Money moving money.
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Fintech has been through a full cycle — the 2021 valuations, the correction, and the slower rebuild on top of real revenue — and this desk covers what came out the other side. Payments, banking infrastructure, lending, cards, treasury, and the compliance layer underneath all of it. We follow charters and licences as closely as funding rounds, because in this sector regulatory permission is often both the moat and the bottleneck. Unit economics get attention here: take rate, cost of funds, loss rates, and the difference between a company that processes volume and one that keeps a margin on it. Crypto appears when it intersects with regulated finance, rather than as a category of its own.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has unveiled new proposed rules for crypto assets, aiming to establish a clear framework for investment contracts involving digital assets and provide a conditional safe harbor for certain projects.
Stripe's strategic acquisition of AI model marketplace OpenRouter signals its intent to embed advanced AI capabilities directly into its payments and financial infrastructure, marking a significant expansion beyond its core offerings.
The FDIC is considering an industry-led body to certify fintechs, a move that could standardize risk management and lower the compliance burden for bank partnerships.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's conditional bank charter approval for the Trump-linked crypto venture signals a dramatic shift in federal regulatory posture toward digital assets, opening a highly politicized pathway to federal banking rails.
Citi’s planned acquisition of Kard Financial marks a strategic pivot toward commerce media, aiming to integrate personalized rewards directly into the banking stack.
Indian digital lender Navi is reviving its public market plans with a targeted $2 billion valuation, serving as a critical test of whether balance-sheet-heavy fintechs can command tech-like multiples.
Cognition AI is reportedly targeting a $40 billion valuation, underscoring the massive capital requirements and investor appetite for vertical AI agents.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency denied Bunq's application for a U.S. bank charter, citing concerns over capitalization, management experience, and unrealistic profit projections. This marks a significant setback for the Dutch fintech's expansion ambitions.
The massive capital raise aims to fill the void left by Silicon Valley Bank, testing whether a dedicated commercial lender can scale under intense regulatory scrutiny.
Payments platform Nayax and credit infrastructure provider Zaria have filed applications for US bank charters, indicating a strategic shift among fintechs towards direct regulatory oversight and broader financial service capabilities.
Stablecoin issuer Dakota has applied for an OCC trust banking charter, signaling a strategic move towards direct federal regulation and institutional legitimacy within the US financial system.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is working to launch an independent standards committee to certify bank-fintech partnerships, a move that could permanently alter the unit economics of the bank-as-a-service sector.
A reported $53.4 billion acquisition offer for PayPal by Stripe and Advent International could reshape the digital payments landscape, highlighting a push for consolidation among industry giants.
Kairos, a new platform designed to unify prediction market trading, has raised $2.5 million in seed funding from a16z crypto, signaling continued venture interest in the evolving web3 financial infrastructure.
India is moving to introduce a business model for its widely adopted Unified Payments Interface, shifting from a zero-fee structure and potentially reshaping the economics for fintechs in the massive market.
African payments infrastructure firm Flutterwave maintains a $3.2 billion valuation, signaling resilience as it integrates Ripple's blockchain technology for cross-border settlement.
As global venture capitalists search for yields in India's zero-fee digital payments ecosystem, NPCI chief Dilip Asbe suggests AI and new commercial frameworks could unlock profitability.
Activist investor Jana Partners is escalating its campaign for a sale of fintech firm Alkami Technology, alleging the company's board is not conducting a genuine sale process.
K2 Space secured $500 million in a new funding round led by Iconiq, valuing the satellite builder at $6.8 billion, signaling strong investor appetite for high-capacity satellite infrastructure.
Freehand’s $75 million Series B signals continued investor appetite for AI-driven fintech solutions optimizing corporate spend and back-office operations.
Throne Science secured $10 million in Series A funding to develop AI-powered toilet cameras that monitor gut health, signaling growing investor interest in healthtech fintech convergence.
General Catalyst outpaced Y Combinator in Q2 2026 by backing the most fintech funding rounds of $5 million or more, marking its busiest quarter since 2021.
JPMorgan reports a sharp increase in AI-focused exchange-traded funds amid a challenging quarter, signaling sustained investor enthusiasm for AI exposure.
Coinbase plans to expand its Singapore workforce from 150 to 200 by year-end, signaling a strategic pivot in its global footprint amid broader restructuring.