March 28, 2025 @ 9:04 am By Michael Wong  |  

Algeria’s stock market regulator has granted a definitive license to Yinvesti, recognizing it as the country’s first officially approved securities crowdfunding platform, the Commission for the Organization and Supervision of Stock Market Operations (Cosob) said. The license allows Yinvesti to operate as an investment advisory… Read More

March 23, 2025 @ 10:30 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Fintech firm PayU, backed by global consumer internet group Prosus, has acquired a 43.5% strategic stake in India-based real-time payment technology provider Mindgate Solutions, bolstering its position in the country’s digital payments ecosystem. The transaction values Mindgate between $180 million and $250 million, depending on… Read More

March 23, 2025 @ 9:28 pm By Michael Wong  |  

IFC, IDB Invest, and Itaú Unibanco Holding S.A. have launched a BRL 1.4 billion ($250 million) bond issuance aimed at supporting biodiversity conservation and expanding access to credit for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Brazil. Structured as a private placement, the bond is… Read More

March 23, 2025 @ 3:27 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Nayla Finance, a Saudi Arabia-based Fintech focused on improving access to capital for micro-businesses, has raised $4 million in seed funding to scale its operations and expand its digital lending platform, the company said. The round was led by Sanabil Venture Studio by Stryber and… Read More

March 22, 2025 @ 11:36 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Singapore-based digital asset infrastructure provider BetterX has secured S$2.3 million (approximately $1.7 million) in a pre-Series A funding round to support its expansion across Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. The funding round brought in new investors including Grand Prix Capital, Aument Capital,… Read More

March 22, 2025 @ 6:31 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Malaysia-based wealth management platform Versa has completed its Series A funding round led by AHAM Asset Management Berhad (AHAM Capital), the company said, as it looks to accelerate user growth and expand its product offerings over the next five years. Other investors in the round… Read More

March 22, 2025 @ 6:07 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has officially recognized digital assets in its global economic reporting framework for the first time, updating its balance of payments standards to reflect the growing role of cryptocurrencies and blockchain-based assets in the global economy. In the newly released seventh… Read More

March 16, 2025 @ 11:59 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Global Client Advisory Group (GCAG) announced that its affiliate, Renatus Tactical Acquisition Corp I (RTAC-I), has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), seeking to raise $175 million. RTAC-I, a newly formed special purpose acquisition company (SPAC),… Read More

March 16, 2025 @ 10:05 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Baidu Inc launched its latest artificial intelligence models, ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1, making them freely accessible to individual users ahead of schedule as part of its broader push to expand AI adoption. ERNIE 4.5, Baidu’s latest foundation model, features multimodal capabilities with improved language… Read More

March 16, 2025 @ 5:10 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Securitize announced that the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) has surpassed $1 billion in assets under management (AUM), marking a key milestone in the development of tokenized finance. BUIDL, BlackRock’s first tokenized fund on a public blockchain, launched in March 2024 and provides… Read More

March 15, 2025 @ 3:52 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Swedish digital payment firm Klarna has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) in the United States, seeking to raise at least $1 billion in a listing that could value the company at more than $15 billion, Bloomberg News reported. The Stockholm-founded firm confidentially filed for… Read More

March 15, 2025 @ 3:50 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Disputed.ai, an artificial intelligence-driven chargeback management platform for enterprise merchants, has raised $1.12 million in seed funding to expand its automated dispute resolution technology. The funding will support the company’s efforts to refine its AI-driven platform and scale operations as it targets industries with high… Read More

March 14, 2025 @ 5:32 am By Michael Wong  |  

American Express announced that it has agreed to acquire Center, a software firm focused on modernizing expense management, in a deal aimed at creating a seamless platform that integrates corporate and small business card programs with automated accounting and reconciliation tools. American Express expects to… Read More

March 13, 2025 @ 12:15 pm By Michael Wong  |  

SuperCrowdLA, touted by organizers as the nation’s premier impact crowdfunding conference, is scheduled to return from May 1-3, 2025, at Expert Dojo in Santa Monica. The three-day event aims to highlight mission-driven investment strategies, marketing techniques, and storytelling frameworks that have collectively played a role… Read More

March 9, 2025 @ 7:31 pm By Michael Wong  |  

E-commerce technology startup Platter has raised $1.6 million in a pre-seed funding round to support its mission of helping online brands operate more profitably. The round was led by Animal Capital, with participation from Visionary Ventures and several e-commerce veterans, including Ben Jabbawy, Kyle Hency,… Read More

March 9, 2025 @ 6:11 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. has claimed the top global spots in both healthcare and fintech patent filings, according to two new reports from the Intellectual Property Publishing House, an organization operating under the China National Intellectual Property Administration. The recently released… Read More

March 9, 2025 @ 12:36 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Blockchain-powered sustainability platform IMPT.io has unveiled a worldwide campaign called #ExploreResponsibly that encourages travelers to adopt more eco-conscious habits and offset their carbon footprints. Starting in the Philippines and expanding globally, the initiative is designed to raise awareness of environmental challenges in tourism while rewarding… Read More

March 6, 2025 @ 10:54 pm By Michael Wong  |  

CGS International Futures Malaysia (CGS MYF) has introduced the first publicly available CME Crypto Futures contracts in Malaysia, offering traders and investors access to Bitcoin and Ethereum futures, the company announced. The launch makes CGS International Securities Malaysia (CGS MY) the first licensed derivatives broker… Read More

March 4, 2025 @ 7:41 pm By Michael Wong  |  

UAE-based Fintech Flow48 has secured $69 million in a Series A funding round comprising debt and equity, as it seeks to scale its SME financing solutions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The round was led by Breega and included participation from 212,… Read More

March 3, 2025 @ 9:33 am By Michael Wong  |  

Cybersecurity startup Archipelo has raised $12 million in funding to expand its developer security posture management (DevSPM) platform, according to a company announcement. The round included a $4 million pre-seed and an $8 million seed round, led by Dell Technologies Capital, with participation from Zoom… Read More