In a continuation of its Series D round to fuel its global expansion for cross-border payment solutions, Airwallex has raised $100 million in capital, valuing the fintech at $2.6 billion.

Brim Financial contends there's an innovation gap for installment lending that favors larger lenders.

The New York company is seeding savings accounts offered by the challenger bank Goalsetter as a way to help minority communities as well as use technology to start building long-term relationships with young consumers.

Decentralized finance, in tandem with financial institutions, could create a more efficient, convenient, wider-reaching and more secure experience than traditional finance alone, says FISPAN's Clayton Weir.

With former Mastercard executive Dave Glaser becoming the fintech's first president and COO, Dwolla has the leadership necessary to move upmarket.

In-person branch use will continue, but retail banks should nonetheless double down on building intuitive, easy-to-use mobile experiences that drive customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.

The fintech, which has applied for a California banking license and federal deposit insurance, aims to become a full-service online bank for 1 million Americans by year-end, says Ron Oliveira, its U.S. chief executive.

The deal can potentially boost payments on both sides, but also open new avenues such as merchandising and related content, says Kunai's Tarun Bhasin.

TomoCredit relies strictly on cash-flow data to gauge the creditworthiness of immigrants and young consumers, who often have too little financial history for traditional scoring models.

Both corporations and nimble outfits have been forced to search for new ways to innovate, says Hangar 75's Ian Wilding.