Over the past several years, the fintech industry in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region has experienced significant growth, driven by the region’s vibrant entrepreneurial startup ecosystem, widespread smartphone adoption, and modernized regulatory frameworks. In 2023, LAC was home to 3,069 fintech companies operating across 26 countries, representing a 340% increase in the number of fintech companies since 2017, according a joint study conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Finnovista. Brazil emerged as the leading fintech hub in LAC, with the highest number of fintech companies across the region at 703 and accounting for 24% of…

Revolut has announced plans to enter Peru. The company has applied for a full banking license and appointed Julien Labrot as CEO of Revolut Peru to oversee local operations. The move aims to support Peru’s growing digital economy, where smartphone penetration is near 100% but a significant portion of adults remain underbanked. “Revolut’s entry into Peru is built on our belief that digital financial services should be empowering, accessible, and secure for everyone,” said Carlos Urrutia, Head of Expansion at Revolut. “By pursuing a full banking license we are not just entering a new market, we are committing to becoming…

Alpaca, a US-based brokerage infrastructure provider, has raised US$150 million in a Series D funding round led by Drive Capital, valuing the company at US$1.15 billion and confirming its status as a unicorn. Drive Capital co-founder and partner Chris Olsen will join Alpaca’s board as part of the investment. The company also secured a US$40 million line of credit to support its balance sheet as it expands internationally. “Our mission is to open financial services to everyone on the planet,” said Yoshi Yokokawa, Co-Founder and CEO of Alpaca. “We are building the global standard for brokerage infrastructure so our partners…

Rain, a US-based infrastructure provider for stablecoin payments, has raised US$250 million in a Series C funding round led by ICONIQ. The round also included participation from Sapphire Ventures, Dragonfly, Bessemer Venture Partners, Galaxy Ventures, FirstMark, Lightspeed, Norwest, and Endeavor Catalyst. The round values Rain at US$1.95 billion and brings total funding to over US$338 million, coming just four months after its Series B and ten months after its Series A. More businesses and consumers are using stablecoins to transfer value in global payments. Rain provides infrastructure that allows enterprises to adopt on-chain payment rails while maintaining familiar user experiences.…

Broadridge has announced that Societe Generale has completed its first digital bond issuance in the US using Broadridge’s tokenisation capability. The bonds were issued by Societe Generale-FORGE, the bank’s subsidiary focused on digital assets. The transaction demonstrates how institutions can use tokenisation and permissioned blockchain technology to enable instant settlement and greater transparency while remaining compliant with traditional capital markets practices. Broadridge’s tokenisation capability allows firms to issue, trade, and manage securities in digital form, with features such as privacy controls, credential management, and direct investor ownership. For this transaction, Broadridge and Societe Generale-FORGE used IntellectEU’s Catalyst Blockchain Manager to…

Stable has secured backing from PayPal Ventures as the payments giant moves to broaden the reach of its US dollar-pegged stablecoin. The investment will bring PayPal USD (PYUSD) onto Stable’s blockchain network for permissionless use, allowing users to conduct commerce and financial transactions directly on the Stablechain. PYUSD is issued by PayPal and pegged 1:1 to the US dollar. Stable said the integration will use LayerZero’s recent integration to bridge blockchains programmatically, targeting near-instant finality and a reduced fee structure for commerce-related uses. Stable will also explore cross-chain compatibility and on-/off-ramps for PYUSD, and Stable and PayPal have agreed to…

North America, particularly the USA and Canada, is the largest and most influential fintech market in the world, combining deep capital markets, advanced payment infrastructure, and a dense ecosystem of startups, banks, venture capital (VC) and bigtech firms. Mexico, meanwhile, has emerged as one of Latin America (LatAm)’s leading fintech hubs, distinguished by its proactive, forward-looking regulatory environment. Together, the USA, Canada and Mexico have become premier destinations for fintech events, attracting global industry leaders to explore opportunities and tackle emerging challenges. Among the many conferences taking place, the following 20 stand out as the most significant gatherings in the…

Colombia’s banking sector is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by increased adoption of digital banking and the rise of neobanks. Neobanks are relatively new players in the industry that operate entirely online. These companies offer similar financial products and services to traditional banks but with a sharp focus on convenience, flexibility, and accessibility. They use digital technologies to provide seamless and frictionless banking experiences, often with no fees or low fees, and leverage data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver personalized financial services. In recent years, neobanks have seen significant growth, a momentum which aligns with Colombia’s rising financial…

Brazil has emerged as a fintech powerhouse in Latin America (LatAm), now home to the highest number of fintech startups. In 2023, Brazil accounted for 24% of all fintech companies in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) with 722 companies, according to a 2024 report by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Finnovista. The country also consistently attracts the lion’s share of fintech funding in LatAm. In 2024, Brazilian fintech startups secured a total of US$1 billion in venture capital (VC) funding, representing 42% of all fintech investments in the region. This underscores the country’s leadership in LatAm, data from…

Despite a global downturn in fintech funding in 2024, Canada’s fintech sector continued to defy global trends, attracting record-breaking capital. Last year, a total of US$9.5 billion was invested across 121 fintech deals in Canada, up from US$1.1 billion invested in 2023 across 129 transactions, according to a new KPMG report. Interest from venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) investors remained strong, especially in larger and more established fintech firms. One of the year’s biggest moves came from Montreal-based Nuvei, which was taken private by PE firm Advent International in a US$6.3 billion all-cash deal. The transaction took Nuvei…

The Chilean fintech ecosystem has experienced notable growth over the past years, reaching 348 active companies in 2024. According to the 2024 Fintech Radar Chile report, produced by Finnovista in partnership with Mastercard and Galileo Financial Technologies, the figure represents a 16% year-over-year (YoY) increase, carrying on an annual increase that’s been going on since at least 2022. Today, this ecosystem is large and diverse, with strong representation in segments including enterprise financial management, with a 17.8% share, and payments and remittances, at 15.8%. Other notable segments include lending and technological infrastructure for banks and fintechs, both at 12.6%. According…

In May, the House Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed through the US House of Representatives, outlining US President Donald Trump’s tax agenda for the next few years and introducing a new 3.5% tax on remittances by non-citizens. A new analysis by FXC Intelligence, a data platform specializing in the cross-border payment and e-commerce sectors, explores the potential effects of the proposed tax on money transfers, warning of increased costs for consumers, the growth of informal and unregulated cross-border payment methods, and the introduction of operational challenges for money transfer providers. Higher costs for migrant workers Under the proposed…

Over the past decade, Canada has witnessed significant advancements in digital banking, with both traditional banks and fintech startups investing heavily in digital solutions to meet customer demand for convenience, accessibility and enhanced banking experiences. Today, this developed industry comprises a host of solutions encompassing online banking offerings provided by traditional banking institutions, digital banking spun-off outfits launched by incumbents, and digital banking solutions offered by private fintech startups. Today, we look at some of the Canada’s top digital banking offerings to know. For this list, we’ve focused on homegrown digital challenger banks and digital banks that don’t use any…

In the US, digital banking has firmly entered the mainstream, embraced by consumers for its convenience and ease of use. According to an October 2024 study by Morning Consult on behalf of the American Bankers Association, 55% of US consumers now conduct their banking via mobile apps, making these the most popular baking method in the country. Mobile apps are followed by online banking via laptop or PC, with 22% of bank customers reporting usage in the past 12 months, reflecting US consumers’ preference for digital banking. This widespread adoption reflects high customer satisfaction. An impressive 96% of consumers rate…

Argentina’s fintech industry is vibrant and rapidly expanding, emerging as a key player in Latin America (LatAm)’s fintech landscape. As of 2024, the country was home to 383 fintech companies, marking the addition of 40 new startups compared to the previous year, according to Finnosummit’s 2024 Fintech Radar Argentina report. The sector has experienced steady growth, with the number of local fintechs increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.3% since 2020. With the momentum of Argentina’s fintech sector expected to continue into 2025, we look today at some of the most promising fintech startups from the country.…

Mexico’s startup ecosystem has made notable strides over the past years, facilitated by the country’s strategic location, the size of its market, and its language. Today, its capital city, Mexico City, is home to the majority of the nation’s startups, and even some unicorns, with fintech, in particular, emerging as one of the most promising sectors. Like the rest of Latin America (LatAm), the growth of Mexico’s fintech sector has been driven by a number of factors, including the region’s significant population of unbanked and underbanked, widespread adoption of smartphones and mobile Internet, and the introduction of conducive new regulations…

Forbes has released its 2025 Fintech 50 list, recognizing the top 50 private fintech startups that are driving financial innovation in the USA. These companies were selected for their growth, product innovation, and leadership diversity, and represent verticals including banking, payments, investing, insurance, real estate, as well as blockchain and cryptocurrency. Marking the 10th edition of Fintech 50, this year’s list saw payments, business-to-business (B2B) banking, as well as Wall Street and enterprise solutions dominate the ranking, accounting for 31 of the 50 picks and 13 of the 18 first-time honorees. Real estate and insurance had lower representation this year,…

Portage, a global investment platform, in collaboration with Taktile, a risk decision platform, presents “The Top 50 US Fintech Companies Disrupting Consumer Finance in 2024.” This list highlights the most innovative fintech companies ushering in a new era of financial inclusion and consumer empowerment in the United States. The demand for hyper-personalized and convenient financial products in the US has surged. In response, innovative startups and established fintech leaders are not only making existing products more fair and accessible but also accelerating product development to better serve those traditionally underserved or marginalized by traditional establishments. This wave of innovation is…

Ualá, Brubank and Naranja X dominate the Argentinian digital banking sector, collectively serving 16.44 million customers and holding an 88% share of the market, a new analysis by C-Innovation, a French fintech-focused research firm, reveals. These digital banks have managed to establish themselves as key pillars of the digital banking ecosystem, carving out substantial user bases by focusing on innovation, financial inclusion, and customer-centric services, the report says. Their growth has been driven by strategic product offerings, user-friendly platforms, and the ability to meet the evolving needs of Argentine consumers. Ualá, one of Argentina’s leading fintech players, offers a comprehensive…

Panama, a key financial hub in the Americas, has witnessed a growth in fintech development over the past years. Although the ecosystem remains limited compared with regional leaders such as Brazil and Mexico, Panama has nevertheless seen several local players rise to prominence, with segments including digital payments, remittances and neobanking currently standing as the most developed categories. Of the reported 16 fintech ventures in the country, we’ve made a selection of seven of Panama’s most renowned and fastest-growing fintech companies to watch closely. For this list, we’ve selected startups headquartered in the country, showcasing their latest achievements and growth.…