QuEra Computing, a Boston-based company specialising in neutral-atom quantum computing, has secured over US$230 million in funding to advance the development and production of large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers. The funding round includes new investors such as Google, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and Valor Equity Partners, alongside existing investors like QVT Family Office and Safar Partners, all of whom participated. Of the total sum, US$60 million will be disbursed upon meeting a pending funding condition. “This round represents a significant milestone for QuEra as we continue to deliver on our promise of scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing,” said Andy Ory, Interim CEO…

Sardine, based in San Francisco, has secured US$70 million in Series C funding, led by Activant Capital. This latest investment brings the company’s total funding to US$145 million and will accelerate efforts to strengthen fraud prevention and compliance capabilities for financial institutions and businesses worldwide. Founded in 2020, Sardine was established to address the growing challenges in fraud detection and compliance as financial transactions become faster and AI-driven scams more sophisticated. With the latest funding, Sardine is further developing its suite of AI agents designed to enhance fraud detection and compliance workflows. These AI agents automate key risk functions while…

Klarna has entered into an agreement with J.P. Morgan Payments to integrate its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options into J.P. Morgan Payments’ Commerce Solutions Platform. This marks the first time Klarna’s BNPL services will be available to businesses using J.P. Morgan Payments for payment processing. J.P. Morgan Payments handles over US$2 trillion in transactions annually. The partnership aims to expand Klarna’s reach by making its payment methods, including interest-free BNPL and flexible financing, accessible to more businesses. The integration is set to launch later this year. “By collaborating with J.P. Morgan Payments, we’re bringing our payment solutions to even…

SolarWinds, a provider of observability and IT management software, has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Turn/River Capital in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately US$4.4 billion. Shareholders will receive US$18.50 per share, representing a 35% premium on the volume-weighted average closing price of SolarWinds stock over the past 90 trading days ending 6 February 2025. Sudhakar Ramakrishna, President and CEO of SolarWinds, stated: “We have built a strong record of supporting customers in their business transformations through solutions designed for hybrid and multi-cloud environments. We now look forward to working with Turn/River…

TaxGPT, an artificial intelligence-powered assistant designed for accounting and tax firms, has secured US$4.6 million in funding. The investment comes from Rebel Fund, Mangusta Capital, Y Combinator, Launch, iSeed Ventures, Converge Fund, TRAC AI/VC Unicorn Fund, Goodwater Genesis, CRV Disrupt Fund, and Principal Venture Partners. Notable individual investors include Kulveer Taggar, Jason Calacanis, and the co-founders of Truebill. The funding will be used to advance product development, expand sales and marketing, and hire additional engineering staff. Research suggests that tax complexity costs Americans US$260 billion annually. Additionally, the industry is expected to experience significant workforce challenges, with over 75% of…

Cboe Global Markets (Chicago Board Options Exchange) has submitted four separate 19b-4 applications to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to introduce spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The filings, made on behalf of WisdomTree, Bitwise, 21Shares, and Canary, represent a key step towards securing regulatory approval for these investment products. These applications follow the issuers’ S-1 filings, moving the proposals closer to regulatory review. Once the SEC acknowledges receipt, the agency has up to 240 days to assess and determine whether to approve or reject the ETFs. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse reacted to the filings with a clock emoji,…

South America’s fintech industry has experienced remarkable growth and transformation over the past years, driven by technological innovation, regulatory advancements and a focus on financial inclusion. South America, which includes 12 sovereign states among which Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Colombia, was home to nearly 3,000 fintech companies in 2023, up from less than 700 in 2017. Brazil led the region, with approximately 20% of these firms, followed by Colombia, Argentina and Chile. Collectively, these countries accounted for more than half of all fintech companies in South America. This ecosystem has risen on the back of evolving regulatory frameworks designed…

Yuno is introducing Mastercard Payment Passkey Service in Latin America, enabling merchants in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile to improve online checkout processes, enhance fraud protection, and reduce cart abandonment rates. Fraud remains a major challenge in Latin America, where e-commerce merchants lose over 4.6% of revenue to payment fraud. Fraud attempts in the region rose by 32% in 2024—the highest increase globally. Mastercard Payment Passkey Service enhances transaction security by using biometric authentication, such as fingerprints and facial recognition, instead of one-time passwords (OTPs), which are vulnerable to scams like phishing and SIM swapping. The service also employs tokenisation technology…

North America, encompassing the US, Canada and Mexico, stands out as a leading hub for fintech innovation. The region is home to some of the largest fintech companies in the world, and consistently attract the lion’s share in fintech funding, cementing its leadership position on the global fintech scene. This dynamic landscape has fueled the rise of prominent industry events in the region, serving as key platforms for industry stakeholders to network, stay up-to-date with the latest trends, and showcase cutting-edge fintech solutions. As we step into 2025, we look today at some of the biggest fintech events taking place…

Brazil stands out as the leading fintech hub in Latin America (LatAm). The country boasts the highest number of fintech companies across the region, hosting over 700 startups in the sector and accounting for 24% of all of LatAm’s 3,000+ fintech ventures, according to research by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Finnovista. Brazil has also produced some of LatAm’s largest and most successful fintech firms, among which digital banking giant Nubank, one of the most prominent fintechs globally. In 2024, Brazil maintained its dominance in the region’s fintech scene, with startups in the sector securing US$1 billion in venture…

EBANX, based in Brazil, has officially been registered as a Payment and Collection Service Provider (PSPC) with the Banco Central del Uruguay. This registration is a significant step in strengthening the company’s presence and streamlining its operations within the country. With this new license, EBANX will have greater control over its transaction flow, enabling more seamless integration with local acquirers and improving both payment security and efficiency. It also provides the opportunity to optimise costs for its merchants. João Del Valle, CEO of EBANX, shared the news on his LinkedIn profile, stating, “We’re excited to expand our capabilities in Uruguay,…

Core Foundation, an organisation supporting ecosystem development on the Bitcoin-powered Core blockchain, has announced a new US$5 million fund to support blockchain technology projects in Latin America. The Core Latin America Ecosystem Fund follows previous investment initiatives in Africa and India. It aims to address critical regional challenges by leveraging blockchain technology to create impactful solutions, according to World Energy Trade. The fund will focus on key areas such as remittances and cross-border payments, stablecoins and savings platforms, supply chain and logistics, DeFi-backed loans and P2P lending protocols, healthcare solutions, gaming and entertainment, NFTs and digital art, social impact projects,…

Backbase, the creator of the Engagement Banking Platform, has announced a partnership with Alliant Credit Union, a digital-only credit union in the United States. “Alliant is unlike any other financial institution; we are obsessed with our members’ experiences and delivering them value and providing the best digital banking experience to meet their needs wherever they are,” said Sumeet Grover, Chief Digital Officer for Alliant Credit Union. By partnering with Backbase, Alliant will enhance member experiences through hyper-personalised interactions, customised financial journeys, and improved operational efficiency, all aimed at boosting member engagement. “Alliant Credit Union is a pioneer in digital-first banking,…

Yuno, a payment orchestration company, provides businesses with access to over 300 payment methods through a single platform. Its technology simplifies payment integration and helps companies improve transaction efficiency and customer experience. One example is Rappi, a Latin American super app that needed a way to integrate alternative payment methods (APMs) without lengthy development processes. Consumer preferences for APMs vary by region, making it difficult for businesses to keep up. Yuno allowed Rappi to access multiple payment options through a single interface, reducing integration time from months to minutes and enabling it to serve a wider customer base, including the…

Clutch has raised US$65 million in its Series B funding round to support its mission of changing the way credit unions provide products and services to their members. The funding, led by Alkeon Capital Management with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, TruStage Ventures, and Peterson Partners, will support Clutch’s growth and product development, including AI and expanded platform capabilities. CEO and Co-founder Nicholas Hinrichsen said, “As the fastest growing, most widely-adopted and most holistic modern digital onboarding solution in the credit union industry, Clutch has quickly transformed from a young startup to a mission-critical software provider for our credit union clients.…

Fintech companies have emerged as transformative forces in the global financial services landscape. With a global market valuation of US$294 billion in 2023 spread across more than 33,000 companies, the sector has witnessed considerable growth, underscoring its significant impact on financial access, inclusion and economic participation. This growth has been propelled by increased global smartphone penetration, mobile and broadband Internet coverage and advancements in digital infrastructure, notably digital identity and instant payments. To measure the impact of fintech solutions, several measurement frameworks have emerged in recent years. A new report by the Milken Institute, an economic think tank, examines these…

Crypto.com has announced the launch of its institutional-grade Crypto.com Exchange in the United States. This new offering complements the existing Crypto.com app, which is already available for US retail users. Kris Marszalek, Co-Founder and CEO of Crypto.com, shared, “After testing an early version of the Crypto.com Exchange in the US back in 2022, we made significant investments to enhance its technology and banking systems. These efforts have driven remarkable global growth, making us the top USD-supporting crypto exchange. We’re excited to now fully launch this product in the US, a market we strongly believe in.” With the Crypto.com Exchange, users can…

Highnote has closed a US$90 million Series B funding round led by Adams Street Partners, with participation from existing investors Oak HC/FT, Costanoa, WestCap, and Pinegrove Venture Partners. With this funding, Highnote has launched a new acquiring solution, allowing businesses to accept and process payments on the same platform where they issue cards. This unified system simplifies financial transactions, saving time and money for businesses by using a single, centralised ledger. The new solution lets companies accept online payments through plug-and-play tools or custom integrations. Built by the team behind Braintree, it directly connects with major payment networks, improving transparency,…

Airwallex has secured a payment institution license from the Banco Central do Brasil and acquired MexPago, a Mexico-based payment service provider with an IFPE license. “Our infrastructure strategy is to connect diverse and strategically significant markets around the world,” said Ravi Adusumilli, President of Americas at Airwallex. “With licenses in Brazil and Mexico, we can help companies in Latin America expand and thrive across borders, while also helping businesses around the world operate more seamlessly in these two dynamic economic markets.” While Brazil leads in payment digitisation, with PIX projected to account for 40% of online payments by 2026, its…

NCR Atleos Corporation announced that $1.1 billion-asset nbkc bank has selected Atleos’ Allpoint Network to expand access to everyday banking transactions for its customers. Based in Kansas City, nbkc sought an efficient way to enable customers to conduct transactions at convenient retail locations nationwide. By joining the Allpoint Network, nbkc now offers surcharge-free access to 55,000 ATMs worldwide, in addition to the ATMs already available, and provides cash deposit capabilities at over 3,000 locations. “We aimed to leverage intuitive technology to enhance convenient and exceptional customer experiences. “Our collaboration with Atleos extends our branch network by providing greater access to…