Venture capital

The new funding comes as the challenger bank inches closer to gaining regulatory approval for a national bank charter.

Raisin, an online marketplace that aggregates high-yield savings accounts in Europe, aims to launch in the U.S. in the next nine to 12 months.

In a downturn, some fintechs, such as independent lenders, will be more vulnerable to economic forces than those working to service banks' regulatory needs.

The fast-growing data company, which says its mission is to help banks be better consumer advocates, will use its cash infusion for hiring, software development and new partnerships.

The Dutch company is no longer a bank in some countries, but more of a digital matchmaker between consumers and financial products provided by third parties, explains innovation chief Benoit LeGrand.

The Los Angeles company has established a network that is designed to help verify the identities of consumer and small-business borrowers. It says 20 lenders are participating and that it is trying to recruit more.

Digital payments are creating a wealth of data that can be used to inform other types of financial services for managing debt or promoting financial inclusion — and these services are, in turn, attracting the interest of venture capitalists.

Alkami Technology said it would use its latest round of funding to expand its white-label services for small banks and credit unions.

A trio of big deals in the payments and financial tech area and continued bank and venture capital interest in fintech investments are creating expectations for a banner year.

Some of the biggest venture capitalists in the field are backing a new digital currency being offered by a leading blockchain academic.

Although the euphoria over blockchain has dissipated recently, many still see it as vital to the future of banks and the economy at large. Following are key issues being hashed out.

In his first extensive interview since taking the job this year, Javier Rodriguez Soler talks about banking as a service, how to keep customers happy and where he sees AI and other tech innovations heading.

Aging tech systems have become a "pain point" in financial services, and VC firms have backed newcomers trying to push aside traditional vendors and win over banks and credit unions.

Expected to close this week, the deal would value the company at an amount similar to the $4.3 billion valuation of its 2017 funding round.

Built Technologies will use the money to invest in research and development while it builds out its client base.

Silicon Valley, New York, London and several of China’s largest cities are the world’s leading fintech hubs, but many other locales are gunning for their crown.

The New York company formed the nationwide group after hiring a team of former Square 1 bankers.

Large investment houses see an opportunity to improve financial conditions for contract workers, accelerate evolution away from cash to digital payments, expand the smartphone as a commerce device and streamline user experience.

Leading investors say too many traditional financial institutions, out of their depth in fintech investment, end up imposing controls that slow down otherwise nimble young companies.

Flourish, a fund backed by Pierre and Pam Omidyar, invests in startups that address social and financial inequities yet (key caveat) are still promising moneymakers, a top official of the fund explains.