Category: Fintech

Expanding into the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) remains a costly and complex challenge for global businesses, thanks to fragmented regulations and banking systems. Dubai-based fintech Fuse aims to simplify that with a cross-border payments API and has raised $6.6 million in seed funding to make it happen. Founded in 2023 by George Davis,…

Fintech Plaid raises $575M at a $6.1B valuation, says it will not go public in 2025

April 3, 2025

Plaid, which connects bank accounts to financial applications, has sold about $575 million worth of common stock at a $6.1 billion post-money valuation, the fintech company confirmed to TechCrunch. The valuation is about less than half of the $13.4 billion that San Francisco-based Plaid was valued at when it raised a $425 million Series D…

Y Combinator neobank Djamo raises $17M with 1M users across Francophone Africa

April 3, 2025

Djamo is one of several digital banking startups targeting Africa’s underbanked. But unlike many that focus on large markets like Nigeria, Egypt, or South Africa, Djamo has carved out a niche in Francophone West Africa, specifically the Ivory Coast and, more recently, Senegal. It now serves over one million customers across both countries. The Y…

Stablecoin issuer Circle takes another stab at a public listing

April 2, 2025

Circle, the issuer of USDC, a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar, filed to go public on Tuesday. The company, which makes money from interest earned on its reserve assets, reported that its 2024 revenue and reserve income was $1.68 billion, up from $1.45 billion the year prior. Circle’s 2024 net income was $156 million,…

Zelle is shutting down its app, but you probably don’t need to worry

April 1, 2025

Zelle is shutting down its standalone app on Tuesday, according to a company blog post. This news might be alarming if you’re one of the over 150 million customers in the U.S. who use Zelle for person-to-person payments. But only about 2% of transactions take place via Zelle’s app, which is why the company is…

IPO-bound Chime hopes to boost growth by paying higher interest rates

March 31, 2025

As it gears up to go public, Chime is going all in on new features in an effort to attract more customers. The digital bank is offering customers who agree to have their paychecks directly deposited into a Chime savings or checking account an APY of 3.75%, it tells TechCrunch exclusively. For those who don’t…

Javice found guilty of defrauding JPMorgan in $175M startup purchase

March 28, 2025

Charlie Javice, the founder of student loan application startup Frank that was purchased by JPMorgan for $175 million, was found guilty on Friday of defrauding the bank by greatly inflating the customer count. After a five-week trial, the jury found Javice guilty, agreeing with prosecutors’ claims that she fabricated the vast majority of Frank’s customer…

Fintech VC powerhouse Frank Rotman stepping down from QED Investors to found his own startups

March 28, 2025

Prolific fintech investor and QED Investors co-founder Frank Rotman said Friday that he will transition to a partner emeritus role by year’s end to focus on founding his own startups. But those startups won’t necessarily be financial technology companies. In a post on X, Rotman – who helped start QED in 2007 – declared that…

YC alum Mendel, a ‘Ramp for LatAm enterprises,’ raises $35M Series B

March 27, 2025

Mexico City-based Mendel has raised $35 million in a Series B round of funding, it tells TechCrunch exclusively. Corporate spend management platform Mendel last raised in December 2021 — a $15 million Series A round and $20 million in debt — after participating in Y Combinator’s Winter 2021 cohort. With this latest capital infusion, the…

Times Internet spin-out Abound raises $14M to let more Indian Americans send money home

March 27, 2025

Abound, a go-to remittance app that was spun off by India’s Times Internet, has raised $14 million in a seed round.

Fintech Mercury lands $300M in Sequoia-led Series C, doubles valuation to $3.5B

March 26, 2025

Digital banking startup Mercury has raised $300 million in primary and secondary funding at a $3.5 billion post-money valuation, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Wednesday. The valuation is more than double the startup’s valuation when it last raised capital — a $120 million Series B round in 2021 that valued the company at $1.62…

Read the email Jack Dorsey sent when he cut 931 of Block’s staff

March 25, 2025

Block just laid off 931 employees. Read the email from its co-founder Jack Dorsey for more details on why.

Step into the spotlight: Apply to speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

March 24, 2025

Calling all tech innovators, startup fanatics, marketing gurus, and emerging VCs — this is your moment! You’ve waited long enough, and now the time has come to step into the spotlight at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, taking place October 27–29 in San Francisco. Share your expertise with over 10,000 eager attendees and make an impact by…

Ex-Network International execs raise $6M for Enza, an African fintech serving banks

March 24, 2025

Over the past decade, Dubai-based Network International has become one of the dominant payment processors across the Middle East and Africa, thanks in part to a pair of acquisitions. However, many large incumbents can fall prey to slower innovation, opening the door for smaller, faster-moving startups. The latest development is Enza, a fintech founded in…

Charlie Javice trial becomes a master class in hubris for both sides

March 22, 2025

Charlie Javice’s high-profile fraud trial has become a showcase of embarrassing missteps on both sides, with eyebrow-raising details about how JPMorgan Chase was allegedly deceived into buying her startup, Frank, for $175 million when it had just 300,000 customers instead of four million. Per a new WSJ article, one pivotal moment came when former Frank…

Next Insurance gets scooped up by Munich Re for $2.6B

March 20, 2025

Germany’s Munich Re has signed a definitive agreement to acquire digital insurance company Next Insurance for $2.6 billion, the firms announced on Thursday. Founded in 2016, Palo Alto-based Next Insurance is focused on providing insurance to small-to-medium-sized businesses. It was last valued at $2.5 billion in late 2023 when it raised $265 million. Next Insurance’s…

Make waves in 2025: Exhibit at TechCrunch events

March 20, 2025

If you’re reading this, you already know: It’s time to amplify your brand. Get in front of thousands of TechCrunch event attendees, readers, and decision-makers who can take your business further this year by exhibiting at a TechCrunch event. The perks of exhibiting: What’s in it for you Exhibiting doesn’t just elevate your brand —…

ClearGrid, armed with a fresh $10M, is developing AI to improve debt collection in MENA

March 19, 2025

Debt collection in emerging markets often feels outdated, and can be costly — damaging borrower trust. As consumer lending surges and regulators push for fairer practices, legacy collection outfits are struggling to maintain pace. ClearGrid aims to help modernize debt collection — and recovery — with AI. The Dubai-based startup, which is emerging from stealth…

In another good sign for fintech, Ribbit Capital is raising a new $500M fund

March 19, 2025

Mortgage as an employee benefit? Kleiner Perkins leads $23.5M Series A for Multiply Mortgage

March 19, 2025

After hitting record lows at the start of the pandemic, mortgage rates began to climb in 2022 and haven’t come down significantly since. With 30-year mortgage rates hovering at over 6.5% today (they were as low as 2.49% in 2020!), buying a home is simply not that attainable for many people. One Denver-based startup is…

These fintech companies are hiring in 2025 after a turbulent year

March 17, 2025

Klarna nabs Walmart away from Affirm and boosts its IPO prospects

March 17, 2025

On the heels of its IPO filing, Swedish fintech giant Klarna announced on Monday that it will exclusively provide buy now, pay later loans for Walmart. The partnership with Walmart is one that rival Affirm had previously owned. Klarna will provide the loans to Walmart customers through OnePay, a fintech startup in which it owns…

Bench is charging people for services they already paid for, some customers say

March 14, 2025

Profitable Klarna files for a potentially blockbuster IPO

March 14, 2025

Swedish fintech Klarna took the next step in its highly anticipated U.S. IPO on Friday when it made its F-1 public. Here are the top take-aways. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Bolt CEO Ryan Breslow explains his troubled $30M personal loan, announces new ‘super app’

March 11, 2025

BaaS startup Synctera raises $15M, signs Bolt as a customer

March 11, 2025

The banking-as-a-service space took a hit last year when Synapse collapsed. But that hasn’t stopped BaaS startup Synctera from raising another $15 million in funding, it tells TechCrunch exclusively. Synctera works to provide companies “of all shapes and sizes with everything they need to launch and operate fintech and embedded banking products,” including: accounts, cards,…

The sibling founders of Stax Payments are back with a $20M seed raise for their new fintech, Worth

March 11, 2025

Worth, a company focused on helping fintechs, banks, and enterprises underwrite small and medium-sized businesses more easily, has raised $20 million in a seed funding round, the startup tells TechCrunch exclusively. It’s a large seed round, especially these days when capital is harder to come by. But the founders’ history may have something to do…

Zolve, a neobank for global citizens moving to the US, raises $51M and secures $200M debt

March 11, 2025

Zolve, a neobanking startup targeting global citizens seeking credit, has raised $251 million in a new round to expand into Canada and launch loans. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Supercharge your brand visibility with an exhibit table at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

March 10, 2025

From October 27-29, TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 will bring together over 10,000 startup pioneers, VC leaders, and tech enthusiasts at Moscone West in San Francisco—the epicenter of innovation set to reshape the future of technology. What’s in it for your startup? A golden opportunity to put your innovation in front of an eager audience for all…

Nirvana keeps on truckin’ with $80M at a $830M valuation for its AI-powered insurance

March 10, 2025

As the U.S. trucking industry gears up for the negative impacts of new Trump tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, a startup building a new kind of trucking insurance — a critical cost for truck drivers — has raised some money to grow, and (it hopes) help truckers weather the changes. Nirvana, an AI-based…

Ryan Breslow is back as CEO of fintech Bolt, after years of controversy

March 5, 2025

Ryan Breslow is once again the CEO of Bolt, the fintech company told TechCrunch on Wednesday. Bolt shared a communication that recently went out to investors in which Breslow wrote that “following a challenging few years,” he had been reinstated as Bolt’s CEO with “unanimous approval” of the board of the one-click checkout company. Justin…

Flex, a Brex for business owners, has raised $25M at a $250M valuation

March 5, 2025

Flex, which offers personal finance software and payments infrastructure for business owners, has raised $25 million in equity funding while securing a $200 million credit facility, it told TechCrunch exclusively. The equity funds were raised at a valuation of “just under $250 million.” The company last raised a $20 million Series A announced in September…

Grain emerges from stealth with $50M to help any business hedge against FX volatility

March 5, 2025

Foreign exchange fluctuations can make or break a business that trades across borders, but keeping up and responding to the FX market can be tricky if you’re anything smaller than the world’s largest enterprises. Today, a startup called Grain is emerging from stealth with a product that it says will let finance teams at companies…

New Mobile App Scanning Tool Created by Approov and CMU Africa

March 4, 2025

Approov and Carnegie Mellon University Africa’s Upanzi Network have teamed up again to help fintech companies provide more secure services to their customers by creating a new web-based open source tool which scans Android mobile application software for vulnerabilities and security issues and present a detailed report with recommendations on how to fix any issues…

Aspiration co-founder and board member defrauded investors of $145M, prosecutors say

March 4, 2025

Ramp has more than doubled its annualized revenue to $700 million

March 3, 2025

Fintech startup Ramp has crossed $700 million in annualized revenue as of January of this year, according to a source familiar with the company’s internal operations. The company had crossed $100 million in annualized revenue before its third birthday in March 2022, passed $300 million by August 2023, and now effectively more than doubled that…

Fintech startup Ramp nearly doubles valuation to $13B in secondary share sale

March 3, 2025

Expense management startup Ramp has nearly doubled its valuation to $13 billion after a $150 million secondary share sale, the company announced Monday morning. New and existing backers including VC Stripes, GIC, Avenir Growth, Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures, General Catalyst, Lux Capital, 137 Ventures and Definition Capital bought the secondaries from employees and early investors.…

Alkami is buying fintech Mantl for $400 million

February 28, 2025

Digital banking services provider Alkami Technology is acquiring Mantl, which has been described as “the Shopify of account opening,” for $400 million. Mantl, founded in 2016 by Nathaniel Harley and Benjamin Conant, developed software to make it easier for people to open accounts digitally at community banks and credit unions. The end goal is that…

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Final 24 hours to save up to $1,130

February 28, 2025

The early bird gets the worm and time is running out! You have less than 24 hours left to save up to $1,130 when purchasing passes to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. If you want massive savings on Disrupt 2025 individual passes and up to 30% on group tickets, secure your low ticket rate today. These offers…

Accounting hasn’t fully embraced AI yet. Quanta just raised $4.7M to change that

February 27, 2025

Quanta, founded by a former Affirm engineer, sells an AI-powered accounting platform to software companies. It has raised a seed round led by Accel. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Stripe CEO says AI startups are growing faster than SaaS ever did and calling them wrappers ‘misses the point’

February 27, 2025

In its annual letter released Thursday, payments giant Stripe declared that it was “seeing an AI boom” with its data revealing that artificial intelligence startups are growing more rapidly than traditional SaaS companies have historically. In a chart, Stripe showed that the top 100 AI companies (by revenue) were able to achieve $5 million in…

ResilienceVC bucks trend, unveils $56M fund to back fintechs working on financial inclusion

February 27, 2025

ResilienceVC, a new seed-stage fintech venture capital firm based out of Washington, D.C., is announcing its $56 million debut fund, the firm shared exclusively with TechCrunch. Founded by Tahira Dosani and Vikas Raj in 2023, ResilienceVC’s mission is a straightforward one: to back fintech companies dedicated to helping Americans find financial stability. It’s writing checks…

2025 TechCrunch Events Calendar

February 27, 2025

For two decades, TechCrunch has provided a front row view to the future of technology, shaping conversations that matter and spotlighting the next big things before they break — both on the page and in person at our world-renowned events. This year, as we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we’re launching our most ambitious events calendar…

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Just 2 days left to save up to $1,130

February 27, 2025

Clock’s ticking! You’ve got just 48 hours left to lock in your spot at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 and save up to $1,130 on individual ticket types or 30% on group tickets. Don’t wait — secure your pass now before prices go up on February 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Disrupt 2025 takes place on October…

Stripe finalizes tender sale at a $91.5B valuation, says payment volumes grew to $1.4T in 2024

February 27, 2025

Digital payments platform Stripe has yet to lay out plans to go public, but in the meantime the company has thrown past and present employees a line for some liquidity. The company on Thursday confirmed a tender offer where investors will buy up shares from those employees at a valuation of $91.5 billion. Stripe said…

Unique, a Swiss AI platform for finance, raises $30M

February 27, 2025

A four-year-old Swiss startup has raised a sizable chunk of change to capitalize on the burgeoning “agentic AI” movement. Unique said on Thursday that it has raised $30 million in a Series A funding round that was led by London-based VC firm DN Capital and CommerzVentures, the investment offshoot of Germany’s Commerzbank. “Agentic AI” is…

Taktile helps fintechs build automated decision-making workflows

February 27, 2025

The automated logic behind many financial decisions — for example, decisions that determine whether a client is approved for a credit line — is hard-coded. Often, it’s not easily changed. If a head of credit at a bank wanted to adjust the bank’s lending criteria, for example, they’d likely have to raise a ticket with…

Capim, a Brazilian BNPL startup for dental services, lands a $26.7M Series A

February 26, 2025

Capim, a startup offering Brazilians the option to buy now, pay later (BNPL) for dental services, has raised $26.7 million in Series A funding, it tells TechCrunch exclusively. Founded in July 2021 by Marcelo Lutz and Roberto Biselli, who serve as co-CEOs, Sao Paulo-based Capim describes itself as a vertical SaaS company specializing in the…

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: 3 days left to save up to $1,130 on passes

February 26, 2025

Tick-tock! The last three days to save up to $1,130 to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 are winding down! Get your tickets today for massive savings on Disrupt 2025 individual passes and up to 30% on group tickets. These offers end February 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT, so don’t miss out on major savings of the year.…

Gozem nets $30M to expand vehicle financing, digital banking in Francophone Africa

February 26, 2025

Since its launch in 2018 as a ride-hailing service in Togo, Gozem has steadily expanded across French-speaking West Africa, integrating a wide range of services as it sought to become a super-app. The company now offers ride-hailing, commerce, vehicle financing, and digital banking across Togo, Benin, Gabon, and Cameroon. Now, in a bid to scale…

Brex eyes $500M in revenue as it adds the likes of Anthropic and Robinhood as customers

February 25, 2025

Fintech Brex expects its annual net revenue to reach $500 million in 2025, according to a person familiar with the company’s operations as cited by Bloomberg and The Information. While the startup did not comment on the specific revenue projection, it did share that Brex has seen “3x overall revenue growth” year-over-year. It also told…

Is this 32-year-old a brilliant founder, or a deceptive fraudster?

February 25, 2025

Hi there, welcome to TechCrunch’s regular fintech newsletter. We’re going on hiatus for a bit, but you can still find our must-see fintech coverage, including my columns and our daily analysis and breaking news stories, at TechCrunch.com. If you want those stories and much more in your inbox every day, sign up for our daily…

The SEC will not sue Robinhood over crypto

February 24, 2025

Robinhood on Monday said that the SEC has closed its investigation into Robinhood’s crypto unit and will not pursue action. This follows Coinbase saying on Friday that the SEC has dropped its lawsuit against it. The SEC, under former chair and crypto hawk Gary Gensler, was looking into a number of crypto exchanges over how…

Fintech founder Charlie Javice’s criminal trial has begun

February 21, 2025

The criminal trial against fintech startup founder Charlie Javice began on Friday, with lawyers laying out their opening arguments, Reuters reported. Lawyers reiterated their original claims and defenses from the lawsuit filed by JPMorgan Chase against Javice in December of 2022. The financial services giant alleges that Javice had helped “fake millions of customers in…

Five of the most important fintech VCs investing heavily in the sector

February 21, 2025

Global investing in fintech startups is starting to see an uptick. Just this week, KPMG issued its Pulse of Fintech report for the second half of 2024. In the fourth quarter of 2024, investment climbed to $25.9 billion from $18 billion in the third quarter, according to KPMG. Granted, this is not the enthusiasm of…

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Lowest prices of the year end in 7 days

February 21, 2025

You read that headline correctly! The best deals for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 tickets are about to end in just 7 days. Save up to $1,130 on individual passes and up to 30% on group tickets. Don’t wait — these offers end on February 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Join us in celebrating 20 years of…

61 US startups became unicorns in 2024: Here’s the full list

February 20, 2025

Tether backs stablecoin liquidity provider Mansa in $10M seed round

February 20, 2025

As payment companies increasingly explore stablecoins for cross-border payments and real-time settlement, some startups are tapping into the zeitgeist by providing liquidity via a revolving line of credit in stablecoins. One of them is Dubai-based but Africa-focused Mansa, whose offering allows payments companies to settle transactions and fund customer accounts instantly. The startup has raised…

After raising $1 billion, fintech Varo closes another $29 million, replaces founder CEO

February 19, 2025

Fintech Varo has been hoping to raise a $55 million Series G round but has, so far, closed on $29 million to date, according to a recent SEC filing. Varo declined to comment on this new round but the fintech has raised just over $1 billion in funding since its 2015 inception, according to PitchBook. …

ElectronX is building a stock market for electricity trading

February 19, 2025

Kuda and CEO face allegations of sex discrimination and unfair dismissal from former executive, per filing

February 19, 2025

An employment tribunal case has placed Kuda Technologies, one of Africa’s fastest-growing digital banks, under scrutiny over allegations of workplace discrimination, harassment, and wrongful dismissal. Rosemary Hewat, Kuda’s former Group Chief People Officer (CPO), filed a complaint accusing the company and its CEO, Babatunde Ogundeyi, of sex discrimination, victimization, and unfair dismissal. According to the…

Fintech fundraising is giving me 2021 flashbacks

February 18, 2025

Welcome to TechCrunch Fintech! This week we’re looking at some big valuation jumps, how Stripe is eyeing another shareholder sale, a colorful conversation with an early-stage VC, and more! To get a roundup of TechCrunch’s biggest and most important fintech stories delivered to your inbox every Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. PT, subscribe here. The big…

VC Sheel Mohnot talks about Twitter fame, fintech, and the truth about AI startups

February 12, 2025

If you follow fintech on X, it’s very likely that you have come across the account of Sheel Mohnot, co-founder and general partner of Better Tomorrow Ventures. With over 150,000 followers, Mohnot has built an impressive presence on the social media site. Interestingly, many of his posts have nothing to do with venture capital. Mohnot…

Tabby doubles valuation to $3.3B in $160M funding as it looks beyond BNPL and plans IPO

February 12, 2025

Consumer demand for credit options varies across regions, and for fintechs, understanding these differences is key to survival. In developed markets, where credit cards are common, consumers often view buy now, pay later (BNPL) offerings positively because of their flexible installment options. But in emerging markets like the Middle East, where credit card penetration is…

Klarna and Deel eye IPOs, and Stripe embraces crypto

February 11, 2025

Welcome to TechCrunch Fintech! This week we’re looking at how fintech heavyweights such as Klarna and Stripe are incorporating crypto into their strategies, which companies are planning for IPOs, one fintech’s Super Bowl ad, Stripe’s new lead of startups and venture capital, and more! To get a roundup of TechCrunch’s biggest and most important fintech…

Stripe mulls employee shareholder sale at $85B-plus valuation

February 11, 2025

Stripe is in talks for another shareholder sale that could value the company at “at least” $85 billion, according to multiple reports and a source familiar with the matter. The Information first reported the news that the payments infrastructure giant is working to sell employee-owned stocks. The move would help workers gain some liquidity as…

Insurance co’s stand to lose billions from disasters like the LA fires; Comulate raises $20M to build tech to help them work more smoothly

February 11, 2025

Unimaginable disasters like the fires in Los Angeles with their hundreds of billions of dollars in destruction put a huge focus on the role the insurance industry plays in the process of rebuilding. Those events will also lead to major financial losses at the insurance companies themselves. And longer term, all of this will put…

Ghanaian fintech Affinity bags $8M to scale digital banking in a mobile money-driven market

February 11, 2025

Africa’s top digital banking platforms typically dominate high-growth, populous markets like Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt. But Affinity Africa, an upstart from Ghana, wants to join the conversation. The startup has raised $8 million in seed funding to expand its financial products further across the country, where mobile money is the dominant financial tool. While…

QED leads $11M investment in Nigerian fintech Raenest

February 11, 2025

As Africa’s tech ecosystem booms, more local talent is landing remote jobs with Big Tech firms and global startups. But getting paid remains a challenge for many of these freelancers and remote workers. They struggle to open accounts that accept US dollars, with foreign employers using incompatible payment platforms, and face slow invoicing and payment…

Zeta valued at $2B in new funding

February 10, 2025

Zeta, a provider of banking software to banks and fintech startups, has raised $50 million from a strategic investor at a $2 billion valuation. The new investment from American healthcare company Optum marks a 70% increase in the Bengaluru-based startup’s valuation from the $1.15 billion price tag (pre-money) it earned in 2021, when it raised…

Plaid working with Goldman Sachs on raising $300M to $400M in tender offer

February 10, 2025

Plaid, a company that connects bank accounts to financial applications, is working with Goldman Sachs on a deal to allow early-stage investors and employees to sell existing shares, which will raise between $300 million and $400 million, Bloomberg reported citing sources. The tender offer, as such deals are called, will likely value the company lower…

Fintech Rapyd seeks funding at $3.5B valuation, a steep drop from $9B

February 7, 2025

Fintech Ramp lands Eagles’ Saquon Barkley as investor and Super Bowl commercial star

February 6, 2025

Philadelphia Eagles’ star running back Saquon Barkley has not only become an investor in fintech startup Ramp, he is also the star of the company’s first Super Bowl commercial. Interestingly, it was Barkley who reached out to Ramp about investing, not the other way around as is so often the case with celebrity endorsements. Barkley…

Superlogic raises $13.7M at a $200M valuation to help consumers use reward points toward cool ‘experiences’

February 6, 2025

Superlogic, a startup that helps give consumers a way to apply rewards points toward experiences, has raised $13.7 million at a $200 million valuation, the company tells TechCrunch exclusively. Lin Dai, CEO and co-founder of Miami-based Superlogic, said his company’s technology is designed to “enhance the value of rewards points” by giving consumers a broader…

Stripe makes $1.1 billion crypto bet as it closes on Bridge acquisition

February 5, 2025

Stripe has closed on its $1.1 billion purchase of stablecoin platform Bridge – marking the payment giant’s largest acquisition to date and tangible push into crypto. Co-founded in 2022 by Coinbase and Square alumni Zach Abrams and Sean Yu, San Antonio, Texas-based Bridge built an API that helps companies accept stablecoins. The pair raised $58…

An angel investor was so intrigued by this startup, he joined as a co-founder

February 4, 2025

Welcome to TechCrunch Fintech! This week we’re looking at a startup out to help people navigate long-term care, a flurry of activity in Africa, another fintech company shutdown, and more. To get a roundup of TechCrunch’s biggest and most important fintech stories delivered to your inbox every Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. PT, subscribe here. The…

Deel unloads $300M in secondary sale, brings General Catalyst on as an investor

February 4, 2025

Fintech-turned-HR outfit Deel is trying to lay the groundwork for an IPO. On Tuesday, it said its annual revenue run rate climbed to $800 million in 2024 after growing by 70%. The startup, which helps businesses globally hire, manage and pay employees remotely, also said it has sold $300 million in secondary shares to General…

Egypt’s Khazna banks $16M for its financial super app and expansion into Saudi

February 4, 2025

A large portion of Egypt’s population lacks access to traditional banking, forcing many to rely on cash transactions and informal lending. Khazna, a fintech startup founded in 2019, is tackling this issue by offering financial services tailored for low- and middle-income workers. The company provides solutions like salary advances, digital payments, and microloans to help…

Stripe brings aboard new head of ‘startup and VC partnerships’

February 3, 2025

Asya Bradley, a former fintech founder and investor, has joined payments giant Stripe as its new head of Startup & Venture Capital Partnerships. Bradley announced the news on February 2 in a post on LinkedIn, though her bio shows that she joined Stripe back in November. Neither Stripe nor Bradley were immediately available for comment. …

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Secure your ticket at this year’s lowest rates

February 3, 2025

Missed the 2-for-1 deal for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025? No problem! Super Early Bird prices are still available, with savings of up to $1,130 on individual tickets and up to 30% on group passes. These savings are only good until the end of this month. Celebrate 20 years of TechCrunch Disrupt from October 27-29 at Moscone…

Dub: the copy trading app that has teens talking

February 2, 2025

Social media changed everything from news consumption to shopping. Now, Dub thinks it can do the same for investing through an influencer-driven marketplace where users can follow the trades of top investors with a few taps. Think of it as TikTok meets Wall Street. Founded by 23-year-old Steven Wang — a Harvard drop-out who began…

CFPB fines fintech Wise, alleging it charged deceptive fees

January 31, 2025

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has hit UK-based remittance company Wise with about a $2 million fine for what it described as “a series of illegal actions.” Those actions include advertising inaccurate fees and failing to properly disclose exchange rates and other costs, the CFPB alleges. Specifically, the agency claims that the fintech company…

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Last 24 hours for 2-for-1 Pass

January 31, 2025

Final hours for 2-for-1 Passes! One of the best Super Early Bird Deals for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 will be wrapping up in just 24 hours for the rest of the year. The 2-for-1 Pass lets you bring a friend, colleague, or business partner, for nearly free. Buy one pass at the Super Early Bird rate…

Fintech startup Cushion shuts down after 8 years and over $20 million in funding

January 30, 2025

Cushion, a fintech startup that described itself as the “Plaid for buy now, pay later (BNPL),” has shut down. On Thursday, founder and CEO Paul Kesserwani posted on LinkedIn about the decision to wind down the company at the end of 2024. In the post, Kesserwani said that “despite bringing multiple new fintech products to…

QED seeds $9.9M in Cedar Money, a stablecoin payment platform

January 30, 2025

The newest generation of startups aiming to solve cross-border payments are focusing on stablecoins — cryptocurrency coins often pegged to actual currencies or other commodities to help them keep stable prices — to build solutions that work faster and often cheaper than classic financial rails. This trend is also driving a surge in investor interest…

European embedded banking startup Swan adds another $44 million to its Series B

January 30, 2025

French startup Swan has raised another €42 million (around $44 million at current exchange rates). The company considers this round as the second part of the Series B round that was originally announced in September 2024. Swan helps other companies offer financial products at scale. The company can generate both virtual and physical cards that…

Health insurance startup Alan keeps growing at a rapid pace

January 29, 2025

With its 700,000 customers, Alan could be considered as a mature company. But the health insurance company that wants to become a digital companion for your health is still growing like a startup. On Wednesday, the company shared some financial metrics. The most impressive one is its top-line revenue. In 2024, the company generated €505…

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Only 3 days left for 2-for-1 Pass

January 29, 2025

Only 3 days remain to score the ultimate deal for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 — two of the same ticket types for the price of one! Don’t wait to take advantage of these massive savings. This limited-time offer ends this Friday, January 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT — after that, these 2-for-1 Passes will be gone.…

Formance raises $21M to build the AWS for fintech infrastructure

January 29, 2025

If you talk to a fintech entrepreneur about their business, chances are they’ll end up talking about ledger issues at some point. A ledger is a record of money movements that serves as the source of truth for financial assets, but when a company starts having multiple bank accounts, payment processors and funds spread across…

This fintech has a fix for the biggest cross-border payments issues in Francophone Africa

January 29, 2025

Until a few years ago, it used to be difficult to make payments across borders almost anywhere in the world. But it’s still a big problem in Africa, where fragmented, disconnected systems, high fees, and poor infrastructure make it tough for businesses and individuals to move money quickly and affordably. The majority of people and…

This startup is selling for $1B, so why is its founder not proud of the outcome?

January 28, 2025

Welcome to TechCrunch Fintech! This week we’re looking at the story behind the sale of Divvy Homes, Ramp’s new product, some notable fundraising deals, and more! To get a roundup of TechCrunch’s biggest and most important fintech stories delivered to your inbox every Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. PT, subscribe here. The big story Last week,…

X announces a partnership with Visa to power X Money’s wallet

January 28, 2025

Elon Musk-owned social network X announced a partnership with Visa to handle person-to-person payments for its upcoming X Money product. The company will use Visa Direct, which is Visa’s solution for real-time money transfers, to load money into X Money’s wallet, connect to a debit card for paying other users, and transfer money back to…

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: 5 Days left to claim your 2 for 1 Passes at the lowest rate of the year

January 27, 2025

The clock is ticking for one of our Super Early Bird sales! You have just 5 days left to lock in your 2 for 1 Passes at the lowest rates of the year for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Save up to $1,400 on two of the same individual ticket type. This limited-time offer ends this Friday,…

Method is helping fintech companies like SoFi build repayment functionality into their apps

January 23, 2025

It can be challenging for developers of fintech apps to integrate repayment, balance transfer, and bill pay functionality. Devs often have to deal with a patchwork of brittle screen-scraping APIs to extract data from users’ financial institutions — or worse, tools to process mounds of physical checks and paperwork. Three friends and entrepreneurs — Jose…

African fintech Moniepoint gets Visa backing, plans to work on contactless payments

January 23, 2025

Visa has joined African fintech Moniepoint as a new investor. The business banking and payments platform confirmed to TechCrunch that it received a “strategic investment” from the global payments giant as both companies look to drive financial inclusion and support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Africa. Sources close to the deal…

Ramp encroaches into digital bank territory with new treasury product

January 22, 2025

Over the years, Ramp has built a name for itself in the corporate card and expense management space. It’s branched out into travel, bill pay, and more, while raising over $1.2 billion in venture funding. Today, the six-year-old fintech startup is announcing a different kind of expansion — one that takes it into more of…

Indian fintech Jar turns cash flow positive

January 22, 2025

Indian fintech Jar has turned cash flow positive, an executive at the Tiger Global-backed startup confirmed on Wednesday, as it gears up to deepen its offerings. The three-year-old startup, which offers its users the ability to start their savings and investment journey, achieved the milestone while still growing by more than 10 times last year,…

Funding to fintechs continues to decline, but at a slower pace

January 21, 2025

Welcome to TechCrunch Fintech! This week, we’re looking at just how much fintech startups raised in 2024, a slew of fundraising deals, Plaid’s reported revenue growth last year, and more! To get a roundup of TechCrunch’s biggest and most important fintech stories delivered to your inbox every Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. PT, subscribe here. The…

Stripe is laying off 300 people, but says it still plans to hire in 2025

January 21, 2025

Fintech giant Stripe is laying off 300 people, according to a leaked memo reported on Tuesday by Business Insider. The affected employees are “largely in product, engineering, and operations roles,” the memo said. Despite the layoffs, Chief People Officer Rob McIntosh said that Stripe intends to still grow its headcount by 17% “to land at…

Qomodo raises $13.9M to expand BNPL for Italy’s main-street retailers

January 21, 2025

Payments and financial solutions are two-a-penny at this point, but mostly for online e-commerce. What about physical stores? In 2023 Qomodo, a Milan-based “all-in-one” payment methods aggregator for physical merchants, came out with a €34.5 million ($36.9 million) pre-seed round (mostly debt), which we covered, to expand the BNPL model into other categories. It’s now…

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