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Date – 16-Aug-2024 U.S. merchants using Stripe can now seamlessly integrate Zip’s payment method at checkout across the United States. Zip Expands Strategic Partnership with Stripe to Offer Seamless Payment Integration for U.S. Merchants Zip, a leading digital financial services company known for its innovative, customer-centric products, has announced the integration of its payment method for U.S. merchants using Stripe. This new integration allows eligible merchants to easily enable Zip as a payment option with just one click, potentially attracting new customers and boosting both conversion rates and average transaction sizes. This partnership builds on the successful collaboration between Zip and Stripe in Australia and now extends it to the U.S. market. “Our strategic partnership with Stripe has yielded excellent results for merchants and customers in Australia, and we’re excited to replicate that success in the United States,” said George Eliopoulos, Chief Commercial Officer at Zip. Zip continues to champion financial inclusion, with 6.0 million active customers and over 79,000 merchants across the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. The company’s approach to Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) is reshaping the retail economy by providing accessible credit options to a broader demographic, including those traditionally underserved by conventional financial institutions. This not only introduces new customers to brands but also addresses critical needs in the marketplace. “Our goal at Zip is to offer customers transparent and flexible credit solutions that enhance their financial autonomy, while providing merchants with access to a motivated new customer base,” added Eliopoulos. For merchants utilizing Stripe’s optimized checkout interfaces, such as the Payment Element and Checkout, enabling Zip requires no additional coding and can be activated directly from the Stripe Dashboard. While Zip is already available to merchants in Australia, it is expected to become generally available to U.S. merchants later this year. Zip Co Limited (ASX: ZIP), listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, operates in two core markets—the United States and Australia/New Zealand. Founded in 2013 in Australia, Zip offers fair, flexible, and transparent payment solutions, helping customers manage their financial futures while supporting merchants in growing their businesses. In the U.S., loans offered through the Zip app and Zip Checkout are originated by WebBank and are subject to credit approval.

Date – 16-Aug-2024 This collaborative solution delivers interactive digital advice experiences, boosts efficiency, and empowers financial advisors to achieve better client outcomes. SigFig Introduces Advanced AI Capabilities to Enhance Engage Platform for Financial Advisors SigFig, a leading provider of digital wealth management solutions and technology for financial institutions and their advisors, has announced the addition of new AI-powered features to its financial advisor collaboration platform, Engage. Engage is designed to power collaborative digital experiences at the core of financial advisor-client relationships. It seamlessly blends human expertise with advanced technology, offering a comprehensive set of capabilities that include AI-driven assistance to enhance advisor effectiveness, integration with industry-leading systems to streamline processes, and collaborative tools that deepen client engagement. New AI Capabilities The newly introduced AI features include: “AI has the potential to significantly enhance the productivity and effectiveness of financial advisors,” said Mike Sha, founder and CEO of SigFig. “Advisors need to focus on building meaningful client relationships and understanding their clients’ unique goals and challenges. Engage serves as a central hub to facilitate more personalized client experiences, while efficiently managing essential but time-consuming administrative tasks.” Enhanced Integrations Engage further enhances the advisor experience by offering seamless integration with widely-used systems such as Salesforce, Docusign, Microsoft, and Google. The CRM integration allows for bi-directional data synchronization, enabling advisors to view client information within the Engage platform while syncing meeting notes, updated client details, follow-up tasks, and more into Salesforce—ultimately accelerating the sales process and improving client conversions. Engage’s open-architecture design also allows for flexible connections with proprietary systems. Collaborative Digital Experiences Engage fosters a more interactive collaboration between advisors and clients, encouraging clients to actively participate in the financial advice process. This approach enables advisors to better support their clients’ financial wellness and gain a deeper understanding of their unique financial situations. SigFig has developed a suite of customizable modules covering various financial services topics, including client prospecting, needs discovery, retirement planning, account opening, and annual client reviews. Engage is the latest addition to SigFig’s digital wealth management ecosystem, complementing other offerings such as Digital Advice Pro, a modern managed account platform designed to serve both prospective and existing clients more efficiently, and Digital Advice, a fully automated, personalized investment portfolio tool for clients who prefer self-service or are not currently working with an advisor.

Date – 15-Aug-2024 Keabank, an emerging neobank, has secured a fresh investment, establishing its initial valuation at €10.5 million. The funding round was led by Mark Carnegie, a veteran investor with over 30 years of experience in investment and corporate advisory. Carnegie’s extensive background, particularly in digital assets and cryptocurrency ventures, is expected to give Keabank a strategic advantage as it expands its innovative payment solutions across fiat and cryptocurrency platforms. Keabank is committed to transforming financial services for underserved clients by offering a comprehensive range of banking solutions. These include SWIFT and SEPA payments, dedicated IBANs, crypto exchange and custody, and foreign exchange services. The neobank serves both corporate and individual clients, focusing on seamless cross-border transactions involving both fiat and cryptocurrencies. Notable for its swift onboarding, 24/7 support, and multilingual customer service, Keabank is well-suited to industries such as travel, retail, and crypto. The neobank prioritizes innovation and regulatory compliance, aiming to be a global one-stop solution with multi-currency capabilities and global payouts. Mark Berkovich, CEO of Keabank, expressed enthusiasm about the investment, stating, “We are excited to welcome Mark Carnegie as an investor and founding partner. His confidence in our vision and deep industry expertise will be crucial in accelerating our growth and enhancing our offerings. This investment highlights our dedication to revolutionizing financial services for underserved markets.” The investment followed nearly a year of rigorous due diligence, reflecting a strong belief in Keabank’s business model, technology, and team, and positioning the neobank to achieve its ambitious objectives.

Date – 15-Aug-2024 Sling Money, a cutting-edge payments platform, has announced a significant $15 million boost from its Series A funding round. The investment, led by Union Square Ventures with contributions from Ribbit Capital and Slow Ventures, follows an earlier $5 million seed round backed by Ribbit Capital and Slow Ventures. Sling Money is revolutionizing global money transfers by integrating stablecoin technology with a user-friendly interface. This approach enables instant, low-cost transactions worldwide, a marked improvement over traditional methods that often incur high fees and slow processing times. The new funding will support the expansion of Sling Money’s technology and market presence. The platform aims to simplify global financial interactions, making them as seamless as online chatting. Sling Money currently supports transfers across over 50 countries in Europe and Africa and offers a unique feature called Sling Link, allowing users to send money instantly to both Sling users and non-users with minimal to no cost. Rebecca Kaden, Partner at Union Square Ventures, commented, “Sling Money signifies a major advancement in the global payments landscape. Their innovative use of blockchain technology to create seamless, instant transactions aligns with our vision of expanding access, reducing costs, and unlocking new opportunities for users. We are excited to support Sling Money in this transformative journey.”

Date – 15-Aug-2024 Peanuds, a leading provider of financial applications designed for startups, freelancers, and small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), has announced a strategic partnership with Weavr, a prominent embedded finance provider. Peanuds offers a comprehensive suite of financial services, including payments, money transfers, and a spend-management platform that supports custom user profiles, dedicated payment cards, and detailed analytics. Weavr complements these services with essential financial infrastructure, such as virtual IBANs, physical and virtual cards, and multi-currency support. This partnership seeks to bridge significant gaps in financial services for SMBs, particularly in regions like Cyprus, Malta, and Portugal, which are key hubs for digital-nomad businesses. Local banking systems in these areas often struggle to meet the evolving needs of modern e-commerce companies and digital agencies. By integrating Weavr’s technology, Peanuds aims to provide a unified financial superapp that consolidates various services into a single, streamlined platform. Peanuds leverages a modular architecture that integrates various financial service providers, tailoring its offerings to meet diverse customer needs through a single platform. Weavr’s Open Banking framework is crucial to this integration, enabling the creation of a centralized financial ecosystem. Florian Reike, Co-founder of Peanuds, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration: “We are thrilled to partner with Weavr. Their advanced technology and expertise enable us to rapidly deploy new capabilities and features. This product would not be possible without embedded finance, and after thorough evaluation, Weavr emerged as the ideal partner for our target market.” Alex Mifsud, Co-founder and CEO of Weavr, added: “Peanuds’ extensive suite of payment functions, combined with our embeddable financial solutions, highlights the transformative potential of embedded finance in supplier finance. We are excited to support Peanuds in enhancing its position as a finance platform tailored to an underserved market and look forward to the positive impact this partnership will have on its users and the broader market.”

Date – 15-Aug-2024 Flexys, a prominent UK-based provider of collections management technology, has announced a strategic partnership with Moneyhub, a trailblazer in Open Banking, Open Finance, and Open Data solutions. This collaboration aims to revolutionize the collections industry by integrating Moneyhub’s cutting-edge Open Banking capabilities into Flexys’s advanced cloud-based software. The partnership is set to enhance Flexys’s already innovative platform, which uses real-time data and automation to improve collections efficiency, reduce collection times, and increase success rates. James Hill, CEO of Flexys, expressed his excitement about the partnership, saying, “We are thrilled to partner with Moneyhub and explore the transformative potential of Open Banking technology in collections. This integration will enable our clients to offer a superior experience to their customers.” The integration of Moneyhub’s Open Banking solutions into Flexys’s platform is expected to deliver several key benefits, including: Open Banking technology will also enable more accurate Income and Expenditure (I&E) assessments, leading to faster and more suitable forbearance options. This targeted approach enhances the likelihood of successful repayments and reduces the risk of defaults by aligning solutions with each customer’s financial situation. Suzanne Homewood, Managing Director at Moneyhub, commented on the partnership, “Open Banking presents a unique opportunity for the collections industry to cut operational costs and alleviate the stress for customers navigating financial challenges. Our partnership with Flexys is set to transform the collections process, mirroring the advancements we’ve achieved in originations. We are excited to drive meaningful change together.”

Date – 15-Aug-2024 Klarna Expands Beyond Payments with New Balance and Cashback Features Klarna, a leading FinTech innovator, has announced the launch of new balance and cashback tools, marking a significant expansion beyond its traditional payment services. This move is part of Klarna’s strategy to enhance its role as a comprehensive financial partner for consumers worldwide. The new features have been introduced across 12 countries, including major markets in Europe and the US. The Klarna Balance feature allows users to deposit funds directly into their Klarna account from their bank accounts. Additionally, customers can earn cashback on purchases made through the Klarna app or from processing refunds on returned items. Complementing the balance feature, Klarna has introduced a cashback system that rewards users for their loyalty. Consumers can earn up to 10% cashback on purchases made at participating retailers through the Klarna app. This initiative not only promotes frequent use of Klarna’s platform but also provides tangible rewards that enhance the shopping experience. Sebastian Siemiatkowski, co-founder and CEO of Klarna, highlighted the significance of these new offerings: “Our loyal user base has been integral to our success, and these new features make it easier for customers to manage their spending. We aim to support everyday financial activities, allowing users to earn rewards and manage their funds efficiently with Klarna.” In addition, Klarna has expanded its offerings in the US with the introduction of the Klarna Card, building on its successful launches in Sweden, Germany, and the UK. The Klarna Card provides a sustainable alternative to traditional credit cards, offering a more equitable approach to managing payments and purchases.

Date – 14-Aug-2024 Hivello and HyperGPT Announce Strategic Partnership to Advance DePIN and AI Marketplace Innovation Hivello, a leading aggregator of decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePINs), has entered a strategic partnership with HyperGPT, a premier AI apps marketplace. This collaboration is set to leverage each company’s strengths to enhance visibility, boost user engagement, and expand their user bases. Through this partnership, HyperGPT will integrate Hivello’s ecosystem with other DePIN projects, strengthening Hivello’s decentralized infrastructure network and scaling its offerings. This integration will allow Hivello to offer more comprehensive solutions and enhance its capabilities. In turn, HyperGPT will extend its AI functionalities into the DePIN sector, supporting the creation of innovative, AI-driven decentralized applications. Hivello will focus on amplifying HyperGPT’s presence within the decentralized ecosystem by connecting it with potential partners and users across various fields, including blockchain technology, Web3 development, and decentralized applications (DApps). This initiative will help HyperGPT grow its marketplace and integrate advanced AI solutions into a broader range of decentralized projects, expanding the impact of HyperGPT’s technologies. “Partnering with Hivello allows us to bridge our advanced AI marketplace with the decentralized infrastructure sector, unlocking new opportunities for innovation and growth,” said T. Can Ekmekci, CEO of HyperGPT. Domenic Carosa, Chairman and Co-Founder of Hivello, remarked, “Our collaboration with HyperGPT represents a significant advancement for Hivello, as we enhance our reach and work together on groundbreaking solutions in both the DePIN and AI domains.” This partnership is set to deliver substantial benefits to both the decentralized infrastructure and AI ecosystems. By combining Hivello’s DePIN expertise with HyperGPT’s cutting-edge AI capabilities, the alliance aims to drive innovation, enhance accessibility, and improve interoperability within the blockchain space. Additionally, this collaboration is expected to accelerate the adoption of decentralized applications and AI technologies, contributing to the growth and evolution of the Web3 ecosystem.

Date – 14-Aug-2024 The partnership equips financial institutions with real-time FX rates and access to over 200 international markets for foreign currency wires through Finzly’s platform. Finzly, Inc., a leader in innovative payment and financial solutions, has announced a new collaboration with Corpay, Inc.’s Cross-Border division, a global leader in corporate payments. This partnership combines Finzly’s FX payment platform with Corpay’s real-time FX rates to deliver a comprehensive solution for financial institutions and their clients. The integrated offering will enhance FX transaction capabilities, covering over 200 international markets with seamless and intuitive functionality. Traditionally, businesses handling international payments rely on multiple, siloed banking systems, which complicates the process and introduces potential for manual errors and delays. The integration of Corpay Cross-Border’s platform with Finzly’s FX payment technology simplifies and automates international payments, seamlessly connecting with domestic accounts and payment rails. Finzly’s unified API streamlines sending international payments via Swift. Brad Loder, Chief Marketing Officer of Corpay Cross-Border Solutions, stated, “We are excited to partner with Finzly to provide financial institutions and their clients with real-time FX rates and automated processing across over 200 international markets. This collaboration addresses the growing complexity of cross-border transactions with our extensive global reach and real-time capabilities.” Booshan Rengachari, Founder and CEO of Finzly, added, “This modular FX solution, created through our partnership with Corpay, empowers banks of all sizes to compete with major global institutions. By offering competitive FX rates and an enhanced customer experience, we also help financial institutions manage and mitigate FX risk more effectively.”

Date – 14-Aug-2024 OMNIQ Corp Forms Strategic Alliance with Ingenico to Advance Fintech Solutions OMNIQ Corp, a leader in AI-based image processing and supply chain management, has announced a strategic partnership with Ingenico, a global authority in seamless payment solutions. This non-exclusive agreement combines Ingenico’s cutting-edge payment technology with OMNIQ’s advanced fintech software, enhancing payment solutions across diverse sectors including manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and more. The collaboration aims to integrate Ingenico’s state-of-the-art payment solutions with OMNIQ’s AI-driven technologies, following OMNIQ’s recent acquisition of Codeblocks Ltd. This partnership is set to elevate payment processes and customer experiences, setting new benchmarks in fintech innovation and operational efficiency. Francisco Gil, Ingenico Managing Director of Iberia, Israel & Africa, commented, “The partnership with OMNIQ marks an exciting chapter as we blend OMNIQ’s innovative technology with Ingenico’s expertise, providing businesses in Israel with powerful tools to drive growth and success.” Shai Lustgarten, CEO of OMNIQ, stated, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Ingenico, leveraging automation and fintech innovation to enhance payment solutions. This partnership underscores our dedication to integrating advanced solutions and fostering long-term relationships, ensuring a secure and seamless experience for our clients.” Ingenico, with 45 years of experience, is a global leader in payment acceptance solutions, providing technology and services that facilitate global commerce. OMNIQ excels in delivering state-of-the-art image processing and machine vision technologies, supporting sectors like supply chain management, homeland security, public safety, and traffic management. OMNIQ serves a wide range of clients, including government agencies and Fortune 500 companies, with advanced solutions tailored to their specific needs. The company is positioned in high-growth markets such as the Global Safe City sector, smart parking, and the fast-casual restaurant industry, aligning with the increasing demand for innovative AI technology solutions.