Cents Closes $140M Series C Round
Cents, a unified software, hardware, and payments platform for laundromats, closed a $140 million Series C round led by Sumeru Equity Partners with participation from Camber Creek. The financing is the largest software investment ever in the laundry vertical and backs Cents’ mission to modernize an underserved small‑business sector. The company already serves over 4,500 locations that process roughly $1 billion in payments each year. The new capital will accelerate product development, expand sales, and deepen integrations across the industry.
Reg CF Issuers that Set Artificially Low Funding Targets Undermine the Entire Sector of Online Capital Formation
Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) lets startups raise up to $5 million with a simple notice filing, but many issuers set unrealistically low minimum targets, such as $10,000, to claim a "successful" raise. This practice inflates success metrics while delivering little operational capital,...
Opentech Powers New Money Transfer Solution PayInit AG for Viseca, Cornèr Bank
Italian fintech Opentech will power PayInit AG, a new peer‑to‑peer money‑transfer platform being built by Viseca Payment Services and Cornèr Bank. The solution leverages Opentech’s OpenPay Send technology to move funds across Mastercard and Visa schemes, linking cards, digital wallets,...
Illinois Employers Stiff Employees With Interchange Fee Prohibition
The Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act (IFPA), passed in 2024 and slated for July implementation, will exempt taxes and tips from the standard 2% swipe fees that merchants pay on credit, debit, and gift‑card transactions. Proponents argue the measure reduces...
After Years of Trying, Moniepoint Breaks Into Kenya with Sumac Acquisition
Moniepoint has secured a foothold in Kenya by acquiring a 78% stake in Sumac Microfinance Bank, gaining an immediate deposit‑taking licence. The acquisition follows a stalled attempt to buy Kopo Kopo and comes days after Moniepoint bought Nigerian restaurant‑software firm...
Polygon Now Serving as Specialized Payments Blockchain, Report Reveals
Polygon has rebranded from a generic Ethereum layer‑2 to a dedicated payments blockchain in 2026, bolstered by six network upgrades that lifted the gas limit to 110 million and theoretical throughput above 2,600 TPS. The launch of the Open Money Stack and...
New Zealand’s Credit Card Surcharge Ban May Not Happen After All
New Zealand’s proposed ban on in‑store credit‑card surcharges, slated for May, is effectively dead after the ACT Party withdrew its support. The legislation, introduced last year, faced opposition from Retail NZ, which warned businesses would shift costs to prices. While...
LayerZero Goes Live on Institution-Focused Canton as Its First Interop Protocol
LayerZero has integrated with the institution‑focused blockchain Canton, becoming the first interoperability protocol live on the network. The connection lets traditional financial institutions move tokenized assets—such as securities, digital bonds and equities—across more than 165 public blockchains while preserving compliance...
Xero Partners with Anthropic to Put Small Business Finances Inside Claude
Xero announced a multi‑year partnership with Anthropic to embed Claude directly into its accounting platform, letting small‑business owners ask the chatbot about cash flow, overdue invoices and profit margins using live data. The integration works both ways: Claude powers Xero’s...
PSR Annual Work Programme 2026/27
On 26 March 2026 the Payment Systems Regulator released its 2026/27 annual work programme, outlining eight priority areas. The plan emphasizes delivering the National Payments Vision, overseeing Pay.UK and Faster Payments, and publishing an independent evaluation of APP fraud. It also seeks...
Jump Launches AI Associate
Jump has unveiled AI Associate, an agentic AI layer that lets financial‑services advisors act on insights in real time. The tool integrates with CRM, email, and planning systems, enabling users to pull data, update records, draft communications, and schedule meetings...
Argentina's State-Backed Energy Giant YPF Launches Tokenization Initiative on XRP Ledger
Argentina’s state‑backed power producer YPF Luz, together with blockchain firm Justoken, has rolled out Enertoken, a tokenization platform on the XRP Ledger (XRPL). The initial phase tokenizes more than $800 million of electricity contracts, leveraging Justoken’s JMWH fund which already holds...
This New Perk for Amex’s Business Cards Is a Big Bet on the Future of AI
American Express is rolling out a $300 annual statement credit on its U.S. Business Platinum and Business Gold cards for ChatGPT Business subscriptions, launching this spring. The perk aims to help enterprise customers offset AI software costs and boost productivity....
Scale Partners with Mastercard to Simplify Card Issuance Across Five African Markets
South African fintech Scale has teamed up with Mastercard to launch a one‑integration card‑issuing platform across Senegal, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The partnership consolidates issuing banks, payment networks and BIN sponsors into a single onboarding flow, cutting time‑to‑market...
Mobile Payments Take Lead in Dutch Market
In 2025 Dutch consumers used smartphones and smartwatches for mobile payments more often than debit cards, according to Betaalvereniging Nederland. Nearly six out of ten debit‑linked transactions were made via a mobile device, up from four out of ten in...
Venture Capitalists Eye Philippines
Venture capital activity in the Philippines surged in 2025, with private‑capital funding rising about 34% year‑on‑year despite a regional downturn. Foxmont Capital Partners alone raised $1.5 billion, up from $960 million in 2023, and e‑commerce now accounts for 67% of the country’s...
Bluefin Launches BluePOS, Aimed at PAX Devices
Bluefin Payment System launched BluePOS, a new payment application built on its PayConex gateway for Android point‑of‑sale devices from PAX Technology. The software handles core transaction functions—authorizations, refunds, voids, tipping, receipts and contactless payments—while allowing Bluefin to develop and update...
Fexco and Visa Partner to Enhance Global Access to Dynamic Currency Conversion
Fexco announced its Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) service is now available globally through Visa’s Acceptance Platform. The integration links Fexco’s DCC technology with Visa’s cross‑border solutions and CyberSource gateway, enabling more than 200 acquirers to offer DCC with minimal effort....
Behind the Idea: Lorum
Lorum, founded by fintech veteran George Davis, is a specialist correspondent institution that offers a single‑API gateway to global payment rails, settlement and treasury services while keeping client funds on a 100% reserved basis. The firm deliberately avoids lending or...
Tazapay Closes $36m Series B to Scale Emerging Market Payments
Tazapay announced the close of a $36 million Series B extension led by Circle Ventures, bringing total Series B funding to $36 million. The round added new investors CMT Digital and Coinbase Ventures alongside existing backers. The capital will fund licensing expansion, accelerate go‑to‑market...
Extend Adds Support for Sage Intacct, Xero, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Extend, an AI‑driven spend and expense platform, announced native integrations with Sage Intacct, Xero and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, adding to its existing support for QuickBooks and NetSuite. The new ERP connections enable two‑way data synchronization and automated reconciliation, cutting...
Nexi and Danish Banks Expand Partnership to Deliver SEPA Direct Debit Services
Italian payments leader Nexi has deepened its collaboration with three major Danish banks to roll out SEPA Direct Debit services across the Eurozone. The expanded partnership will enable merchants in Italy, Denmark and the wider EU to initiate and settle...
Blackstone Invests $250m Into UAE Payments Infrastructure Platform
Blackstone has pledged a $250 million investment into Advanced Digital Gaming Technology, a newly launched UAE‑based payments and data‑intelligence platform. The capital injection is aimed at scaling the firm’s infrastructure to support faster, more secure digital transactions across the Gulf. Blackstone’s...
CMC CapX Launches ‘Spotlight’ Enabling FTSE-Listed Cos to Connect Directly with Retail Investors
CMC CapX has launched Spotlight, a digital platform that lets FTSE‑listed companies engage directly with retail investors. The service offers interactive company profiles, live Q&A sessions, and performance dashboards, aiming to close the information gap between issuers and the growing retail...
CME Globex to Implement Software Upgrades for CME and CBOT Commodity Futures Markets
Starting Sunday March 29, CME Globex will roll out software upgrades for the CME and CBOT commodity futures markets (Market Segment ID 70), with the changes taking effect on the trade date March 30. The upgrades are designed to be transparent to...
TradeStation Securities Announces API Integration with Trade Ideas
TradeStation Securities announced a new API integration with Trade Ideas, a real‑time market‑intelligence platform. The connection lets traders move directly from Trade Ideas’ pattern‑recognition analytics to TradeStation’s commission‑free equity execution. By embedding Trade Ideas’ tick‑by‑tick monitoring into TradeStation’s self‑clearing infrastructure,...
LogicTrader Trading Platform Partners with Markets CRM
Markets CRM, a broker CRM provider, announced a partnership with the LogicTrader trading platform to integrate their systems into a shared technology stack. The collaboration will combine trading, client management, balances, and operational workflows into a single environment, reducing technical dependencies....
How KeyBank and Qolo Are Modernizing Corporate Treasury without Ripping Out the Core
KeyBank teamed with fintech Qolo to launch a real‑time virtual account management (VAM) platform that sits atop the bank’s legacy core. The solution gives corporate treasurers instant sub‑account creation, consolidated balance visibility and API‑driven data flows. In its first year...
EToro Introduces Agent Portfolios
eToro announced the beta launch of Agent Portfolios, a feature that lets users attach their own AI trading agents to a dedicated sub‑portfolio. The product requires a minimum funding of $200 and provides a scoped API key that isolates the...
CRED Rolls Out Biometric Authentication for UPI Payments up to ₹5,000
Fintech platform CRED has introduced biometric authentication for UPI payments, allowing users to approve transactions up to ₹5,000 ($60) using facial recognition or fingerprint instead of a PIN. Launched on March 25, 2026, the feature works on iOS and Android and applies...
DNB and Two Partner to Bring AI-Powered Innovation to Nordic B2B Payments
DNB, Norway's largest bank, has teamed up with fintech firm Two to launch an AI‑driven platform for B2B payments across the Nordics. The collaboration will embed machine‑learning fraud detection, real‑time invoice reconciliation, and predictive cash‑flow insights into DNB's corporate banking...
The Conflict of Interest at the Heart of PayShap’s Slow Adoption
PayShap, South Africa’s low‑cost instant payment rail, marks its third anniversary but still lags behind legacy cards and EFTs. Adoption stalls because major banks, which host the service, view it as a threat to their fee‑based revenue, creating a structural...
Southeast Asia Dominates Fintech Expansion Plans, According to Money20/20 Report
Money20/20’s “Future of Fintech in APAC” report shows Southeast Asia now the top growth target for fintech, with 23 percent of senior leaders focusing on the region. Partnerships such as Grab Financial with Kasikornbank and GoTo with Bank Jago illustrate a...
Bitget Wallet Brings Stablecoin Payouts to Bangladesh’s bKash and Nagad
Bitget Wallet has launched its Bank Transfer feature in Bangladesh, enabling users to convert USDT and USDC into Bangladeshi taka and push the funds directly to mobile money platforms bKash and Nagad. The service taps a mobile‑first ecosystem that now...
This Ex-Google, Ex-Anka Founder Is Building Shopify but for Social Sellers in Francophone Africa
Yelen, a Côte d’Ivoire‑based startup founded by ex‑Google executive Ibrahima Sylla, launched in June 2025 as an all‑in‑one platform for African social sellers. The service lets merchants create storefronts, accept card and mobile‑money payments, and manage orders from WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook...
Insurtech Startup Plum Nets ₹193 Cr To Expand Employee Health Benefits Platform
Insurtech startup Plum announced a $20.6 million Series B round, raising ₹193 crore led by Peak XV Ventures with participation from Tanglin and GMO Venture Partners. The funding will finance talent acquisition, AI‑driven claims processing, enterprise‑grade security, and deeper HR‑payroll integrations. Plum also plans...
Financial Services Roundup: Market Talk
Mastercard says stablecoins won’t threaten its core consumer payments, emphasizing its dispute‑resolution and fraud protection layers as non‑replicable. The firm sees the biggest growth potential in B2B cross‑border payments, remittances and the gig economy where card penetration is low. American Express...
Elon Musk's X Hires Crypto-Savvy Design Lead as X Money Payments Push Inches Closer
Elon Musk’s X has appointed Benji Taylor, a veteran of crypto product design, as head of design for both X and its affiliated ventures xAI and SpaceX. Taylor previously founded the self‑custody wallet Family, which was acquired by Aave, and...
Robinhood Markets Now Offers Banking Services, Gold Card to Streamline Spending, Trading, Investing
Robinhood has launched the Gold Card, a no‑annual‑fee credit card that delivers a flat 3% cash back, and expanded its banking suite with high‑yield savings accounts paying up to 4.25% APR. The premium Gold tier costs $5 per month and...
Fime Lab Can Now Test Against New EMVCo Biometric Card Specification
Fime’s EMEA laboratory has earned EMVCo recognition to test fingerprint sensors against the new Biometric Card Specification, enabling certified evaluation of reliability, liveness detection and user convenience. Fingerprint Cards AB became the first provider to have its complete fingerprint‑based payment...
BitGo Teams with ZKsync to Build Tokenized Deposit Infrastructure to Bring Banks Onchain
BitGo and ZKsync have begun testing a full‑stack solution that lets banks issue and settle tokenized deposits on a permissioned, privacy‑preserving blockchain. The joint platform combines BitGo’s institutional custody services with ZKsync’s Prividium network, aiming to keep funds within existing...
ThriveCart Launches Card-Linked Installments to Unlock $3.3Trillion in Unused Credit
ThriveCart unveiled ThrivePay Installments, a card‑linked financing option that places an authorization hold on a shopper’s existing credit‑card limit and splits payments over three, six or twelve months. The model targets high‑ticket digital products, offering merchants up‑front liquidity on sales...
Private Credit Sector Could Benefit From New Bank Capital Rules
U.S. regulators are drafting new bank capital rules that would lower the risk‑weight for certain securitization exposures from 20% to 15%. The change treats loans to special purpose entities holding private‑credit assets as less risky, encouraging banks to extend more...
Private Stablecoin Platform Payy Network Raises $6 Million Seed Round
Payy Network announced a $6 million seed round led by FirstMark Capital, with participation from Robot Ventures and DBA Crypto. The private‑by‑default stablecoin platform uses zero‑knowledge proofs to conceal transaction details, addressing transparency concerns that deter enterprise adoption. Payy’s services, including...
Wealthsimple Gets Regulatory Approval to Enter Prediction Markets
Wealthsimple, the Toronto‑based fintech valued at roughly $10 billion, secured initial approval from the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) to launch prediction‑market contracts linked to economic indicators, financial markets and climate trends. The clearance permits binary “yes‑or‑no” forecast contracts, though the...
Polymarket to Impose Taker Fees on Nearly All Trading Categories
Polymarket will begin charging taker fees on almost every trading category starting March 30, with rates that peak at 1.8 percent for crypto‑related contracts and lower tiers for sports, finance, culture, and other markets. Geopolitics remains the sole fee‑free category. Makers continue...
Coinbase Brings Exchange Data Onchain via Chainlink's DataLink
Coinbase has integrated Chainlink’s DataLink service to publish its premium exchange data on‑chain for the first time, giving DeFi protocols direct access to order‑book, spot and futures data across crypto, metals, energy and equity markets. The integration builds on Coinbase’s...
SBI, Sony Back Startale’s $63 Million Push to Expand Japan’s Tokenized Finance Stack
Startale Group closed a $63 million Series A round, secured by SBI Group ($50 million) and Sony Innovation Fund ($13 million). The Singapore‑based firm builds blockchain infrastructure, including the Strium tokenized‑securities ledger, JPYSC and USDSC stablecoins, and a consumer‑facing app. The capital will be...
ICapital Integrates Alts Into BlackRock's Aladdin Wealth Platform
iCapital has partnered with BlackRock to embed its alternative‑investment platform into Aladdin Wealth, the asset‑management technology suite used by wealth managers. The integration lets advisors browse, subscribe to, and redeem private‑market products directly within Aladdin’s workflow, while leveraging the same...
Zapier and Rillet Connect AI-Native ERP to Broader Finance Stack
Zapier and Rillet have announced an integration that links Rillet’s AI‑native general ledger with Zapier’s workflow‑orchestration platform, giving finance teams access to more than 8,000 business applications. The partnership lets AI agents handle core accounting tasks while Zapier automates data...