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Deals•Feb 27, 2026
EBay Ventures Invests in TrueLayer as Part of Pay by Bank Partnership
eBay Ventures announced a strategic investment in TrueLayer, the European Pay‑by‑Bank network, as the two companies launch a new ‘Pay by Bank’ checkout option for UK shoppers. The undisclosed funding will help scale TrueLayer’s real‑time payment infrastructure and deepen its partnership with eBay.
The Fintech Times
Deals•Feb 15, 2026
GoCab Raises $45M Seed Round Led by E3 Capital and Janngo VC
London‑based mobility fintech GoCab announced the closing of a $45 million Seed round, comprising $15 million in equity and $30 million in debt. The round was led by African venture firms E3 Capital and Janngo VC, with participation from KawiSafi and Cur8 Capital....
The Fintech Times
News•Feb 2, 2026
Mastercard Roundtable: Stablecoins Graduate From Crypto Curiosity to Bank-Grade Infrastructure
At a Mastercard‑hosted roundtable in Dubai, senior executives from banks, fintechs and regulators declared that stablecoins have moved beyond speculative hype to become a regulated, bank‑grade payment infrastructure. The discussion highlighted Circle’s USDC pilot with Mastercard to settle acquirer transactions...
By The Fintech Times
News•Feb 1, 2026
Zepz Acquires Pomelo to Push Beyond Remittances Into Credit Cards
Zepz, the parent of WorldRemit and Sendwave, has completed the acquisition of Pomelo, a fintech that offers a credit‑card‑linked remittance product. The deal enables Zepz to move beyond pure cross‑border payments into credit, lending and broader financial‑services offerings. Pomelo’s platform...
By The Fintech Times
News•Feb 1, 2026
ClearScore Acquires Acre Platforms to Accelerate Mortgage Expansion
ClearScore Group has bought Acre Platforms Ltd, the UK’s fastest‑growing mortgage intermediary platform. The deal will integrate Acre’s data‑driven CRM and broker‑routing technology with ClearScore’s 16 million‑strong user base, creating a seamless pipeline for mortgage applications. This follows ClearScore’s earlier purchase...
By The Fintech Times
News•Feb 1, 2026
ADX Taps Saal.ai to Build AI-Powered Market Data Platform
The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) announced a partnership with AI specialist Saal.ai to develop a next‑generation, AI‑powered market data dissemination platform. The new system will replace ADX’s legacy infrastructure with a unified, scalable solution that delivers real‑time and periodic...
By The Fintech Times
Deals•Feb 1, 2026
ClearScore Group Acquires Acre Platforms to Accelerate Mortgage Expansion
The ClearScore Group announced the acquisition of Acre Platforms Ltd, the UK's fastest‑growing intermediary mortgage platform. The deal will integrate Acre's technology into ClearScore's ecosystem, routing demand from its 16 million UK users to mortgage brokers and supporting international expansion. Financial...
The Fintech Times
Deals•Feb 1, 2026
Zepz Acquires Pomelo to Expand Beyond Remittances Into Credit Cards
Global payments group Zepz, known for WorldRemit and Sendwave, has completed the acquisition of fintech platform Pomelo, which offers the first credit card built for money transfers. The deal aims to broaden Zepz’s services beyond cross‑border payments into credit and...
The Fintech Times
News•Jan 31, 2026
Armenia’s Fintech Awakening Is an ‘Open Goal’ the UK Cannot Afford to Miss
FinTech Armenia’s CEO Stefan Lucas urges the United Kingdom to view Armenia as an emerging fintech hub and an “open goal” for British investment. He highlights a recent UK‑Armenia strategic partnership, a near‑finalized peace framework with Azerbaijan, and a surge...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 31, 2026
Nigeria: From Policy Reform to Regulatory Enforcement in the Race for a $1T Economy
Nigeria has transitioned from policy‑focused reforms to active regulatory enforcement as it pursues a $1 trillion economy. Between 2022 and 2025 the government passed the Nigeria Startup Act, Electricity Act and the 2025 Investments and Securities Act, which are now being...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 31, 2026
Invest Qatar Showcases Ecosystem Growth at Web Summit Qatar 2026 via Startup Qatar Pavilion
Invest Qatar will host the Startup Qatar Pavilion at Web Summit Qatar 2026, highlighting the nation’s fast‑growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. The pavilion will unite key agencies such as QFZ, QFC, MCIT, QDB and Media City Qatar to streamline setup, licensing, funding...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 30, 2026
London Reforms Set to Spark IPO Surge After Historic Slump, Says deVere
London has introduced sweeping capital‑markets reforms that replace EU‑era prospectus rules with a new Public Offers and Admissions to Trading regime. The changes aim to simplify listings, cut disclosure costs and speed deal timelines after a historic IPO drought –...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 29, 2026
TrueLayer and Stripe Tap Into Finnish E-Commerce with Kustom Checkout Deal
TrueLayer and Stripe have extended their Pay by Bank service to Finland by embedding it in Kustom’s checkout platform. The rollout instantly equips more than 24,000 Kustom merchants with a direct‑bank payment option that eliminates card details. Finland’s high online‑banking...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 28, 2026
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...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 28, 2026
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...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 28, 2026
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...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 27, 2026
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...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 27, 2026
Nationwide Taps Moneyhub to Bring AI Spending Insights to 16 Million Members
Nationwide Building Society has partnered with Moneyhub to embed its AI‑driven categorisation and enrichment engine across its 16 million UK members. The technology will transform raw transaction data into granular insights, delivering detailed merchant information, location tags and real‑time fraud alerts....
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 27, 2026
Transforming EDI with AI: Faster, Smarter, Scalable
Artificial intelligence is reshaping electronic data interchange by adding speed, flexibility, and intelligence to a technology that has long been hampered by rigid formats and manual error handling. AI‑driven platforms such as Comarch EDI now offer real‑time validation, automated data...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 27, 2026
ANNA Money Secures £10m to Scale AI ‘Auto Accountant’ as MTD Deadline Looms
ANNA Money has raised £10 million in growth debt from Flashpoint Ventures to accelerate its AI‑driven “Auto Accountant” platform. The fintech now reports £30 million in annual recurring revenue and serves over 50,000 UK small businesses each month. Its proprietary AI already...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 27, 2026
Thunes and UnionPay International Launch Instant Transfers to Mainland China
Thunes has partnered with UnionPay International to create a direct technical link that enables instant, pay‑to‑card transfers into mainland China. The integration routes funds in RMB straight to UnionPay debit cards across 79 major Chinese banks, delivering real‑time or within‑12‑hour...
By The Fintech Times
Deals•Jan 27, 2026
ANNA Money Raises £10m Growth Debt From Flashpoint Ventures to Scale AI Auto Accountant
UK fintech ANNA Money secured £10 million in growth debt from Flashpoint Ventures to accelerate its AI‑powered ‘Auto Accountant’ solution ahead of the UK Making Tax Digital deadline. The funding will support scaling the platform, which already serves over 50,000 small...
The Fintech Times
News•Jan 26, 2026
Dotfile and Bastion Partner to Bring AI-Powered Compliance to Enterprise Stablecoins
Dotfile, an AI AML compliance platform, has partnered with Bastion, a NYDFS‑regulated stablecoin provider, to deliver an AI‑powered onboarding and risk‑management solution for enterprise‑grade stablecoins. The joint offering combines comprehensive KYC/KYB verification, automated sanctions and PEP screening, and multi‑jurisdictional due‑diligence...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 26, 2026
The Rise of Digital Assets: A Conversation with Yoni Assia
In a Fintech Times podcast recorded at Abu Dhabi Finance Week, eToro co‑founder and CEO Yoni Assa discusses the broker’s transformation from a traditional‑finance pioneer to a leading digital‑assets platform. He outlines how eToro expanded its offering to more than...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 26, 2026
NEO PAY and Wio Bank Join Forces to Streamline SME Financing in the UAE
UAE payment provider NEO PAY has teamed up with digital bank Wio Bank PJSC to launch a point‑of‑sale (PoS) lending product for small and medium‑sized enterprises. The solution taps real‑time sales data from merchants’ PoS terminals to deliver fast working‑capital...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 23, 2026
US Senate CLARITY Act Stalls Over Stablecoin Yield Restrictions
The U.S. Senate Banking Committee postponed the markup of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act after key industry figures, including Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, withdrew support. Central to the dispute is a proposed GENIUS amendment that would bar exchanges from...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 23, 2026
UK CFOs Facing ‘Automation Deficit’ as Fragmented Systems Stall Progress
Corpay’s new research of 150 UK CFOs uncovers an "automation deficit" – while 99% plan to automate finance by 2025, fragmented legacy systems stall progress. Integration challenges top the list, cited by 47% of respondents, followed by resistance to change...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 23, 2026
ADIB Names Winners of UAE Cybersecurity Innovation Challenge to Drive Digital Resilience
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) announced the three winners of its UAE Cybersecurity Innovation Challenge—Corgea, Nothreat and DTEX Systems—selected from more than 50 global applicants. The competition, run with the UAE Cyber Security Council and DIFC Innovation Hub, featured 10...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 22, 2026
IXOPAY Launches ‘Token-First’ Packages to Tackle Payment Stack Fragmentation
IXOPAY introduced three TokenEx tokenization packages—Core, Connect and Alternative Payments—to make token‑first payments the default for enterprise merchants. The bundles aim to curb payment‑stack fragmentation, lower PCI‑DSS scope and eliminate processor‑owned token lock‑in. Core provides universal tokens, Connect adds 20+...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 22, 2026
Open Banking Limited Marks 8 Years as Usage Surges to 33 Million Monthly Payments
Open Banking Limited celebrated its eighth anniversary, highlighting that open banking has moved from a regulatory mandate to a core UK financial infrastructure. The latest data shows 33 million account‑to‑account payments in November 2025 and more than 16.5 million active user connections. The...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 22, 2026
First Abu Dhabi Bank Launches ‘World-First’ Fitness and Payment Ring with Mastercard
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) has introduced the FAB Rewards Active Credit Card, a joint venture with Mastercard that bundles a contactless payment ring with fitness tracking. The ring uses tokenisation technology from Tappy and syncs with the FAB Mobile...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 21, 2026
UK Tech Funding Drops 11% in 2025, but Late-Stage Capital Remains Resilient
UK tech companies raised $15.3 billion in 2025, an 11 percent drop from the previous year, yet the market retained its rank as the world’s second‑largest tech funding hub behind the United States. Deal volume contracted 35 percent, but late‑stage financing proved resilient,...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 21, 2026
Ziina and Lean Technologies Execute UAE’s First Live Customer-Initiated Open Finance Payment
Lean Technologies and UAE payments platform Ziina have completed the country’s first live customer‑initiated Open Finance payment. The transaction, run under the Central Bank of the UAE’s Open Finance framework, lets users move money instantly between bank accounts via regulated...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 20, 2026
ProgressSoft Secures Business Banking Win at FF Awards 2025
ProgressSoft, a global real‑time payment provider, won the Business Banking category at the 2025 FF Awards in London. The award recognizes its Corporate Banking Suite, which unifies real‑time payments, liquidity, cash management, trade finance and automated workflows on a modular,...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 20, 2026
Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank Taps AlHuda CIBE for Islamic Banking Overhaul
Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank Limited (PPCBL) has signed an advisory agreement with the AlHuda Center of Islamic Banking and Economics (AlHuda CIBE) to convert its operations to a fully Shariah‑compliant model. The Dubai‑signed pact outlines end‑to‑end support, including a Shariah...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 20, 2026
Indonesia’s Payment Revolution: Behind the Breathless Rise of QRIS and the Road to 2030
Stanchion Payments’ latest Voices from the Market report highlights Indonesia’s QRIS as the cornerstone of its fast‑growing mobile‑first payment ecosystem. The QR code standard now connects tens of millions of consumers with more than 30 million merchants, enabling sub‑second transactions and...
By The Fintech Times
Deals•Jan 20, 2026
Mal Raises $230M Seed Round Led by BlueFive Capital to Build AI-Native Islamic Digital Bank
Abu Dhabi fintech Mal announced a $230 million seed round, the largest in the Middle East and Africa, led by BlueFive Capital. The funding will be used to develop the world’s first AI-native Islamic digital bank targeting the global Muslim...
The Fintech Times
News•Jan 14, 2026
Do Digital Payments Really Promote Financial Inclusion? What the Evidence Shows
Academic research shows digital payment platforms can expand access to basic financial services, especially in developing economies, by lowering distance, time, and transaction costs. However, technology alone does not guarantee inclusion; reliable mobile connectivity, affordable devices, and digital skills are...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 14, 2026
Fintech Awards London 2026 Launches at House of Lords with S&W as New Headline Sponsor
The Fintech Awards London 2026 officially launched at an exclusive ceremony in the House of Lords, signalling the sector’s growing prominence. S&W announced its partnership with Aon as a new headline sponsor, underscoring confidence in the UK fintech ecosystem. The...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 14, 2026
DFSA Shifts to Firm-Led Assessment in Major Crypto Token Framework Update
On 12 January 2026 the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) rolled out a major amendment to its crypto‑token regime in the Dubai International Financial Centre. The update eliminates the regulator’s central “Recognised Crypto Tokens” list and requires firms offering trading, custody or...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 14, 2026
MariBank Launches S$1 Physical Gold Investment Fund for Singapore
Digital bank MariBank, a Sea Limited subsidiary, has introduced Mari Invest Gold, a physical gold fund with a S$1 minimum investment. The product, backed by Lion Global Investors and custodied by Standard Chartered, stores 99.5% pure gold bars in Singapore...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 13, 2026
Cross River Selected as Initial Banking Partner for Visa’s Stablecoin Settlement Pilot
Cross River Bank has been chosen as the inaugural banking partner for Visa’s stablecoin settlement pilot, which will settle Visa card transactions using Circle’s USDC on the Solana blockchain. Partnering with technology provider Highnote, the program moves stablecoin settlement from...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 13, 2026
ACE Money Transfer Leverages Irish License for Strategic European Expansion
ACE Money Transfer, a UK‑based remittance firm, is using its Irish payment‑institution licence to launch a pan‑European expansion. Regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, the company plans to replicate its Irish growth across the continent under the EU Payment...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 13, 2026
Nigeria’s Fintech Regulatory Landscape: What Global Investors Should Know
Nigeria is rapidly reshaping its fintech regulatory framework through several landmark statutes. The Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 streamlines company registration, while the Investments and Securities Act 2025 expands the SEC’s authority over digital finance. New SEC rules bring...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 13, 2026
Emirates NBD Issues World’s Largest Dual-Tranche Blue-Green Bond by a Financial Institution
Emirates NBD has issued a $1 billion dual‑tranche sustainable bond, the world’s largest blue‑green bond from a financial institution. The offering comprises a $300 million blue tranche with a three‑year tenor and a $700 million green tranche with a five‑year tenor under its...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 13, 2026
Zodia Custody Becomes First Global Custodian to Support Australia’s AUDM Stablecoin
Zodia Custody announced it will provide institutional‑grade custody for AUDM, the Australian dollar‑backed stablecoin issued by Macropod. This makes Zodia the first global custodian to support Australia’s first licensed stablecoin, integrating the token into its cold‑storage infrastructure. The partnership gives...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 12, 2026
The Future of Stablecoins: A Global Financial Shift
Mark Walker and Aishwary Gupta explore how stablecoins are reshaping the global financial system, highlighting their role in bridging fiat and crypto markets. They examine the rapid growth of dollar‑pegged tokens, which now hold over $150 billion in circulation, and the...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 12, 2026
Hub71 Strengthens UAE-Ireland Ties with Venturewave Capital Partnership
Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech hub, has signed a strategic partnership with Ireland’s Venturewave Capital, marking the first Irish venture‑capital partner for the ecosystem. The alliance targets reciprocal growth pathways for startups in both regions, emphasizing impact sectors such as...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 12, 2026
FinTech Australia Welcomes Productivity Commission’s Call for Universal Open Banking
FinTech Australia welcomed the Productivity Commission’s final inquiry report on data and digital technology, which estimates the Consumer Data Right (CDR) could add up to $10 billion to Australia’s GDP each year. The report rejects a de‑minimis exemption for small banks,...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 11, 2026
Maalexi to Launch World’s First Agricultural Asset Token Exchange on Avalanche
Maalexi, an Abu Dhabi‑based agri‑trade fintech, is launching MAATEX, the world’s first agricultural asset token exchange built on the Avalanche blockchain. The platform will issue Maalexi Agri Tokens (MATs) that represent insured, audited and legally owned commodities, enabling instant cross‑border...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 9, 2026
Ziina Launches ‘Violet’ Lifestyle Membership to Cut Currency Fees and Boost Loyalty
Ziina, the UAE’s leading digital wallet, unveiled Ziina Violet, a subscription‑based lifestyle membership priced at AED 100 per month. The service promises over AED 850 in monthly value by eliminating foreign‑exchange fees on the Ziina Card and bundling discounts from partners such...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 8, 2026
Nant Global Finance Launches Fully Integrated Blockchain-Enabled Capital Markets Platform
Nant Global Finance (NANT) unveiled a fully integrated blockchain‑enabled capital markets platform that combines U.S. broker‑dealer, exchange, and transfer‑agency capabilities. The rollout follows the acquisition of GlobexUS Holdings, BlockAgent, and Equity Stock Transfer, with pending purchases of AOS, Digital Offering...
By The Fintech Times
News•Jan 8, 2026
Arab Financial Services Launches SoftPOS in Egypt Following Central Bank Approval
Arab Financial Services (AFS) has secured a Central Bank of Egypt license and launched its SoftPOS solution nationwide, turning any NFC‑enabled Android smartphone into a fully licensed tap‑to‑phone payment terminal. The technology eliminates the need for traditional point‑of‑sale hardware, offering...
By The Fintech Times
Deals•Jan 2, 2026
Nant Global Finance Completes Multiple Acquisitions to Launch Blockchain Capital Markets Platform
Nant Global Finance announced the launch of a blockchain-enabled capital markets platform, following the completion of several strategic acquisitions on Jan 2 2026. The firm acquired GlobexUS Holdings Corp, BlockAgent, Inc., and Equity Stock Transfer, LLC, and signed agreements to acquire AOS,...
The Fintech Times