Fintech
Innovation in financial technology — digital payments, neobanks, blockchain, and more.
Robinhood Cut Nearly 300 Employees in US Workforce Reduction Program
Robinhood cut nearly 300 employees, about 10 percent of its staff, saying the company wanted to remain a lean, hyper-focused team where each individual could make a massive impact.
Hong Kong credit card originations saw rising Gen Z share in Q1 2026
TransUnion reported that in Q1 2026 Hong Kong credit card and personal loan originations grew while revolving lines contracted, and the Gen Z cohort increased its share of new card originations.
Arki Finance in Singapore Received MAS Licence to Offer Investment Services
Singapore wealthtech Arki Finance received a Capital Markets Services licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, enabling it to provide regulated advisory and portfolio management to retail investors.
Choco Up Secured US$15 Million Credit Facility to Boost Singapore SME Lending
Choco Up secured a US$15 million credit facility from AlteriQ Global, completed its first drawdown, and expected to finance growth and working capital for about 500 Singapore small and medium sized enterprises.
Nubank customers received erroneous liquidation notices as Brazil central bank denied action
Dozens of Nubank customers received messages on Friday claiming the digital lender was being liquidated, a notice the central bank of Brazil said was sent in error and not part of any official action.
eToro explored acquisitions as it eyed move into banking services
eToro explored acquisitions and a potential banking licence application as part of a strategic push into traditional banking services, the FT reported, signaling a shift by the digital trading platform.
Ireland's Revolut model exposed legacy banks' limits in cross border scaling
FT Financials reported that Revolut's Ireland-based banking model proved better suited to rapid international expansion than traditional bank systems, highlighting regulatory, operational, and legacy IT frictions for incumbents.
Veefin Appointed Riddhi Dutta as Chief Revenue Officer for Global Expansion
Veefin named former Backbase executive Riddhi Dutta as chief revenue officer, tasking him with overseeing global sales, marketing, partnerships and go to market operations to expand the company internationally.
Ant Group piloted Alipay AI assistant to challenge WeChat's dominance
Ant Group piloted an AI assistant named Ah Bao inside Alipay, allowing users to execute text or voice commands to complete financial and lifestyle tasks, including mutual fund purchases with user authorisation.
Funding Circle reported two thirds of scheme payouts went to riskier SME borrowers
Funding Circle reported that it had distributed about two thirds of payouts under the successor to the Covid-era small business loan scheme to higher-risk small business borrowers, according to the FT.
Sam Bankman-Fried lost appeal as US three-judge panel upheld 25-year sentence
Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud conviction appeal was dismissed by a three-judge panel, which upheld the 25-year prison sentence for the founder of the collapsed crypto exchange FTX.
US Appeals Court Upheld Sam Bankman-Fried's 25-Year Sentence in FTX Fraud Case
A three-judge US appeals panel upheld Sam Bankman-Fried's 25-year prison sentence for fraud related to the collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange, rejecting his challenge to the conviction.