The Buy Now Pay Later Revolution Rolls on as Zip Acquires QuadPay

The Buy Now Pay Later Revolution Rolls on as Zip Acquires QuadPay
Photo by Chavdar Lungov from Pexels

We talked so much about the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) revolution in ecommerce that we are starting to sound like a broken record (someone please explain that reference to the younger millennials in the room). But the no-interest financing strategy is quickly becoming a must-offer feature for merchants, card issuers, and other players in the ecommerce ecosystem.

This week brings news that Zip Co, a digital retail financing and payments services company based in Australia, has agreed to acquire New York based Buy Now Pay Later company QuadPay in a deal valued at $269 million. One of the biggest BNPL companies in the U.S, QuadPay will enable Zip to expand its reach to five countries (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the U.S., and the U.K.), a combined annualized revenue of $182 million (AU$250 million) and 3.5 million customers.

Aside from the company’s co-founders, Adam Ezra and Brad Lindenberg, Zip was the largest shareholder in QuadPay. Ezra and Lindenberg will join Zip’s global leadership team post-acquistion with the responsibility of scaling business in the U.S.

Photo by Damon Hall from Pexels

Hungry for good news on the fintech funding front? Gaze no further than Latin America where a new report from KoreFusion highlights growth in smartphone ownership, ecommerce adoption, and dissatisfactioin with banks as just a few of the reasons why Latin America’s fintech boom is ust beginning.

The study, available for free from the San Francisco, California-based consultancy, is based on a study of more than 1,000 fintechs in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. In addition to a survey of the fintech landscape – finding a concentration in the payments category with lending and B2B-based fintechs coming in second and third, respectively – the report underscores other areas – such as remittances and foreign exchange – where it believe major opportunities remain.

Read more in KoreFusion’s 2020 Latam Fintech Report.


Here is our look at fintech around the world.

Central and Eastern Europe

  • German regtech 4Stop partners with payment service provider emerchantpay.
  • ACI Worldwide announces that its technology helps power 75% of real-time payments in Hungary.
  • German P2P lender auxmoney raises $177 million (150 million euros) in growth capital.

Middle East and Northern Africa

  • Edenred UAE introduces mobile banking app, C3Pay.
  • Hakbah, an alternative financial savings app based in Saudi Arabia, forges a partnership with Visa.
  • Switzerland’s Additiv opens new regional headquarters in Dubai.

Central and Southern Asia

  • Google Pay launches its NFC-based contactless payment offering in India.
  • India’s Kotak Mahindra Bank introduces cardless cash withdrawals at ATMs.
  • Singapore-based fintech Atlantis goes live with neobank targeting millennials and GenZ customers in India.

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Neon Pagamentos, a neobank based in Brazil, has raised $300 million in a Series C round led by General Atlantic.
  • Brazil’s Central Bank says it will rollout a central bank digital currency by 2023.
  • Nubank, a Brazilian challenger bank and the country’s second-largest credit card issuer, has secured $300 million in new funding.

Asia-Pacific

  • Vietnam-based e-payments provider NextPay announces plans to raise up to $100 million early next year via a private placement.
  • China’s UnionPay goes live with its digital bankcard.
  • Malaysia’s securities commission inks a financial technology cooperation agreement with Indonesia’s financial services regulator Otoritas Jasa Keuangan.

Sub-Saharan Africa

  • South Africa-based Entersket partners with NuData Security, bringing behavioral analytics to real-time risk scoring.
  • Pan-African challenger bank Union54 announces plans for a 2021 launch.
  • The National Agency for Social & Economic Inclusion (ANIES) of Guinea selects security services company Idemia fo its welfare cash transfer program.

Finovate Alums Earn Top Honors in Wealthtech 100

Finovate Alums Earn Top Honors in Wealthtech 100

More than ten Finovate alums have earned spots on Fintech Global’s second annual Wealthtech 100 roster. The collection of companies is meant to represent the most innovative businesses operating in the wealth and asset space worldwide.

Companies were evaluated based on a variety of criteria ranging from industry significance and technological innovation to growth in capital raised and the ability of the company to save clients money, boost revenues, or increase efficiency. More than 1,200 companies were provided by Fintech Global to its judging panel of fintech analysts and industry experts.

Here are our winning Finovate alums:

“We’re thrilled to have made the WealthTech 100 list from Fintech Global,” Wealth Wizards said on Twitter after the news was announced. “There are some brilliant U.K. firms included.” Finantix and additiv also tweeted about the announcement this week.

See the full WealthTech 100 roster.

Headquartered in London, U.K., Fintech Global provides comprehensive data, insights, and analytical tools on fintech around the world.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • The ID Co. Lands $2 Million.
  • Finastra Inks New Bank Partners for its Blockchain-Based Lending Platform.
  • ClickSWITCH Raises $13 Million in Series B.
  • masterqueue Closes First Round of Funding.

Around the web

  • Fintech Switzerland lists additiv, finhorizon, and clevercircles on list of wealthtechs offering more than just roboadvisory.
  • Forbes on how Tradeshift is fighting modern day slavery.
  • Mint Life names FamZoo on list of apps to teach kids about money.
  • IBS Intelligence features CustomerXPS’ Clari5 in its latest report.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Additiv Partners with Orange Business Services to Bring Digital Wealth Management to FIs

Additiv Partners with Orange Business Services to Bring Digital Wealth Management to FIs

European robo advisor additiv its leveraging is relationship with Orange Business Services to make its cloud-based digital wealth management technology available to banks and other FIs. Offered as a SaaS solution, additiv’s wealth management as-a-service technology features out-of-the-box solutions including robo advisory, portfolio management, and client and advisory dashboards.

“By partnering with Orange Business Services we can provide financial institutions with a fast and highly-secure way of tapping into this new market opportunity, while improving the end-client experience and reducing operating costs,” explained additiv CEO and founder, Michael Stemmle.

Michael Stemmle, CEO and founder of additiv, demonstrating the company’s cloud-based robo advisor at FinovateAsia 2017.

Stemmle added that the joint platform will give FIs access to the company’s Digital Financial Suite, as well as its global ecosystem of partners who offer a range of additional services including client administration, execution and custody services with access to 35,000 FIs across eight asset classes.”

The new solution will be introduced in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific on dedicated Orange cloud platforms. Orange Business Services is the B2B division of the Orange Group, the first mobile operator to make contactless cash payments available in Europe. The company launched its Orange Money solution in 2008, linking a mobile account with an Orange mobile number to support the cash needs of customers in the Middle East and Africa. Last year, the Orange Group launched Orange Bank in France.

“Our highly-secure cloud platform is providing additiv with a smart and efficient way for financial institutions to plug in a game-changing range of products and map the entire data journey to provide valuable customer insight,” CEO of Orange Business Services, Helmut Reisinger said. “It will make digital wealth management easier and more convenient, which will undoubtedly broaden the appeal of wealth management.”

Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, and founded in 1998, additiv demonstrated its configurable, cloud-based robo advisor at FinovateAsia 2017. A provider of digital financial and wealth management solutions to banks, insurers, wealth, and asset managers in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, additiv has more than 15 existing deployments of its technology.

Additiv has raised $21 million (CHF 21 million) in funding courtesy of an investment from Switzerland’s BZ Bank last spring.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate

  • Additiv Partners with Orange Business to Bring Digital Wealth Management to FIs.
  • Zopa’s Record Lending Figures Suggest a Healthy U.K. P2P Lending Sector.

Around the web

  • Iraq’s Banque Liban-Francaise completes upgrade to Temenos’ T24 core banking system.
  • P2P lender Zopa announces 40% revenue growth and a return to profitability.
  • Ohpen signs LeasePlan Bank as its latest customer.
  • Efigence implements technological side of Alior Bank open banking project.
  • Open Bank Project collaborates with Citizens Bank hackathon.
  • The World Economic Forum names Neener Analytics as a Technology for Integrity 2018.
  • YellowDog wins Business Innovation Award at inaugural Best New Business Awards.
  • Finicity forges data sharing agreement with USAA.
  • MapD debuts MapD 4.0 for interactive location intelligence at scale.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

FinovateAsia Sneak Peek: additiv

FinovateAsia Sneak Peek: additiv

A look at the companies demoing live at FinovateAsia on November 7 and 8 in Hong Kong. Pick up your tickets today and save your spot.

additiv is the leading provider of B2B2C digital financial solutions as a service for financial institutions, wealth managers, and fintech companies.

Features

  • Quick implementation and sufficiently configurable roboadvisor
  • Rapid to deploy but integrated with bank’s key data repositories
  • Country and local compliant setup

Why it’s great
additiv is the leading provider of B2B2C digital financial solutions-as-a-service for financial institutions, wealth managers, and fintech companies.

Presenters

Michael Stemmle, CEO
Stemmle is CEO of additiv, building the digital future of the financial industry.
LinkedIn

Derrick Loi, Global Head of Orange Cloud for Business (International)
As a former Citrix and Cisco Manager, Loi is currently responsible for the GTM, revenue targets, order targets and P&L for Orange Cloud Business international, which covers Asia Pacific, Europe, Americas and Emerging Markets.
LinkedIn

Thomas Achhorner, Global Head of Solutions
Achhorner is a former PwC and BCG partner and develops additiv’s SaaS offering by packaging the firm’s renowned digital finance services platform as cloud-based products.
LinkedIn

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Bill.com Discloses September Investment Round, Doubles Total Funding.
  • SocietyOne Tops $350 Million in Loans.
  • Baker Hill Forges Partnerships with Allied Solutions, Experian.
  • Safe Spaces: The Best of the Authenticators, Verifiers, and Fraud Fighters.

Around the web

  • Fenergo announces partnership with four of Australia’s top five banks.
  • ACI Worldwide launches UP Real-Time Payments Solution.
  • Credit Agricole and TransferGo join Ripple’s blockchain network, boosting membership to more than 100 institutions.
  • Thomson Reuters unveils Fixed Income Callouts, a trading app for African bond markets.
  • Ondot Systems to provide two-way fraud alerts for debit cards processed by payments provider, Elan Financial.
  • Pendo Systems adds 25-year banking veteran Bill Woodley as a non-executive director.
  • Megabuyte initiates coverage of Xceptor with “superior” rating.
  • nCino enhances Treasury Management Sales and Onboarding Solution for greater flexibility, configurability and speed.
  • NuData picks up leader award from Javelin Strategy and Research.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Additiv Lands $25.5 Million Investment

Additiv Lands $25.5 Million Investment

Digital financial solutions company additiv has scored $25.5 million (CHF21 million) this week. The investment, which comes from BZ Bank and Patinex, marks the company’s first round of funding.

The investment will help additiv meet demand for its products across Europe and Asia. In the press release, the company’s founder and CEO, Michael Stemmle said, “This funding will finance our international expansion and help strengthen our management team. It will also fuel our production of cutting-edge SaaS/cloud-based products that ensure our clients are ahead of the curve. It really is crunch time for the sector and this funding allows us to be at our best when our clients need us most.”

Founded in 1998, additiv offers a digital financial suite, robo advisor and advisor services, as well as digital mortgage tools. At FinovateEurope 2016, the company’s CEO and founder, Michael Stemmle, along with Adriano Lucatelli and Marc Sauter from Descartes Finance, demoed how Descartes Finance built a digital private banking platform on top of additiv’s digital finance suite. The technology enables self-directed investors to implement portfolios based on allocation and optimization methods.

additiv’s Digital Finance Suite (DFS) recently began powering Natwest’s new robo-advice offering, which launched for the U.K. savings and investment market. This comes after the company piloted similar projects with Coutts, a private bank, and RBS Group. We featured the company earlier this year in our roundup of top business-to-business wealth tech players.

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • Market Earlybird Helps Market Professionals Identify Trading Opportunities First.
  • Additiv Lands $25.5 Million Investment
  • Algomi Acquires AllianceBernstein’s ALFA’s Fixed Income Liquidity and Analytics Tool

Around the web

  • Kony partners with KMC controls to bridge mobile apps and IoT
  • Clover now enables Android Pay’s Smart Tap
  • TickSmith releases a Python API for the new generation of financial data scientists
  • ID.me wins Trailblazer Award at 1st Annual K(NO)W Nodes Awards Show
  • Finextra: Google and PayPal partner for mobile shopping by fingerprint
  • ProfitStars introduces Automated Website Governance Solution
  • FinovateAsia Best of Show winner Finn.ai earns spot in Payments Canada’s pitch competition, Dragon’s Den.
  • OutSystems adds Tom Schodort and Bill Macaitis to its board of directors.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow all the alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.

Top Business-to-Business Wealth Tech Players

Top Business-to-Business Wealth Tech Players

wealthtech4

If you’ve been following our series on wealth tech, you’ve seen our analysis of the industry as a whole, a review of the top trends, and an examination of B2C wealth tech players.

Our wealth tech coverage continues this week with a review of business-to-business (B2B) players in the wealth tech space. These are companies that cater directly to banks, advisors, or brokerages, instead of offering products or services directly to consumers. B2B wealth tech is a large category, so I’ve sub-divided it into four digestible groups and listed my top picks for each category. Since category sizes vary, the number of selections also varies.

Alternative investment services
These are platforms that help advisors connect clients with unconventional investment types, such as private equity, hedge funds, futures, real estate, etc.

Screen Shot 2017-01-19 at 11.44.57 AMEquityZen’s EZ Institutional lets advisors give clients access to a diverse asset class

Technology for advisors and brokerages
These are tools available via API, SDK, or web interface to help advisors compete with robo advisors by allowing them to invest with less bias, increase client communication, scale operations, find new clients, and more.

Screen Shot 2017-01-19 at 11.40.41 AMTrizic offers advisors their own digital tools to compete with robo advisors

Non-U.S. B2B investment and advisor technology
Similar to the above category, these companies offer tools for advisors outside of the U.S.

Screen Shot 2017-01-19 at 11.30.52 AMmeetInvest helps advisors invest like world-renowned market experts

News and Information Companies
These are online platforms, APIs, or SaaS offerings that provide advisors market information, show them trending news, or connect businesses with market data to power their own products.

Screen-Shot-2016-10-31-at-3.22.22-PMForwardLane’s dashboard acts like a private research analyst for advisors advisors, helping them stay current on new trends and funds

FinovateEurope Sneak Peek: additiv

FinovateEurope Sneak Peek: additiv

additiv_homepage_Jan2016

FEULogowithDate    A look at the companies demoing live to 1,500 fintech professionals. Register today.

 

additiv will present Descartes, based on the platform additiv Digital Finance Suite (DFS).

Features

  • Additiv DFS: digitization realized fast and efficiently
  • Full self-service hybrid, or personal adviser-focused solutions including robo-adviser technology
  • For the banking and insurance markets

Why it’s great
Descartes is a high-end, multi-algorithmic robo-adviser for demanding, self-directed investors offering a holistic advisory and portfolio-management approach.

Presenters

additiv_MichaelStemmieMichael Stemmle, Owner and CEO

Stemmle has long-term consulting experience with a focus on the development and implementation of business, sales, and distribution strategies for the finance and insurance industries.
LinkedIn

 

additiv_AdrianoLucatelliAdriano B. Lucatelli, Entrepreneur, Founder of Descartes AG

Lucatelli is a Swiss entrepreneur, investor, and member of the board of directors of various companies (one of them additiv). He has lectured at the University of Zurich on international finance since 2012.
LinkedIn

 

Finovate Alumni News

On Finovate.com

  • LendUp Raises $150 Million in Series B; Expanded Credit Facility”
  • Fiserv Buys ACI Worldwide’s Community Financial Services Division for $200 Million”

Around the web

  • Tradeshift partners with (RED) to facilitate donations to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
  • Payoneer selects AU10TIX to enhance online customer ID authentication and record generation.
  • AlphaPoint appoints Scott Scalf as EVP of Development Operations.

This post will be updated throughout the day as news and developments emerge. You can also follow alumni news headlines on the Finovate Twitter account.