Welcome to the FinTech Times, a weekly newsletter covering the biggest FinTech news from around the globe. If you want to read F|T before anyone else, make sure to subscribe using the form at the bottom of this page.
Nest Wealth launches platform to help small businesses provide group RRSP plans (BETAKIT)
The company launched the platform for companies struggling to launch their own RRSP programs due to complexity.
Uber applies for e-money license (FINEXTRA)
Uber may be hoping to emulate the success of South East Asian rival Grab, which has its own P2P payments app and recently moved deeper into financial services with the introduction of micro-loans and insurance products.
SoftBank’s $100 billion mega-fund made it much harder for young tech startups to raise finance – here’s why (BUSINESS INSIDER)
The Japanese telecoms giant, and specifically its $100 billion (£71 billion) Vision Fund, has rewritten the rules of venture capital over the past 12 months, and investors and startups are still adjusting.
FreeAgent bought by RBS for £53m fraud(INSIDER)
RBS intends to operate FreeAgent as an operationally independent member of the RBS Group, retaining its existing management team and maintaining its current Edinburgh location.
HSBC enables PayPal for supplier payments(PYMNTS)
HSBC announced that PayPal has become a payment provider, allowing corporate customers of the bank to make payments to beneficiaries with PayPal accounts.
RBC opens API developer portal (BETAKIT)
RBC is initially offering five API packages in the portal.
Amazon may launch a bank account aimed at teens, says report (TECHCRUNCH)
Amazon reportedly has held early-stage talks with banks including JP Morgan Chase and Capital One, with the goal of creating some sort of checking account-type service that would make it easier for Gen Z customers to shop on Amazon.
Twitter bans ads for cryptocurrency ICOs, joining crackdown on scams (CBC)
The prohibition will cover advertising of initial coin offerings — crowdfunding used to raise cash by creating new coins — as well as token sales.
FinTech startup rings up $1.7M funding from Sequoia and Seedplus to help digitize SMEs (TECH IN ASIA)
CardUp has developed a website where users can set up recurring payments through their credit cards to pay rent, taxes, season parking, and more.
Braintree launches Extend to integrate loyalty, fraud prevention, and other services into payments (TECHCRUNCH)
The set of services that are being launched today include integrating loyalty and reward schemes, adding fraud prevention and ‘contextual commerce’ — or the ability for a merchant to sell an item and take payment on a platform that is not its own.
Spring Labs raises $14.75 million for blockchain-based FinTech identity business (VENTURE BEAT)
August Capital led the investment, with participation from Victory Park Capital, GreatPoint Ventures, Jump Capital, and Multicoin Capital.
Subscribe to R|T: The Retail Times newsletter for the chance to win a $500 Frank And Oak gift card(BETAKIT)
If you subscribe to the Retail Times from now until April 11, you’ll be automatically entered into a draw for one Frank And Oak $500 gift card, or one of five $100 gift cards.
