometric identification, custodian, and banking services, collaborates with Oracle Financial Services to enable customers to use Everest’s Application Programming Interface (API) and adopt identity verification and biometric identification services provided by Everest.

19 July 2021

News/crypto

Sygnum uses blockchain to sell shares in Picasso painting

Swiss digital asset bank Sygnum has teamed up with art investment outfit Artemundi to tokenise a Picasso painting, giving investors the chance to purchase and trade shares in the work.

16 July 2021

Company update/markets

Apollo Global Management to work with Figure on blockchain applications

Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO) (“Apollo” or the “Firm”) and Figure Technologies, Inc. (“Figure” or the “Company”) today announced that affiliates of Apollo and Figure have entered into an agreement to collaborate on a series of blockchain-enabled initiatives.

14 July 2021