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

Company update/startups

Hinkus and Blomfield invest in Robin AI

Robin AI, the generative AI startup, has raised $10.5m led by Plural, with participation from Episode 1.

27 February 2023

Bankman-Fried faces new criminal charges

Sam Bankman-Fried has been hit with four new criminal charges accusing the FTX cryptocurrency exchange founder of conspiring to commit bank fraud and to make unlawful political contributions.

23 February 2023

News/crypto

Crypto trade group criticises SEC insider trading case

A US-based trade association representing crypto firms has called for the dismissal of an insider trading case brought by the Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) arguing that the regulator has unfairly labelled crypto assets as securities.

23 February 2023

News/payments

Mastercard and Visa to face another card interchange class action suit

Mastercard and Visa are set to face another multibillion-pound UK lawsuit over Multilateral Interchange Fees (MIFs), according to Sky News.

22 February 2023

News/markets

US jury convicts Russian in $90m hack-to-trade conspiracy

A Russian businessman has been convicted in the US for his part in a scheme that netted $90 million through securities trades based on non-public information stolen from computer networks.

17 February 2023

News/markets

UK provides legal clarity on issuance of digital securities via blockchain

LawtechUK, a government-backed and industry-led group tasked with promoting the use of English law and the UK’s jurisdictions in the context of novel technologies, has determined that the UK legal framework is fit for purpose in relation to the issue of digital securities.

16 February 2023

News/people

Ex-Wirecard chief Braun denies charges in fraud trial

Former Wirecard boss Marcus Braun has rejected all charges at his trial connected to the collapse of the German payments giant.

13 February 2023

News/regulation

SEC WhatsApp crackdown expands to hedge funds

The Securities and Exchange Commission is widening its probe into Wall Street's use of WhatsApp for conducting business to include major hedge funds, according to Bloomberg.

06 February 2023

News/crime

Swiss prosecutors investigate 2022 Credit Suisse data leak

Swiss prosecutors have launched criminal proceedings aimed at those responsible for the 2022 leak at Credit Suisse which exposed the details of accounts held by wealthy clients allegedly involved in a host of illegal activity.

03 February 2023

News/crypto

Silvergate's FTX dealings face fraud investigation

US Justice Department fraud prosecutors are investigating crypto-focussed bank Silvergate's dealings with FTX and Alameda Research, according to Bloomberg.

03 February 2023

News/crypto

Judge dismisses class-action suit against Coinbase

Shares in Coinbase soared by more than 20% on Thursday after a judge dismissed a class-action lawsuit against the cryptocurrency exchange.

03 February 2023

News/payments

Commerzbank sues EY over €200 million Wirecard loss

Commerzbank is suing EY for the recovery of €200 million in losses from the collapse of disgraced German payments firm Wirecard.

26 January 2023

News/crypto

Genesis files for bankruptcy; Winklevoss threatens to sue DCG

Crypto broker Genesis has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, listing debts of around $3.5 billion. On the same day, Gemini co-founder Cameron Winklevoss has threatened to sue Genesis parent company Digital Currency Group and its CEO Barry Silbert.

20 January 2023

News/crypto

US arrests crypto exchange founder

US authorities have charged the Russian founder of Hong Kong-based crypto exchange Bitzlato, which it says was used to launder hundreds of millions of dollars in criminal proceeds from the darknet.

18 January 2023

Company update/crypto

Judge rules in favour of shareholder request to audit ConsenSys

On the 5th of January 2023, the Supreme Court of the Canton of Zug ruled in favour of a shareholder request to audit the founding transaction of ConsenSys Software Incorporated (CSI).

18 January 2023

Company update/Legal

Ashurst invites applications for Fintech Legal Labs accelerator

Fintech Legal Labs, a business accelerator programme provided by law firm Ashurst, is collaborating with six new industry leaders to enhance the cutting-edge advice delivered to the third cohort of its programme, which supports Fintechs who are advancing to the next stage of their business journeys.

12 January 2023

News/retail

JPMorgan Chase sues founder of startup it acquired

JPMorgan Chase is suing the founder of a college financial planning platform it acquired for $175 million, accusing her of creating a list of millions of fake users to get the deal completed.

12 January 2023

News/people

New York sues Celsius founder Mashinsky

New York's attorney general has filed a civil lawsuit against the founder of bankrupt Celsius Network, Alex Mashinsky, alleging that he defrauded hundreds of thousands of investors out of billions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency.

06 January 2023

News/security

JPMorgan must face Ray-Ban lawsuit over cyber theft

A New York judge has ruled that JPMorgan Chase must face a lawsuit from the French manufacturer of Ray-Ban glasses, which argues that the bank failed to stop suspicious transactions after cybercriminals looted $272 million from its account.

06 January 2023

News/people

FTX's Bankman-Fried pleads not guilty

Sam Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to eight criminal charges related to the collapse of FTX, the cryptocurrency exchange he founded.

03 January 2023