Mike Cagney’s blockchain lending startup Figure Technologies plans to raise $250 million through a new blank-check company, according to an SEC filing.

A company’s approach to regulation and compliance, including issues concerning diversity and inclusion, can and likely will have a huge impact on growth, profitability, and longevity, say lawyers from Seyfarth.

Opportunity Financial, which offers consumer installment loans in partnership with banks, is merging with FG New America Acquisition Corp., a special-purpose acquisition corporation. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter.

The Swedish installment lender's diversification makes it a direct competitor to mainstream banks.

The Swedish installment lender's diversification makes it a direct competitor to mainstream banks.

Financial inclusion is a key enabler to reducing poverty and Fintech is leading the way forward. New businesses and creative banking services are emerging with new means of providing financial services to the financially underserved. But technology is just part of the equation, not the whole solution. Join Daniel Wolfe, Editor-in-Chief of PaymentSource as he explores the issues surrounding financial services as infrastructure and how it can address the wealth gap in various communities with our special guests Wole Coaxum, Founder & CEO of MoCaFi and Marc Weill, Partner & Senior Advisor at Two Sigma Ventures.

Discovery Bank in South Africa and other overseas financial companies say healthier customers are more profitable. They are giving reward points, gym subsidies and even free Apple Watches to those who meet fitness goals.

The next administration must halt the practice of allowing new entrants into the banking system to forgo a full Community Reinvestment Act exam.

There's already an appetite for digital and consumers should quickly embrace Apple's range of services, says CellPoint Digital's Howard Blankenship.

Fintechs and challenger banks are small, nimble and tech-centric. However, incumbents have strong reputations, customer trust and loyalty built over many decades, says Twilio's Bijon Mehta.

A showdown between megabanks such as JPMorgan Chase and the likes of Apple and PayPal could be the prelude to a broader fight.

Startups such as Majority, Sable and Simba were created by newcomers to the U.S. who learned firsthand which services, including global remittances and financial education, their audience values most.

Community banks say Vizaline’s software, which converts property descriptions into images, helps them catch errors before they close real estate loans without resorting to expensive land surveys. But traditional surveyors say the results are of questionable value.

The payments company is going public by merging with a special purpose acquisition company — a faster and easier process than a conventional initial public offering, but one that exposes it to less seasoned investors.

Only 18% of businesses that received a Paycheck Protection Program or other loan from an online lender were satisfied with customer service, while 42% said they were dissatisfied. Banks, credit unions and CDFIs fared better in the Federal Reserve survey.

Over the past 10 months the payment industry has seen several products and services of bygone eras that have been reconstituted, repackaged and positioned to help customers and small businesses to manage their finances and cash flow, says Avenue B Consulting's Maria Arminio.

Moves to protect competition will help fintechs and push innovation, says AppBrilliance's C. Eric Smith.

The fintech world is expanding at a sometimes breathtaking pace. Much of that growth is driven by venture capital, but how do VCs decide which companies to invest it in--or not? Join Greycroft partner Will Szczerbiak in a discussion with Olugbenga Agboola, the founder and CEO of Flutterwave, the San Francisco-based startup building the largest payments infrastructure in Africa. Guest host James Ledbetter, editor and publisher of the fintech newsletter FIN, will explore these questions: What are VCs looking for in a fintech startup? What are the hottest fintech sectors in 2021? How has the rise in fintech valuations affected the market? Where will growth be strongest in the next few years?

Will Graylin's new company OV Loop wants to use artificial intelligence — including the platform it just inherited with its PayFi acquisition — to connect digital ID to in-app payments, making it easier for banks to work with third-party wallets.

Traditional methods have been around a long time and don't meet the current needs of a fintech-heavy market, says Akoya's Stuart Rubinstein.