fintech

Brazilian digital bank Nubank is reportedly in early stage talks with UK challenger bank Monzo about a full takeover. At the same time, private equity firm Advent International has been named among several buyout firms interested in acquiring a minority stake in Monzo. No deal has been agreed, and the talks are described as preliminary, but the news has sparked discussion about consolidation in the challenger banking sector.

Swedish fintech Klarna's card can now be used for contactless payments through the Norwegian mobile wallet Vipps. At the same time, Swedish users are being offered cashback on their first purchases made with the card. The integration links Klarna's pay-later services with Vipps, one of the dominant payment apps in Norway, and is seen as a notable step in Nordic mobile payment competition.

Financial firms are working to make private markets operate more like public ones, aiming to open alternative investments to everyday retail investors. Industry commentary argues the real bottleneck is not regulatory limits but the lack of integrated fintech infrastructure that would let wealth management advisors efficiently move client money into private assets.

Apple Pay is reportedly set to go live in India with Axis Bank as its launch banking partner, according to sources. The move would bring Apple's contactless payments service to one of the world's fastest-growing digital payments markets, where UPI dominates and card-based mobile wallets have struggled to gain traction.

Fintech company Finastra has introduced new supply chain finance capabilities alongside repair recommendations, expanding its banking technology offerings. The announcement suggests the company is aiming to help financial institutions support businesses in managing supply chain funding more effectively. Further details about the products, clients, or timing were not included in the initial report.

Bank of America and Brazilian lender Bradesco are testing instant cross-border payments together, a move aimed at cutting the time and cost of moving money between the United States and Brazil. The trial, reported by Global Finance, puts two of the biggest banks in each market at the centre of efforts to make international transfers as fast as domestic ones, a space where fintechs have been pushing traditional banks to modernise.

Sage has announced 'Financial Symphony', described as an initiative to uncover the hidden rhythm of business finances. Details beyond the announcement are limited, so the exact product or feature set remains unspecified. Interest centres on how the accounting software company frames financial management for businesses.