ADCB Egypt Goes Live with Temenos
ADCB Egypt, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, has launched Temenos Payments Hub to modernize its payments infrastructure. The new hub processes SWIFT payments using the ISO 20022 MX standard, delivering richer data and higher straight‑through‑processing rates. Integrated with the bank’s existing Temenos Core, the solution centralizes payment orchestration, improves visibility, and scales for future transaction growth. The rollout aligns with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the group’s broader digital transformation agenda.
What Messy Finance Stacks Signal to Investors – and How to Fix Them Before Series B
Venture capitalists are now treating operational discipline as a core due‑diligence criterion, especially as startups approach Series B. Investors from Accel, Octopus, Cherry, Firstminute and 13books warn that messy finance stacks, inflated ARR figures, and disorganized bookkeeping are strong red flags....
GoHenry Launches Free Financial Education Lessons on YouTube to Bridge Curriculum Gap
GoHenry, the UK‑focused children’s money app, has released more than 80 bite‑sized financial education videos on its YouTube channel, offered free to the public. The lessons, adapted from its in‑app “Money Missions,” cover budgeting, saving, compound interest and investing, and...
Metroblox Unveils Ride USD Stablecoin for Everyday Transportation Payments
Metroblox announced the launch of Ride USD, a USD‑pegged stablecoin designed for everyday transportation payments. The token will be usable across ride‑hailing, public transit, and micro‑mobility services, offering instant settlement and near‑zero transaction fees. By embedding the stablecoin into its...
Volante’s Multi-Cloud Resiliency Service Keeps Payments Running During Cloud Outages
Volante Technologies has introduced a Multi‑cloud Resiliency Service designed to keep payment processing operational when a primary cloud provider experiences an outage. The solution offers rapid, zero‑data‑loss failover to a secondary cloud environment, eliminating single‑provider dependency for banks and other...
Digital Element Announces NAT Detector — Industry’s New Standard for Accurate IP Geolocation and Risk Intelligence
Digital Element launched NAT Detector, a new feature in its NetAcuity IP intelligence platform that identifies Network Address Translation (NAT) and Carrier‑Grade NAT connections. The tool flags shared‑IP environments, helping advertisers, security teams, DRM providers, and fintech firms interpret IP...
Delegation Is a Risk Decision Every Leader Makes, Not an Ops Choice
Leaders increasingly delegate decision‑making authority to software, turning routine operational choices into enterprise‑level risk decisions. When systems automatically issue credits, payments, or pricing adjustments, the underlying authority often lacks explicit ownership, exposing organizations to financial, legal, and reputational fallout. Security...
OKX Launches EU Stablecoin Payment Card via Regulated Issuer Monavate
OKX has introduced the OKX Card in Europe, a Mastercard‑compatible payment card that lets verified users spend stablecoins such as USDC and Global Dollar. The card is issued by Monavate, an EMI regulated under the EU’s MiCA framework, and requires...
Understanding Fiat Cryptocurrency: Bridging Traditional and Digital Finance
Halcón Portflow explains that fiat cryptocurrency blends government‑issued money with blockchain technology, offering a stable digital asset for Chile’s evolving financial system. By pegging tokens to fiat currencies, volatility is curbed, making them suitable for daily transactions, payroll, and cross‑border...
Cryptocurrency Leverage Trading Explained: How It Really Works
Cryptocurrency leverage trading lets Australian traders borrow capital to control positions far larger than their own funds, magnifying both potential profits and losses. Leverage ratios such as 10:1 or 50:1 determine how much exposure a trader gains per dollar of...
Global Asset Manager Mirae Asset Eyes Fund Tokenisation in UAE with Ctrl Alt Deal
Mirae Asset Global Investments, managing over $350 billion, signed an MoU with UAE fintech Ctrl Alt to explore tokenising investment funds. The partnership will develop a compliant framework for issuing and managing tokenised funds under the UAE’s VARA regulations, starting with...
UK Bans Coinbase Ads that ‘Trivialized’ Crypto Risks: Report
The UK Advertising Standards Authority has banned a series of Coinbase advertisements that portrayed cryptocurrency as a remedy for cost‑of‑living pressures while omitting risk warnings. The campaign, which included a satirical video and three high‑traffic posters, was deemed irresponsible for...
Things Worth Reading: 28th January 2026
Chris Skinner’s latest reading roundup spotlights several pivotal developments across finance. Chainalysis estimates cryptocurrency‑related money laundering reached $82 billion in 2025, while Revolut secured a full banking licence to launch a digital bank in Mexico. Tether’s CEO envisions the stablecoin as...
Coinbase Moves Closer Toward Rolling Out ‘Custom Stablecoins’
Coinbase is conducting backend tests of Flipcash’s USDF, a custom dollar‑backed stablecoin that will let businesses issue their own branded tokens. The feature, announced in December, uses Circle’s USDC as collateral and currently supports no trading, deposits or withdrawals. If...
Steak ‘N Shake Adds $5M in Bitcoin to Reserve as In-Store Sales Grow 18%
Steak ’n Shake announced a $5 million addition to its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, bringing total holdings to roughly $15 million (about 168 BTC). The chain attributes an 18 % same‑store sales increase in 2026 to its Bitcoin‑payment program. It also unveiled a Bitcoin bonus...
Nearly 40% of US Merchants Now Accept Crypto at Checkout: PayPal
PayPal’s latest survey shows that nearly 40% of U.S. merchants now accept cryptocurrency at checkout, up from earlier experimental phases. The study of 619 payment‑strategy leaders reveals that 84% of merchants believe crypto payments will become mainstream within five years,...
Maximise Return on Equity Through Data Mediation
Audax Financial Technology urges banks to adopt embedded finance and become data mediators to lift stagnant return on equity. While China and Korea have already scaled such models, most global banks are still in the early, ‘jogging’ phase of a...
MercadoLibre and Endeavor Say Latin America’s eCommerce Growth Outpaces Rest of World
Online shopping in Latin America is expanding 1.5 times faster than the rest of the world, according to data from Endeavor and MercadoLibre. The region’s e‑commerce market is projected to hit $215.31 billion this year, with Argentina, Brazil and Mexico accounting...
Enova Spotlights Small Business Confidence as Loan Demand Surges
Enova reported fourth‑quarter originations of $2.3 billion, a 32% year‑over‑year increase, pushing its portfolio to a record $4.9 billion. Small‑business loans drove 68% of the portfolio, with originations up 48% to $1.6 billion and revenue climbing 34% to $383 million. The company highlighted an...
Morgan Stanley Appoints New Head of Digital Asset Strategy
Morgan Stanley has appointed long‑time executive Amy Oldenburg to head its newly created digital‑asset strategy unit. The move follows the bank’s recent filings for spot Bitcoin and Solana ETFs, a staked Ether ETF, and plans to launch a crypto wallet...
Blockchain Investigator Identifies Crypto Theft Network Linked to US Government Seizure Funds
TRM Labs disclosed a sophisticated crypto‑theft operation that has siphoned over $90 million, including $24.9 million tied to the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, after a Telegram “band‑for‑band” challenge inadvertently revealed wallet addresses. The network employed advanced laundering tactics—cross‑chain bridges, mixers, and both...
USDAI Gears Up for Token Launch and Airdrop
USDAI, a GPU‑backed stablecoin protocol, announced its native CHIP governance token will launch in Q1 2026 with an ICO and airdrop slated for April. The platform, which grew to $658 million total value locked after a November peak of $701 million, previously bootstrapped...
BOK Counting on Mortgage Finance for a Boost in 2026
Bank of Oklahoma (BOK) Financial is banking on its mortgage‑finance unit to drive growth, aiming for $1 billion in commitments by the end of 2026. The bank projects full‑year loan growth in the high‑single‑digit range, up from 6.4% in 2025, with...
New York State Introduces Bill Deeming EWA a Loan
New York lawmakers introduced the Stop Taking Our Pay Act, which would reclassify earned‑wage‑access (EWA) advances as loans subject to the state’s 16% interest‑rate cap. The bill also treats any associated fee, tip, or subscription cost as a finance charge,...
Fraud Courier Sentenced for Stealing Millions From Seniors
A federal judge sentenced 23‑year‑old Indian national Atharva Shailesh Sathawane to 18 years in prison for acting as a courier in a scheme that stole more than $6.6 million from elderly investors. The fraud forced seniors to liquidate securities and purchase...
SUPERAGENT AI Launches Insurance Quoting AI Agent
SUPERAGENT AI unveiled the world’s first Quoting AI Agent, a tool that automates the traditionally labor‑intensive insurance quoting process. The agent gathers customer data, navigates multiple carrier rating engines, and delivers optimized quotes without human re‑keying. Early‑access sign‑ups are open...
South Dakota Lawmaker Takes Another Run at Bitcoin Reserve Bill
South Dakota Representative Logan Manhart re‑introduced HB 1155, allowing the State Investment Council to allocate up to ten percent of public funds to Bitcoin. The bill mirrors his unchanged 2025 proposal and would place the state alongside Texas, Arizona and New Hampshire,...
Nuvei and WEX Team on Virtual Cards for Travel Merchants
Nuvei announced a partnership with WEX to embed virtual‑card technology into its travel merchant network. The integration lets agencies, airlines and hospitality brands issue single‑use cards directly from settlement flows, improving cash‑flow visibility and reducing reliance on external credit. By...
DLocal Powers HONOR’s Peru Debut as E-Commerce Sales Set to Hit $59.5bn
Cross‑border payments platform dLocal has partnered with Chinese AI device maker HONOR to launch the brand’s first website in Peru. The deal gives HONOR access to a suite of local payment methods—including credit‑card installments, bank transfers, cash and the Yape...
Judge Blesses Fifth Third-Comerica Deal, Shuts Down Lawsuit
A Delaware judge rejected HoldCo Asset Management's attempt to block Fifth Third Bancorp’s $10.9 billion acquisition of Comerica, allowing the merger to proceed on schedule. The decision noted no imminent irreparable harm to shareholders and emphasized the premium benefit of the deal....
Revolut Launches Full Banking Operations in Mexico
Fintech giant Revolut has launched full banking operations in Mexico, marking its first bank outside Europe. The company obtained a Mexican multiple‑bank licence through a direct application and has funded the venture with over $100 million, well above the regulatory minimum....
Republic Europe Promotes Later Stage Investments
Republic Europe has launched the R Access series, a platform that gives individual investors direct exposure to later‑stage private companies. The first offering, a Kraken special‑purpose vehicle, aggregates existing private shares ahead of the crypto exchange’s anticipated 2026 IPO. By...
How Anti-Detect Browsers Change the Way We Work on the Web
Anti-detect browsers, originally privacy tools, now enable online professionals to compartmentalize digital identities across multiple client accounts and projects. By creating isolated browser instances, they prevent data cross‑contamination, reduce login overhead, and streamline workflow management. The technology enhances security by...
Redfin Finds Home Purchase Agreement Cancellations Rising
Redfin reports that roughly 40,000 U.S. home‑purchase agreements were cancelled in December, representing a 16.3% cancellation rate – the highest December figure since 2017. The rate rose from 14.9% a year earlier, driven by higher inventory and cost‑sensitive buyers. Atlanta...
USDCx Appears on Aleo as Privacy-Focused Blockchains Seek Stablecoin Access
Circle and Aleo announced that USDCx, a privacy‑focused version of the USDC stablecoin, is now live on Aleo through Circle’s xReserve model. The token is fully 1:1 backed by USDC held in xReserve and interoperable with USDC on Ethereum and...
BNB Rises 2.5%, Nears $900 Mark as Prediction Market Growth Signals Utility Expansion
BNB surged 2.5% to $893, closing in on the $900 resistance level. The rally coincided with Virtune’s launch of a physically backed BNB exchange‑traded product on Nasdaq Stockholm, offering direct exposure with a 1.95% annual fee and Coinbase custody. Meanwhile,...
Ally Taps Former Acting OCC Chief as Policy Adviser
Ally Financial announced the appointment of former acting OCC comptroller Rodney Hood as a senior policy adviser to CEO Michael Rhodes. Hood, who also chaired the NCUA and held senior roles at JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and NationsBank, will guide Ally’s...
AIFMD II and Distributors: Independence vs Control
Under AIFMD II, Article 20(6a) creates a carve‑out that excludes marketing carried out by MiFID II or IDD‑regulated distributors from the delegation regime. Zeidler Group highlights that this marketing is not treated as delegation regardless of any distribution agreement. The regulator will now...
House Bill Aims to Achieve Goals of FTC’s Click-to-Cancel Subscription Rule
Congress reintroduced the Unsubscribe Act (H.R. 7048) on Jan. 13, aiming to curb deceptive subscription practices by requiring clear consent, easy cancellation, and regular notifications. The bill mirrors the FTC’s stalled click‑to‑cancel rule, which a federal court invalidated earlier this year...
ACA Group and Anduin Launch Integrated AML/KYC Onboarding
ACA Group and Anduin have formed a strategic partnership to deliver a fully integrated AML/KYC and investor onboarding solution for private‑markets firms. The offering combines Anduin’s fund‑subscription platform with ACA’s ComplianceAlpha® AML/KYC managed services, creating a single‑point workflow that automates...
FinovateEurope 2026 Sneak Peek Series: Part 4
FinovateEurope 2026 will showcase three innovative fintech solutions. Elephant, from Pipl, offers GDPR‑compliant identity intelligence and fraud signals to streamline onboarding and compliance. Opentech’s OpenPay for Merchants embeds Buy‑Now‑Pay‑Later into merchant checkout, creating a new credit distribution channel for banks....
UPS Exits Volume Race, Bets on Healthcare, Cross-Border and B2B
UPS announced the completion of its strategic reduction of low‑margin Amazon package volume, cutting it by more than 50% as part of a multi‑year margin‑focused plan. The carrier is redirecting growth toward higher‑margin segments such as healthcare, small‑and‑medium‑business, automotive and...
Experian and Fincentive Join Forces to Launch Pension Data Platform
Experian has partnered with Fincentive to launch a pension data platform that digitises the traditional annual pension payslip into up to twelve monthly digital updates. The solution leverages Experian’s data‑enrichment and PayDashboard infrastructure combined with Fincentive’s pension‑specific intelligence to provide...
Anthony Scaramucci-Linked AVAX One Tumbles 32% on Uncertainty Around Shareholder Sales
AVAX One, a digital‑asset treasury firm linked to Anthony Scaramucci, saw its stock plunge more than 32% after filing that nearly 74 million insider shares are now registered for resale. The company, which holds AVAX tokens and other Avalanche ecosystem assets, disclosed...
Club Employés Selects Mangopay to Scale Employee Benefits Across Europe
Club Employés, a French employee‑benefits platform, has chosen Mangopay to overhaul its payment infrastructure as it prepares to expand across Europe. The partnership introduces a wallet‑first, multi‑party payment model that streamlines funding, distribution and redemption of benefits. Mangopay’s solution offers...
Concourse Raises $12 Million Series A to Build AI for Finance Teams
Concourse announced the general availability of its enterprise‑grade AI agent platform for finance teams and closed a $12 million Series A round led by Standard Capital, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, CRV and Y Combinator. The platform now lets any finance team connect...
DailyPay Seeks to Dismiss NY Lawsuit
Earned‑wage‑access providers DailyPay and MoneyLion have filed motions to dismiss New York Attorney General Letitia James’s lawsuits alleging illegal, usurious loans. The companies contend their on‑demand‑pay services are not loans, referencing a CFPB advisory opinion that excludes many EWA products...
1Kosmos Partners Hopae to Scale Portable Digital Identity
1Kosmos and Hopae have announced a global partnership to integrate Hopae Connect into the 1Kosmos platform, extending support to more than 60 government‑issued digital identity schemes. The joint solution enables organizations to verify eIDs securely without centralized databases, aiming to...
Revolut Business Launches Subscriptions to Unify Revenue Operations
Revolut Business has launched Subscriptions in the UK, an in‑app solution that lets merchants create, automate and manage recurring payment plans without additional billing software fees. The feature consolidates billing, payments and customer data, offering instant reconciliation, API access, free‑trial...
Credit Card Delinquencies Drop, Says Fed Bank
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reports that credit‑card delinquencies fell in the third quarter of 2025 despite rising balances and spending. Past‑due balances dropped to 3.29 percent for 30‑day delinquency and 1.62 percent for 90‑day delinquency, while the net charge‑off rate...