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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 brain” unified intelligence is essential. The author predicts agentic banking will automate more than 50 % of human tasks, new digital‑asset business models will emerge, and AI‑native competitors will operate at a fraction of traditional costs. Only organizations that combine visionary strategy with architectural overhaul will lead.
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...
2025: Top Five Payments Stories of the Year
FinTech Futures highlighted five major 2025 payments developments: the UK government will dissolve the Payment Systems Regulator and fold its duties into the FCA, aiming to streamline oversight; Africa launched PAPSSCARD, its first pan‑African card scheme to enable cross‑border retail...
2025: Top Five Fintech Partnership Stories of the Year
2025 saw a wave of high‑profile fintech partnerships reshaping payments across regions. Swift was chosen by the European Payments Council to run the EPC Directory Service, enhancing payee verification and interoperability for the VOP scheme. Stripe teamed with Paradigm to...
2025: Top Five Banking Technology Stories of the Year
Fintech Futures highlighted five pivotal banking‑technology developments in 2025. Temenos named Takis Spiliopoulos CEO, reinforcing an execution‑focused strategy. Commonwealth Bank of Australia completed a massive migration of its SAP core‑banking system to AWS, supporting 90% of accounts and 40% of national...
2025: Top Five Fintech M&A Stories of the Year
FinTech Futures highlighted the five biggest fintech M&A deals of 2025, ranging from Global Payments’ $24.25 billion acquisition of Worldpay to Santander’s £2.65 billion purchase of TSB. The transactions collectively exceed $60 billion, signaling aggressive consolidation across payments processors and traditional banks. Each...
2025: Top Five AI Stories of the Year
FinTech Futures highlighted five pivotal AI developments in 2025: the UK FCA launched an AI sandbox with Nvidia to safely test financial‑service models, while UBS hired JP Morgan’s Daniele Magazzeni as chief AI officer to steer its enterprise‑wide strategy. Grasshopper partnered with...
Banxware Co-Founder and COO Fabian Heiß to Depart
Banxware’s co‑founder and COO Fabian Heiß announced he will leave the Berlin‑based embedded lending provider at month‑end. Heiß, who helped scale the firm to serve more than 40 digital marketplaces and achieve 100% year‑over‑year loan‑origination growth, also led the integration...
The What the FinTech? Podcast | Season Six’s Jailed Buzzwords
Season six of the What the FinTech? podcast introduced its “Fintech Jail” segment, where guests either lock away overused fintech buzzwords or free previously incarcerated terms. Across 25 episodes, words such as “Cloud,” “Cheques,” and “Blockchain” were jailed, while “Agile,”...
FinTech Futures: Top Five News Stories of the Week – 19 December 2025
FinTech Futures highlighted five pivotal stories this week. PayPal applied for a Utah‑chartered industrial bank to expand small‑business lending, while Monzo secured a full European banking licence and bought mortgage fintech Habito. The UK regulator fined Nationwide Building Society £44 million...
CVB Financial Acquires Heritage Commerce in $811m Merger
CVB Financial Corp, the parent of Citizens Business Bank, announced an all‑stock merger with Heritage Commerce Corp valued at roughly $811 million. The transaction will give CVB shareholders a 77% stake and Heritage shareholders 23%, creating a combined institution with about...
What the FinTech? | S.6 Episode 25 | 2025 in Review and Predictions for 2026
The "What the FinTech?" podcast’s Season 6, Episode 25 recaps 2025’s most impactful financial‑services developments and outlines key forecasts for 2026. Hosts Dave Wallace and Dharmesh Mistry highlight AI‑driven credit models, the rapid expansion of open‑banking APIs, tighter crypto regulation, and the...
Imprint Hits Unicorn Status Following $150m Series D
Imprint, a New York‑based co‑brand financial platform, secured a $150 million Series D round, pushing its valuation to $1.2 billion and achieving unicorn status. The round was led by Khosla Ventures and featured a slate of prominent VCs including Kleiner Perkins and Ribbit...