Venture capital

Technology investors are bulldozing cash into blockchain and artificial intelligence, but the “why” is just starting to emerge, as is the true nature of the innovation.

Banks are a primary market to be pursued by Blue Hexagon, which received $31 million in venture capital.

Just five months after first reaching a $20 billion valuation, Stripe has attracted another $100 million investment that's put it past $22.5 billion, allowing the fintech to put even more pressure on the legacy acquiring industry.

CrediFi helps bankers pursuing commercial real estate loan growth minimize the risk in lending to customers they historically haven't served.

The core-banking vendor won the investment and ringing endorsements from the trade group and several banks because its open system and cloud delivery could eventually challenge entrenched tech players.

Fintechs are developing data-crunching, automated products that seek to help banks precisely calibrate capital levels. The banks' goal is to pass stress tests while maximizing returns to investors.

VC firms Capital 300 and Draper and Associates have made a Series A investment in Authenteq, a identity security firm that uses blockchain, which is gaining steam as a means to support digital ID.

Efforts to build better connections to bank customer data, trade digital currency and explore artificial intelligence for security and compliance purposes were some of the biggest draws of fundraising for U.S. startups.

Its early days yet, but decentralized apps will democratize finance, says Andrew Keys, cofounder of ConsenSys Capital, the financial services arm of ConsenSys.

Good Money just raised $30 million and is a year away from launching, but already is raising concerns for its trash-talking of established players.

Cloud-based point of sale company ShopKeep is in a fierce fintech battle to woo tech hungry restaurants, and has closed a $65 million round of equity and debt financing to bulk up technology and broaden its geographic footprint.

Kleiner Perkins and Ribbit Capital led an $80 million funding round in Viva Republica, the South Korean maker of the popular P2P payment app Toss.

KKR, which has a substantial financial services portfolio, has made a $75 million equity investment in Cross River Bank, part of an overall $100 million capital raise. Cross River will use the funds to expand the technology and compliance infrastructure that it provides to fintech organizations.

Trustology protects private keys to digital assets the way parking valets look after car keys.

Schwark Satyavolu, original co-founder of Yodlee and current venture capitalist at Trinity Ventures, shares his opinion on how consumer data sharing is evolving.

The House Financial Services Committee chairman said "so far, the United States Senate has done nothing" on a bill that passed the House with over 400 votes.

The latest personal financial management tools provide a more passive approach for customers that analyzes patterns and suggest ways to fix issues.

Andrew Keys, co-founder of the venture capital firm ConsenSys Capital, has a vision of the future bankers might find chilling, in which banks and other middlemen are cut out of financial services.

The Omidyar Network has invested in five challenger banks. Tilman Ehrbeck, who is leading its financial inclusion efforts, says the firm will invest more in apps for gig workers and retirees next year.

This week's plunge in bitcoin's value highlights one of the biggest concerns in using the cryptocurrency for payment. Stablecoins, which are pegged to traditional currency such as the U.S. dollar or a precious metal, are seen as a much less risky investment.