Get your Daily FinTech Crunch. A curated set of news bites about the latest updates on payments, FinTech, DeFi, Crypto, and the world beyond…
- In a virtual event “Inclusive finance in the MENA,” several entrepreneurs spoke about fintech's potential to expand and be used by more people in the MENA region. bit.ly/3Kc8QFc???
- Lloyds Bank is partnering with loyalty-focused fintech Bink to help retailers reach millions of customers and provide retailer rewards through new channels. bit.ly/3sykapg?
- CommerzVentures, a fintech investor located in Frankfurt, has raised $334 million for its third fund to target early and growth-stage companies in the EU fintech and insurtech sectors. The firm also has plans to develop the climate fintech domain. bit.ly/36VnjHw?
- Payhawk, Bulgaria’s first-ever unicorn, has raised $100 million in funds, tipping the expense and payment management platform over the $1 billion valuation mark. bit.ly/3sBuRYs?
- Qatar Fintech Hub is opening applications for its fourth Hackathon titled Next Generation Banking. The event supports the growth of the fintech industry in Qatar by inviting entrepreneurs from all over the world to participate. bit.ly/3vx8qVS?
- Speaking of Hackathons, digital payments platform PhonePe has just announced their very own Open hackathon winners. The first prize went to a hack called BizFiz which provides easier methods for MSMEs to make loan applications and process loan underwriting. bit.ly/3C7Zdol?
- Plinqit acquired $5 million in its latest Series A funding round. The savings platform pays users to learn about personal finances. bit.ly/3Mcu73A?
- The insurance ecosystem in India is booming, mainly thanks to the pandemic which has pushed towards digital solutions. Consequently, new insurtech trends are paving the way for the future. We will be seeing more of “embedded insurance” being bundled with sales, hyper personalization in insurances, and more. bit.ly/3hyDGf0?
- Bitcoin jumped 13% over the last 24 hours to $43,163 as Russians are switching to crypto. Cryptocurrency prices are climbing after Russia's ruble sank to another record low and Moscow was hit with new sanctions. cnn.it/3KdVMiV
- Although Ukraine’s vice prime minister called for a ban on Russian crypto trades, Binance is choosing not to participate because that very act would go against its principles of “greater financial freedom.” However the crypto exchange platform did say they made block specific accounts. bit.ly/3MfN1ql
- What are the realistic outcomes of crypto in the future? This paper looks into the timeframe over which disruptive innovation could take place – from possible threats to rising opportunities posed by crypto. bit.ly/3Ka2K8t
- Following the imposition of new sanctions aimed at isolating Russian banks from the global financial system, experts are looking to cryptocurrency as a way to get around the sanctions. It's no accident that Russia has suddenly attempted to regulate cryptocurrencies, according to industry participants. bit.ly/3K8PIbd
- Dressing to impress will still be very much relevant in the metaverse. Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, and Fendi have debuted a luxury crypto hardware wallet for a fall 2022 menswear fashion show. bit.ly/3C3JpmE
- While the metaverse seems great in idea, Meta says that its ambitions won’t be possible without better cellular networks. To make things like immersive video streaming a smooth digital experience, there needs to be a massive step-up in connectivity. cnb.cx/3Mg1rqf
- The 2022 Crypto Crime Report will help you understand the latest trends in cryptocurrency-based crime, including the continued growth of ransomware, how rogue nations utilize cryptocurrency for sanctions evasion, and more. Check the full report by Chainalysis here: bit.ly/3tmq5x5
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