Scalable Capital, a leading German digital wealth manager backed by BlackRock, has secured a European banking licence. This move allows the fintech to expand beyond wealth management into broader retail banking, offering savings, payments, and credit products. The licence positions Scalable Capital to compete more directly with neobanks like N26 and Revolut, while leveraging its €20+ billion assets under management. The shift signals the growing convergence of wealthtech and banking, as firms seek to build full-service financial ecosystems. With BlackRock’s support, Scalable is well-placed to challenge incumbents by blending investment expertise with modern digital banking services. Analysts see this as a watershed moment for fintech-bank hybrids in Europe.
Insight of the Day
The Embedded Finance Playbook for Marketplaces and the Gig Economy
👉 Payments Infrastructure
A robust, flexible payments infrastructure is non-negotiable. Platforms need to support diverse options—cross-border solutions, split payments, escrow, and orchestration—while meeting compliance requirements like KYC and AML. Transparency around fees, FX, and security builds trust across buyers, sellers, and workers.
👉 Real-Time Payments
Workers and SMEs increasingly demand instant access to funds. Faster payouts improve cash flow and flexibility, with many gig workers even willing to pay fees for real-time transfers. SMEs depend on quick settlement for day-to-day operations. But fragmented global RTP systems and regulations create hurdles for platforms expanding internationally.
👉 Embedded Finance
Embedded finance is becoming a key differentiator, with platforms like Shopify and Grab embedding lending, insurance, and savings into their ecosystems. This turns platforms into financial hubs, enabling SMEs and gig workers to access critical tools within a single interface.
Curated News
💳 Payments
Contactless Card Payments Could Become Unlimited
UK regulators are considering removing transaction limits on contactless card payments, potentially replacing them with stronger fraud controls. This could significantly boost convenience but also raises questions about security.
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Revolut Introduces Pay by Bank Option
Revolut has added a "Pay by Bank" feature, enabling direct account-to-account transactions. This could lower merchant costs and accelerate the adoption of open banking payments.
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FedNow Raises Transaction Limit to $10 Million
The Federal Reserve’s instant payments network, FedNow, has increased its transaction cap from $1 million to $10 million. This makes the system more attractive for corporate treasury and large B2B transactions.
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Global Payments Launches Genius in the UK
Global Payments has introduced its Genius platform in the UK, offering unified commerce and advanced payment solutions. The launch underscores growing competition in omnichannel payments.
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Flutterwave Partners Clear Junction for Cross-Border Payments
Flutterwave has teamed up with Clear Junction to enhance its cross-border payments network. The partnership aims to improve settlement efficiency for businesses across Africa and Europe.
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Moonrise by Lunar Offers Swish Access for PSPs
Lunar’s Moonrise platform now enables payment service providers to access Swish directly or indirectly through a single integration. This improves flexibility for PSPs serving Nordic markets.
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🏦 Banking
Float Raises $2.6M to Tackle South Africa’s Credit Gap
South African fintech Float secured $2.6 million to expand its innovative credit offerings. The firm aims to make access to affordable credit more inclusive across underserved markets.
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📈 Fintech
Robinhood Builds Social Platform for WallStreetBets Traders
Robinhood is developing a social platform tailored to the WallStreetBets community. This move could strengthen user engagement but may also attract regulatory scrutiny.
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CloudWalk Proves Four Times More Efficient than Incumbents
A new Atlantico report claims CloudWalk, the Brazilian payments unicorn, operates at four times the efficiency of legacy payment providers. This efficiency edge strengthens its disruptive positioning in Latin America.
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DailyPay and APS Partner on Financial Wellness
Earned wage access provider DailyPay has partnered with APS to integrate financial wellness tools into payroll systems. The collaboration will reach thousands of U.S. employers and employees.
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Loqbox and ClearScore Help Declined Credit Applicants
Loqbox and ClearScore are rolling out an embedded support service for applicants rejected for credit. The feature offers pathways to build creditworthiness, reducing financial exclusion.
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MoMo Partners with iProov to Bolster Fraud Protection
Vietnamese super-app MoMo has partnered with iProov to enhance its digital identity verification. This step strengthens fraud defenses as MoMo scales its fintech services.
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🪙 Crypto
US DOJ Seeks to Recover $12M in USDT from Scam
The U.S. Department of Justice is moving to seize $12 million worth of Tether linked to a crypto scam. This highlights regulators’ growing focus on stablecoin-related fraud.
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Metaplanet Plans $1.45B Share Sale to Buy Bitcoin
Japanese firm Metaplanet announced a massive $1.45 billion share sale to fund further Bitcoin purchases. The move cements its role as Asia’s closest parallel to MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin strategy.
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💼 WealthTech
BMLL Launches Trades Plus Dataset for Execution Analysis
BMLL has introduced a Trades Plus dataset, designed to help clients perform execution analysis at scale. This innovation could reshape buy-side strategies in trading and analytics.
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Liquidnet Launches Bilateral Liquidity Solution
Liquidnet has unveiled a buy-side solution enabling firms to access bilateral liquidity more efficiently. The service expands liquidity options for institutional investors.
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📜 Regulation
Most SMEs Would Pay for Digital Company ID
A new study shows strong SME demand for a digital company ID service to simplify compliance and verification. This could accelerate regulatory tech adoption in the SME sector.
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Experian Launches Perpetual KYC Monitoring Tool
Experian has rolled out a perpetual monitoring service to enhance KYC compliance. The tool enables continuous checks, reducing risks of outdated customer data.
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📊 Other
Alibaba Leads $60M Series B in AI Video Startup PixVerse
Alibaba has led a $60 million investment in Singapore-based AI video firm PixVerse. The funding highlights China’s continued push into AI-driven creative technologies.
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CLARA Analytics Debuts Intelligence-as-a-Service
CLARA Analytics has launched an “Intelligence-as-a-Service” platform to help insurers optimize claims and operations. The product aims to drive AI adoption across insurance workflows.
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Origami Risk Unveils AI-Driven Risk Management Tools
Origami Risk has introduced a new AI-powered platform to support advanced risk and insurance initiatives. The solution is designed to streamline risk modeling and compliance.
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