Weekly Fintech Highlights: Condensed Recap of Recent Industry News
The world of fintech continues to buzz with activity, as companies push boundaries and innovate across various sectors. Here's a snapshot of the latest developments in payments, digital banking, fraud/security, wealth management, and lending.
Acquisitions and Expansions
Lloyds Banking Group has made a significant move by acquiring digital wallet provider Curve for approximately $161 million. Meanwhile, Xero, the accounting software company, has agreed to purchase Melio, an accounting and payments platform, for $2.5 billion plus earnouts. Revolut, the digital bank, has expanded into Argentina by acquiring lender Cetelem Argentina. Envestnet has agreed to sell its analytics subsidiary Yodlee to private equity, and Starling Bank is reportedly planning a U.S. national bank acquisition and potential NYSE listing. Payoneer marked its 20th anniversary, reflecting on payments innovation and partnerships. Fiserv announced an agreement to acquire Money.
Payments Developments
Mastercard has launched Mastercard Receivables Manager and Commercial Direct Payments to automate and secure B2B virtual card payments globally. It has also introduced Agent Pay to integrate payments into AI-driven commerce and expanded end-to-end stablecoin acceptance worldwide. Cash App has rolled out Pools, a peer-to-peer group payments feature supporting Apple Pay and Google Pay integration.
Digital Banking and Regulation
Nu Mexico, a subsidiary of Nubank, has received approval for its banking license, expanding digital banking in Latin America. JPMorgan plans to charge fintech middlemen for customer data access to manage fraud and API overload. UK payment firm PayDo has secured an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from Malta’s regulator for broader EU services. Lean has received UAE approval for expanding open finance infrastructure.
Fraud and Security
With rising fraud risk tied to open APIs and data access, banks like JPMorgan are imposing fees on fintech intermediaries to reduce system strain and fraud risks. The White House has signed the GENIUS Act to enhance consumer protection and bolster U.S. leadership in digital assets.
Wealth Management and Lending
Figure has recombined its consumer credit marketplace and blockchain asset exchange to prepare for a potential IPO this fall, indicating moves in lending and digital asset wealth platforms. PayPal and Coinbase have expanded their partnership to boost cryptocurrency adoption and use, relevant to fintech wealth and asset management.
Investment and Industry Momentum
Fintech investment rebounded strongly in Q2 2025 with $11 billion globally raised, driven by payments, insurance tech, and growth-stage companies. Notable leadership changes include Nexo appointing a Chief Banking Officer to scale digital asset infrastructure.
Partnerships and Collaborations
PairSoft and Finexio have extended their B2B payments partnership. Solidgate has turned to Tuum to power its global money movement solution, Solidgate Treasury.
In a significant development, Nasdaq Verafin has announced the launch of its Agentic AI workforce, and Block is set to join the S&P 500. ThetaRay has unveiled the Self-Service Rule Builder and Simulator to enhance its transaction monitoring solution. Momnt has forged a strategic collaboration with residential and commercial roofing products manufacturer IKO. Airwallex and Arsenal have formed a multi-year global partnership. Lastly, Incent has rebranded as Nuuvia, focusing on a full lifecycle engagement platform for community financial institutions. PhotonPay has launched a physical Mastercard commercial credit card for global business payments.
Overall, fintech continues to evolve rapidly with consolidation via acquisitions, expansion into new markets, increasing automation and integration in payments, and enhanced regulatory and security focus to curb fraud risks while facilitating digital banking and asset innovation.
- The digital banking sector has seen growth with Nu Mexico, a subsidiary of Nubank, receiving approval for a banking license, signifying expansion of digital banking in Latin America.
- In the realm of finance, investments in fintech rebounded significantly in Q2 2025, driven primarily by payments, insurance tech, and growth-stage companies.
