Fintech Futures

Eight Years on, Open Banking Has Become National Infrastructure - the UK Must Now Protect Its Global Advantage

Eight years after its launch, the UK’s open‑banking ecosystem has matured into a national financial infrastructure, supporting more than 16.5 million live user connections and 145 regulated third‑party providers. Open‑banking‑enabled payments surged to almost 34 million transactions in November 2025, signalling mass‑market adoption....

Reltio Achieves AWS Financial Services Competency

Reltio, a context‑intelligence platform, earned the Amazon Web Services Financial Services Industry Competency, confirming its secure, compliant data solutions for banks, insurers, and capital‑markets firms. The badge follows prior competencies in Travel & Hospitality and Life Sciences and validates Reltio’s...

TSB Head Marc Armengol Appointed as New Banco Sabadell CEO

Spanish lender Banco Sabadell announced that Marc Armengol, currently head of TSB, will assume the role of chief executive officer in May. He will replace outgoing CEO César González‑Bueno following the bank’s annual shareholders’ meeting. Armengol’s appointment comes as Sabadell...

Fintech for Good: How Interledger Foundation Is Pioneering Open Payments for Global Financial Inclusion

The Interledger Foundation (ILF) is accelerating open, interoperable payments by stewarding the Interledger Protocol (ILP), a TCP/IP‑based system that routes payment packets across disparate financial networks. Established in 2019, ILF combines standards development, grant funding and academic partnerships to lower...

ICE Launches FTSE® South Korea RIC Capped Index Futures

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) has introduced the FTSE® South Korea RIC Capped Index Futures (ticker SKO), a CFTC‑approved, USD‑denominated contract developed with FTSE Russell and the Korea Exchange (KRX). The RIC‑capped methodology limits single‑name concentration, aligning with regulatory standards while delivering deep...

Alinea Invest Scores $22.5m in User Acquisition Financing

Alinea Invest secured $22.5 million in user acquisition financing, bolstering its growth engine. The new capital follows a $10.4 million Series A round in 2025 and a $3.4 million seed round earlier in 2024. The financing is targeted at expanding...

Akbank Goes Live on Mambu Core in Germany

Akbank AG, the German subsidiary of Turkey’s Akbank, has gone live with Mambu’s cloud‑native core banking platform on Microsoft Azure. The rollout, executed by Innovance Consultancy with support from Akbank’s AkTech unit, also included a parallel rebuild of the data...

Affirm and Wayfair Expand Partnership to the UK and Canada

One Day to Go! Submit Your Nominations for the Banking Tech Awards USA Today

The Banking Tech Awards USA are closing nominations tomorrow, 6 February, with the ceremony slated for 28 May. The awards honor the most innovative solutions shaping the U.S. banking sector, from digital platforms to cybersecurity breakthroughs. Organizers urge firms to...

UK Challenger Tandem Bank Promotes Ryan Heaps to CFO

UK challenger Tandem Bank announced the promotion of Ryan Heaps to chief financial officer. Heaps, who joined after Tandem’s 2022 acquisition of Oplo, has served as deputy CFO since January 2025. The move underscores Tandem’s focus on strengthening its finance...

Exclusive: Veritus Raises $10.1m Seed Funding to Power Voice-First AI Agents for Lenders

Veritus announced a $10.1 million seed round to accelerate its voice‑first AI agents for lenders. The platform delivers omnichannel assistants that plug directly into loan‑origination systems, handling follow‑ups, identity verification, and payment‑plan negotiations. Funding, led by a group of fintech‑focused investors,...

Ravi Pangal Joins IndusInd Bank as New CIO

IndusInd Bank has appointed Ravi Pangal as its new Chief Information Officer. Pangal brings more than three decades of technology leadership experience, most recently serving eight years in senior tech roles at HSBC. His expertise spans digital transformation, cybersecurity, and...

Castles Technology Lands in Turkey Through MTBT Acquisition

Castles Technology, a European fintech firm, entered the Turkish market by acquiring local payments provider MTBT. The deal follows the company’s recent rollout of POS and payment services in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Spain, marking a rapid multi‑country expansion. MTBT’s...

Arcesium Buys Limina to Connect Portfolio Management with Post‑trade Ops

Arcesium announced the acquisition of Limina, a portfolio and order management provider, to fuse its front‑office capabilities with Arcesium's post‑trade platform. The deal will embed Limina's order system directly into Arcesium's accounting and reporting suite, creating a seamless workflow from...

Columbia Bank Inks $597m Merger with Northfield Bank

Columbia Bank announced a $597 million merger with Northfield Bank. As part of the agreement, Northfield’s chairman, president and CEO Steven Klein will join Columbia as senior executive vice president and chief operating officer. The transaction combines two mid‑size lenders with...

Rebecca Griffin Named New Afin Bank CRO

Afin Bank marks the third financial institution that Griffin has been CRO at during her career.

FCA Unveils First Cohort for UK Government's Scale-Up Initiative

The Financial Conduct Authority announced the inaugural cohort of the UK government's scale‑up programme, selecting six challenger lenders – Allica Bank, ClearBank, Monument Bank, Nottingham Building Society, OakNorth Bank and Zopa Bank. The cohort will receive regulatory guidance, a streamlined...

Aeon Bank Names Yew Jin Kang as New CTO

Aeon Bank announced Yew Jin Kang as its new chief technology officer, marking his return to digital banking after nearly a decade away. Kang previously directed digital banking initiatives at Hong Leong Bank from 2014 to 2016. His appointment underscores...

BLAQclouds Announces the Successful Live Launch of ApolloCASH

Checkout.com Acquires Blue EMI for Euro Stablecoin Issuance Capabilities

Checkout.com announced the acquisition of Blue EMI, a firm specializing in euro‑denominated stablecoin issuance, to broaden its crypto‑payment offerings. The deal gives Checkout.com immediate access to Blue EMI's technology stack and regulatory licences for issuing digital euros. Simultaneously, Checkout.com will...

Chicago's Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust Closed by State Regulator

Chicago’s Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust was shut down by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on Jan. 30, with the FDIC stepping in to oversee the closure. All insured deposit accounts were transferred to First Independence Bank, ensuring...

BNF Bank Migrates to Temenos Transact with Validata’s ConnectIQ

The project has seen the bank replace its legacy Banka 2 core system with Temenos Transact R23 SaaS.

Banking Tech Awards USA 2026 Champions Community Banking

The Banking Tech Awards USA 2026 will be held on May 28 in New York, spotlighting community‑banking innovation. FinTech Futures interviewed judges from Capital One, Wells Fargo, Travis Credit Union and ImpactFI to uncover what makes a solution award‑worthy. The...

ICE’s Environmental Market Trading Reaches Record Highs in 2025

Intercontinental Exchange reported record environmental derivatives trading in 2025. The exchange processed $1 trillion in notional value for the fifth consecutive year, with 20.9 million futures and options contracts—a 4% rise from 2024. Physical delivery of carbon allowances topped $117 billion, and North...

FinTech Futures: Top Five News Stories of the Week – 30 January 2026

FinTech Futures highlighted five major developments this week: Australian digital bank in1bank will cease operations and return deposits by 4 February 2026; Saxo Bank received a DKK 313 million (≈$50 m) fine from the Danish regulator for AML compliance gaps; digital‑asset firm BitGo completed...

Banking Technology Magazine February 2026 Issue Out Now

Banking Technology Magazine has released its February 2026 issue, featuring the cover story “From Chrysalis to Butterfly,” which frames the fintech evolution as a metamorphosis. The issue offers a 2025 fintech trends recap, a forward‑looking feature on page 12, and Dharm Mistry’s...

January 2026: Top Five Fintech Funding Stories of the Month

FinTech Futures takes a look back at five of the top fintech funding stories from January.

Duetto Names Tripadvisor Vet Robert Matsuoka as New Tech Chief

Robert Matsuoka will focus on the Revenue and Profit Operating System launched by Duetto last year.

January 2026: Top Five Movers and Shakers Stories of the Month

January 2026 saw a wave of senior appointments across the financial sector, with JP Morgan Payments naming former NatWest CDAO Zachery Anderson as chief data and analytics officer. Hargreaves Lansdown announced Vanguard veteran Matt Benchener as its incoming CEO, while HSBC Private...

Does Finance Need a Big Picture?

In a reflective piece, Dave Wallace argues that the finance sector has lost its big‑picture perspective, becoming fixated on profit extraction rather than serving people. He recounts his own agency’s shift from strategic consulting to polishing existing processes, a move...

January 2026: Top Five Fintech Partnership Stories of the Month

January 2026 saw a flurry of high‑profile fintech collaborations shaping payments, blockchain and digital‑asset ecosystems. Riyad Bank’s Jeel signed an MoU with Ripple to pilot blockchain‑based cross‑border solutions in Saudi Arabia, while JP Morgan Chase will replace Goldman Sachs as Apple Card issuer, bringing...

January 2026: Top Five New Launch Stories of the Month

January 2026 saw a wave of fintech launches, beginning with the NYSE unveiling a blockchain‑based tokenised securities platform that promises 24‑hour trading and real‑time settlement. Estonia‑based Iute Group is set to launch IuteBank in Ukraine, inheriting roughly 13,000 retail customers...

Saxo Bank Fined Around $50m by Danish FSA

Saxo Bank has been hit with a fine of roughly $50 million by Denmark’s Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA) after a May 2023 inspection uncovered alleged breaches of the country’s Money Laundering Act. The penalty follows a detailed audit by the Danish FSA,...

ClearBank Founder Andrew Smith Is Building "the Home of UK Sports Finance" With New Banking Venture Sporta

Former ClearBank founder Andrew Smith is launching Sporta, a dedicated banking platform for UK sports organisations. The venture aims to address chronic financial pressure on clubs—only 20% finish the year with a surplus—by offering AI‑native banking, loans and sponsorship tools....

JP Morgan Acquires WealthOS to Boost Pensions Offering

JP Morgan announced the acquisition of UK‑based wealth‑tech firm WealthOS, aiming to strengthen its pensions and retirement‑planning suite. WealthOS, founded in 2019, provides a SaaS platform that powers digital wealth‑management products such as Lifetime ISAs and fully digital drawdown pensions. The...

Banking’s Empty Raincoat

The article revisits Charles Handy’s "empty raincoat" metaphor to critique the current wave of AI adoption in banking. While banks have digitised operations, the addition of intelligence often creates hollow processes staffed by people whose roles lack purpose. The author...

Solutions and Fixes

The article outlines a six‑step playbook for financial‑services firms to close the widening technology and operational gap caused by legacy systems and fragmented estates. It starts with an honest inventory of assets and deficits, then stresses disciplined planning, relentless focus,...

Jet Bank Partners Backbase to Power Launch of Albania’s First Neobank

Jet Bank has partnered with Backbase to build Albania’s inaugural neobank. The bank is currently in the licensing phase and earned preliminary approval from the Albanian central bank in December 2023. Backbase will supply its low‑code digital banking platform to...

FinTech Futures: Top Five News Stories of the Week – 16 January 2026

President Donald Trump announced a temporary one‑year 10% cap on U.S. credit‑card interest rates, targeting the 20‑30% rates prevalent under the previous administration. B4B Payments co‑founder Paul Swinton stepped down as executive chair, remaining as a strategic director. Stablecoin‑focused platform...

B4B Payments Co-Founder Paul Swinton Steps Down From Executive Chair Role

Paul Swinton, co‑founder of B4B Payments, has stepped down from his executive chair role after more than 18 years, transitioning to a non‑executive director position. The fintech, acquired by Banking Circle in 2022, will have its senior leadership absorb his...

Danske Bank UK Appoints Fiona Browne as Head of AI

Danske Bank UK has appointed former Datactics chief Dr. Fiona Browne as its first head of AI, effective immediately. She will lead the creation of an AI centre of excellence in Belfast, working alongside data and analytics lead Lyndsay Shields....

BVNK Granted Direct Access to SEPA Payments Infrastructure

BVNK has become a technical partner in the Bank of Lithuania’s CENTROlink system, granting it direct access to the SEPA instant euro payment network and stablecoin settlements on a single platform. The firm claims to be the only licensed provider...

US Business Banking Start-Up Valt Applies for Bank Charter

US fintech startup Valt has filed an application with the OCC and FDIC for a national bank charter, aiming to launch a fully digital business bank headquartered in Eagle, Idaho. The founding team, comprising former US Bank executives and seasoned investors,...

2026 Demystified: No More Resolutions, It’s Time for Action

The article argues that banks must abandon incremental upgrades and adopt a fundamentally new, multi‑cloud, AI‑native architecture to survive in 2026. It highlights that true cloud‑native solutions require complete redesign, that AI should replace entire workflows, and that a “single...

Video: ABN Amro at Money20/20 USA - Building BUUT

ABN Amro’s new digital‑only bank BUUT was highlighted in a video interview with FinTech Futures at Money20/20 USA, where chief architect Annerie Vreugdenhil explained its launch strategy. BUUT targets millennials and Gen‑Z with a mobile‑first experience, leveraging ABN Amro’s existing infrastructure while...

Flutterwave Acquires Nigerian Open Banking Provider Mono

Flutterwave, the US‑based payment‑technology firm, announced it has acquired Nigerian open‑banking provider Mono. The all‑stock transaction is valued between $25 million and $40 million, though exact terms remain undisclosed. Mono will continue operating independently, preserving its leadership and product roadmap while integrating...

2025: Top Five Funding Rounds of the Year

2025 saw unprecedented fintech financing, highlighted by Binance securing a record $2 billion stablecoin investment from Abu Dhabi’s MGX and Ripple achieving a $40 billion valuation after a $500 million round. Revolut’s employee share sale pushed its valuation to $75 billion, while Kraken raised...

2025: Top Five Movers and Shakers Stories of the Year

2025 saw a wave of senior leadership changes across major financial institutions. Monzo announced CEO TS Anil will exit in February 2026, with Diana Layfield taking the helm. Revolut appointed Béatrice Cossa‑Dumurgier as Western Europe CEO to drive its €1 billion...

2025: Top Five New Launch Stories of the Year

2025 saw a wave of high‑profile fintech launches, from Trump Media's Truth.Fi offering crypto‑linked ETFs to a nine‑bank European consortium unveiling a euro‑denominated stablecoin slated for H2 2026. Malaysia’s Bank Muamalat introduced Atlas, the nation’s first Islamic digital‑only bank powered by...