News - page 56

African Development Fund Approves Additional 28 Million Dollars to Strengthen Benin Private Sector Growth
Finance & Economics

African Development Fund Approves Additional 28 Million Dollars to Strengthen Benin Private Sector Growth

A new round of financing from the African Development Fund aims to accelerate private sector development, enhance economic zones, and reinforce climate and governance reforms as Benin advances toward stronger, more diversified economic growth.

Singapore Launches First Fully-Insured Physical Gold Fund, Democratizing Gold Ownership for Retail Investors
Finance & Economics

Singapore Launches First Fully-Insured Physical Gold Fund, Democratizing Gold Ownership for Retail Investors

A new gold fund backed by physical bullion and vaulted in Singapore is set to redefine access to precious-metal investments, offering retail investors institutional-grade gold exposure with unprecedented ease.

AI-Powered Portfolio Tools Set to Transform Wealth Management as Wealth Pools Surge
Science & Technology

AI-Powered Portfolio Tools Set to Transform Wealth Management as Wealth Pools Surge

With the wealth management industry in Asia projected to reach $363 trillion by 2026, AI-driven portfolio tools are emerging as a defining factor for firms aiming to capture the coming wave of growth.

Africa Finance Corporation Secures US$75 Million BADEA Credit Line to Accelerate Continental Infrastructure Growth
Finance & Economics

Africa Finance Corporation Secures US$75 Million BADEA Credit Line to Accelerate Continental Infrastructure Growth

AFC strengthens its long-term development capacity through a new US$75 million facility from BADEA, reinforcing a strategic partnership aimed at advancing transformational infrastructure across Africa.

Illicit Crypto Activity Hits Record Lows as Binance Maintains Industry-Leading Compliance
Blockchain & Crypto

Illicit Crypto Activity Hits Record Lows as Binance Maintains Industry-Leading Compliance

New data from Chainalysis and TRM Labs reveals that illicit activity on centralised cryptocurrency exchanges has dropped to historic lows, marking a turning point in the sector’s maturity.

BlackRock and AccessFintech Partner to Modernize Post-Trade Connectivity
Finance & Economics

BlackRock and AccessFintech Partner to Modernize Post-Trade Connectivity

BlackRock has teamed up with AccessFintech to enhance post-trade connectivity and streamline operations across global capital markets.

AI Commerce Gains Momentum With New Developments From Worldpay, Checkout.com, GNOMI and Digi Power X
Science & Technology

AI Commerce Gains Momentum With New Developments From Worldpay, Checkout.com, GNOMI and Digi Power X

Agentic AI commerce is moving from concept to infrastructure. Over the last few days, four separate announcements show how payments, market intelligence, platform tooling, and compute capacity are being aligned to let AI agents discover, decide, and pay on behalf of people.

Akurateco and Rapyd Join Forces to Expand Recurring Payments and Global Card Processing Capabilities
Fintech & Ecommerce

Akurateco and Rapyd Join Forces to Expand Recurring Payments and Global Card Processing Capabilities

Akurateco, a leading payment orchestration and white-label gateway, has announced a new integration with Rapyd that will enhance its platform with recurring payment and advanced card-processing capabilities.

Alipay+ and BENEFIT Prepare Major Cross-Border Payments Expansion in Bahrain
Fintech & Ecommerce

Alipay+ and BENEFIT Prepare Major Cross-Border Payments Expansion in Bahrain

Bahrain is set to become one of the next key hubs for Alipay+ in the Middle East as Ant International and BENEFIT move forward with a partnership announced in late November 2025.

Klarna Launches KlarnaUSD Powered by Tempo, a Next-Generation Payments Blockchain
Blockchain & Crypto

Klarna Launches KlarnaUSD Powered by Tempo, a Next-Generation Payments Blockchain

Today, Klarna announces the launch of KlarnaUSD, a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin, marking the company’s entry into blockchain-based payments. KlarnaUSD will initially operate on Tempo, the innovative layer-1 blockchain jointly developed by Stripe and Paradigm, with mainnet launch planned for 2026.

Worldline Launches Android SmartPOS in the UK to Simplify Payments for Small Businesses
Fintech & Ecommerce

Worldline Launches Android SmartPOS in the UK to Simplify Payments for Small Businesses

Small and medium-sized businesses across the UK now have a new way to manage payments and operations, as Worldline has launched its Android SmartPOS, an Android-based payment platform designed to go beyond traditional card terminals.

American Express Now Accepted at Big Yellow Self Storage Across the UK
Fintech & Ecommerce

American Express Now Accepted at Big Yellow Self Storage Across the UK

American Express expands its presence in the competitive British card market, as Amex Cardmembers can now use their Card at the UK’s leading self-storage brand.

Green Dot Reshapes Its Future as Banking and Fintech Units Split Off to New Owners
Fintech & Ecommerce

Green Dot Reshapes Its Future as Banking and Fintech Units Split Off to New Owners

Green Dot is entering a new chapter as the company prepares to separate into two independently owned businesses. The long-time fintech and banking provider will sell its regulated bank and its embedded-finance technology platform to different buyers, marking one of the most significant structural shifts in its 25-year history.

Monzo Reaches 14M Customer Milestone Driven by Business Offerings and Strong Engagement
Fintech & Ecommerce

Monzo Reaches 14M Customer Milestone Driven by Business Offerings and Strong Engagement

Popular neobank Monzo has passed the 14-million-customer mark, adding the latest two million in just six months — a milestone that highlights how quickly the UK fintech continues to scale.

Tietoevry Rebrands as Tieto and Enters Its Next Chapter Backed by Strong Vertical Focus and a €1.8B Market Valuation
Science & Technology

Tietoevry Rebrands as Tieto and Enters Its Next Chapter Backed by Strong Vertical Focus and a €1.8B Market Valuation

Tietoevry has officially unveiled a major strategic shift: the company is renewing its brand and returning to the simplified name Tieto as it enters its next chapter of growth. The move comes after the divestment of its Tech Services division in September 2025, which sharpened the company’s focus on its core vertical software and digital […]

BitMEX Highlights Bitcoin Potential, Warns of High-Yield Stablecoin Trap, as the Crypto Exchange Turns 11
Blockchain & Crypto

BitMEX Highlights Bitcoin Potential, Warns of High-Yield Stablecoin Trap, as the Crypto Exchange Turns 11

As BitMEX marks its 11th anniversary, the crypto derivatives exchange is using the milestone to spotlight the lessons it has learned across more than a decade of market cycles. Central to its message is a reaffirmation of Bitcoin’s long-term potential and a stark warning about the recurring dangers that still lurk in the fast-moving world […]