FinovateEurope 2026 wrapped up last week, but the fintech conversations are still flowing across social media. The two-day event was packed with meaningful conversations, fast-paced demos, a reunion of familiar faces, and new connections. And while speakers and attendees were busy talking and learning about all things fintech and banking, Finovate’s photographer was capturing the event in more than 1,000 photos. The photos are broken down into three categories, and we’ve pulled in a few photos as well as highlights to help summarize FinovateEurope via pictures. If you’re looking for a full content summary, check out our event summary blog post. The FinovateEurope experience Some of the best discussions happen off stage. And with almost a dozen networking sessions baked into the event, there were a lot of valuable ideas exchanged in the hallways and on the networking floor. Heightening this experience were a live caricaturist and, even though fintech has a magic of its own, a magician. The sessions Between panel discussions, fireside chats, and keynote presentations, the FinovateEurope stage hosted some of the brightest minds in fintech (and I’m not just saying that because I was on stage). We heard from founders on their biggest challenges, venture capitalists on the state of funding as we move into 2026, and bankers on how they actually measure the value of AI pilots. The demos The more than 20 companies that demoed their newest technology on stage showcased some of the most cutting edge ideas in fintech. From identity verification to core modernization, banks and fintechs face a lot of challenges. These fintechs took the stage to show their newest technology in under seven minutes. You can view the entire photo album on Finovate’s Flickr page. The post FinovateEurope 2026 in 1,046 Photos appeared first on Finovate.      Related StoriesFinovateEurope 2026: From AI Hype to Operational RealityFinovateEurope 2026 Is Almost Here: What You Need to Know Before You GoFinovateEurope 2026 Sneak Peek Series: Part 5 

If you attended FinovateEurope in London last week, you may have noticed that the energy of the event felt different. In previous years, the conversation leaned heavily toward experimentation. This year, it shifted toward execution. Across the demo stage, panel sessions, and hallway conversations, it was clear that fintech is maturing. And that maturity is reshaping how banks create, partner, and serve customers. AI moves from experimentation to operationalization Agentic AI dominated the agenda in a pragmatic way that eschewed hype for reality. Speakers discussed the importance of governed agentic AI that protect users with guardrails, auditability, and human oversight. Among these protective barriers, trust, explainability, and regulatory alignment were highlighted as central design principles when implementing agentic AI tools. It is clear that the conversation has shifted from “Can AI agents work?” to “How do we deploy them safely inside regulated institutions?” Fraud and identity also pulsed throughout conversations about AI, as new technologies are evolving these elements from singular checks to continuous behavioral intelligence. The topics of responsible AI and the impact of AI on the future workforce were also front and center, with standing-room-only crowds on the AI stage discussing governance, skill atrophy, and ethical deployment. As one attendee said, “When it comes to AI, speed may win attention, but trust wins the relationship.” Customer experience: from product-centric to embedded In the Analyst All-Stars session, much of the conversation centered on customer-centricity. Banks are moving from product-centric models to embedded, predictive, and contextual financial experiences. In my panel discussions on embedded and challenger banking, we explored how digital lending is moving closer to the customer as part of the journey. Executing embedded lending is about being present at the moment of need in the correct channel. Other panel discussions and keynotes offered more insights around improving the customer experience: Customers compare bank journeys to every digital experience they have. Onboarding remains a major friction point. Personalization and channel choice are now expectations. Balancing compliance, risk, and conversion requires smarter orchestration. Challenger banks continue to influence customer expectations, especially when it comes to how they think about brand and community. Many conversations along these lines considered the benefits of collaboration. In fact, over 70% of fintech product launches now involve strategic partners, and panels on platform banking reinforced that partnerships are structurally necessary to compete. Payments, tokenization, and agentic commerce Many of the payments discussions highlighted the fact that instant payments are becoming mainstream, but geography and behavior matter. By increasing the speed of payments, fraud also accelerates. This shift is pushing institutions toward implementing “friendly friction,” with biometrics and AI-powered detection. While not highlighted quite as much, the topic of agentic commerce was brought up in the payments track. If (or when?) bots become customers, banks must rethink identity verification and value-chain control. With ISO 20022 becoming the common language for blockchain-based value exchange, tokenization and programmable money will become key pieces of infrastructure. Capital is maturing Most of the investors on the networking floor and up on stage agreed that fintech funding rebounded globally in 2025. Today, capital efficiency and unit economics have returned to the center of strategy. To keep up, founders are tightening business models and refining their distribution strategies. Additionally, panelists mentioned that community-backed capital structures, which add accountability, are increasingly being used alongside traditional venture funding. Beyond the stage The Women in Fintech panel was one of the most popular sessions. The overflowing crowd was a reminder that inclusion plays a role in organizational growth. Geopolitical risk, national security strategy, and regulatory shifts also underscored the fact that financial services innovation does not happen in isolation. Thanks to all of our speakers who braved the stage to share their insights, and to everyone who attended. You all make up such a great community and we truly could not do this without you all! We’ll see you in San Diego on May 5 through 7 for FinovateSpring, in New York on September 9 through 11 for FinovateFall, or back in London in 2027. The post FinovateEurope 2026: From AI Hype to Operational Reality appeared first on Finovate.      Related StoriesFinovateEurope 2026 Is Almost Here: What You Need to Know Before You GoFinovateEurope 2026 Sneak Peek Series: Part 5FinovateEurope 2026 Sneak Peek Series: Part 4 

Payment and data security infrastructure company Bluefin and tokenization and vaulting platform Basis Theory have announced a strategic partnership. The partnership will enable businesses to implement a unified token strategy to help them manage payment fragmentation between cloud-native tokenized platforms and in-person environments. Bluefin made its Finovate debut at our developers conference FinDEVr SiliconValley. Basis Theory debuted at FinovateSpring 2022. A strategic partnership between Bluefin and Basis Theory will enable businesses to deploy a unified token strategy across environments. Spanning in-store, call center, online, and backend systems, the partnership aligns Bluefin’s PointConex platform with Basis Theory’s tokenization capabilities to securely and consistently capture, tokenize, and use sensitive payment data across channels. This will enable firms with hybrid and omnichannel payment methods to manage payment fragmentation between cloud-native tokenized platforms and in-person payment environments more effectively. Enterprises can implement the strategy without expanding PCI scope or introducing additional integration-related complexity. “As organizations expand into hybrid payment experiences, PointConex provides a standardized way to secure in-person payment rails without adding new compliance or integration complexity,” Bluefin Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Ruston Miles said. “By aligning with modern, independent tokenization platforms like Basis Theory, we enable a consistent approach to protecting payment data across all channels while preserving flexibility and data ownership.” Bluefin’s PointConex platform provides processor-agnostic, card-present orchestration with PCI-validated P2PE. The platform is designed as a no-code proxy instead of a gateway or API-based integration, and supports more than 125 certified devices across leading manufacturers. PointConex enables service providers to access certified in-person payment rails without interrupting existing workflows or increasing compliance burdens. Basis Theory’s platform securely captures and vaults sensitive payment data via modern APIs for enterprise companies and SaaS platforms. Through the strategic partnership, customers will be able to expand their digital token strategies into in-person payment environments, enabling them to participate in a future-ready payments architecture while maintaining control over their data. “Our partnership helps merchants connect customer spending data across in-store and online channels,” Basis Theory CEO and Co-founder Colin Luce said. “Merchants gain a more consistent checkout experience, wherever customers choose to pay, while maintaining strong security and flexibility across their payment environments.” Making its Finovate debut at FinovateSpring 2022, Basis Theory demonstrated how its technology helps developers securely work with sensitive data. The company showed how its solution gives developers a secure and compliant environment to interact with their most sensitive data to conduct KYC, initiate bank transfers, or query the data without decrypting it. Basis Theory’s partnership with Bluefin comes on the heels of the firm’s announcement that it has teamed up with Checkout.com in an alliance that will help merchants securely capture, store, use, and update payment data without adding additional compliance burdens with a broader PCI scope. Last fall, Basis Theory secured $33 million in funding in a round led by Costanoa Ventures, Stage 2 Capital, and Moneta VC. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Bluefin introduced itself to Finovate audiences at our developers conference, FinDEVr SiliconValley 2014. In the more than a decade since then, the company has grown into an end-to-end payment infrastructure company with 35,000 clients across 60 countries and more than 300 integration partners. Photo by Francesco Ungaro The post Bluefin and Basis Theory Offer Unified Token Strategy Across Digital and In-Person Payments appeared first on Finovate.       

We’re fresh off an outstanding FinovateEurope conference in London (meet our Best of Show winners!) and already gearing up for our Spring event in San Diego. In the meanwhile, here’s a look at some of the fintech headlines that have crossed the wire in recent days. Be sure to check back here at the Fintech Rundown all week long for updates! Digital banking Oklahoma-based Blue Sky Bank partners with Jack Henry, deploying the fintech’s Banno Digital Platform along with other integrated solutions. The Bank of Beirut UK goes live with Temenos for core banking and payments. Fraud prevention RiskOps platform provider Feezdai and regtech Neterium collaborate to enhance transaction screening for instant payments Licensed payment institution Paytently partners with SEON for advanced fraud prevention and anti-money laundering controls. Mortgagetech and proptech UAE-based protech innovator Rentify launched its rent-native infrastructure player, Rentify Pay. Digital savings and mortgage platform Tembo secures £16 million in growth funding in a round the featured new investor Gresham House Ventures. Open finance Backbase and Plaid team up to bring open finance to AI-powered banking. Insurtech UK-based embedded insurance company Wrisk acquired real-time financial intelligence platform Atto to build an integrated embedded finance platform. DeFi Payoneer teams up with stablecoin infrastructure platform and Stripe company Bridge to support its launch of new embedded stablecoin capabilities. Netherlands-based paytech and stablecoin issuer Quantoz teams up with Visa, enabling the firm to issue irtual Visa debit cards as serve as a BIN-sponsor for third-party fintechs and platforms. Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash The post Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News appeared first on Finovate.       

London called—and our FinovateEurope 2026 demoing companies answered! After a full day of live fintech demonstrations showcasing solutions for challenges in lending, payments, wealth management, and more, the attendees of FinovateEurope have made their decision as to which companies will receive Finovate’s highest honor: Best of Show. As Finovate VP and Master of Ceremonies Greg Palmer noted, this year’s competition was as tough as it has ever been—which reflects well not just on the winners, but also on all the companies that demoed their latest innovations before our audience of fintech and financial services professionals from around the world. Nevertheless, as the saying goes, there can only be one (or, in this case, three)—and here they are: the winners of Best of Show for FinovateEurope 2026! R34DY for its ABLEMENTS solution that enables rapid AI transformation, allowing banks to achieve faster delivery, lower IT costs and comprehensive differentiation via context-aware modernization. Serene for its technology that transforms a compliance burden into sustainable growth, with insights that optimize collections, reduce arrears, empower front-line teams, and safely expand lending to underserved markets. Tweezr for its solution that helps organizations transform and grow by accelerating TTM and increasing developer productivity for both legacy system maintenance and modernization (or even obviating modernization all together). A hearty congratulations to our trio of Best of Show winners and a profound thanks to all of the companies that demoed their latest fintech innovations on the Finovate stage this week. It seems as if each year the competition just gets tougher, and we salute those companies—from scholarship-winning startups to veteran incumbents—whose innovations bring greater personalization, security, and value to individuals, businesses, and communities. Next up for Finovate is our event in sunny San Diego—FinovateSpring 2026—scheduled for May 5 through 7. We hope to see you there! Notes on methodology: 1. Only audience members NOT associated with demoing companies were eligible to vote. Finovate employees did not vote. 2. Attendees were encouraged to note their favorites during each day. At the end of the last demo, they chose their three favorites. 3. The exact written instructions given to attendees: “Please rate (the companies) on the basis of demo quality and potential impact of the innovation demoed.” 4. The three companies appearing on the highest percentage of submitted ballots were named “Best of Show.” 5. Go here for a list of previous Best of Show winners through 2014. Best of Show winners from our 2015 through 2025 conferences are below: FinovateEurope 2015 FinovateSpring 2015 FinovateFall 2015 FinovateEurope 2016 FinovateSpring 2016 FinovateFall 2016 FinovateAsia 2016 FinovateEurope 2017 FinovateSpring 2017 FinovateFall 2017 FinovateAsia 2017 FinovateMiddleEast 2018 FinovateEurope 2018 FinovateSpring 2018 FinovateFall 2018 FinovateAsia 2018 FinovateAfrica 2018 FinovateEurope 2019 FinovateSpring 2019 FinovateFall 2019 FinovateAsia 2019 FinovateMiddleEast 2019 FinovateEurope 2020 FinovateFall 2020 FinovateWest 2020 FinovateEurope 2021 FinovateSpring 2021 FinovateFall 2021 FinovateEurope 2022 FinovateSpring 2022 FinovateFall 2022 FinovateEurope 2023 FinovateSpring 2023 FinovateFall 2023 FinovateEurope 2024 FinovateSpring 2024 FinovateFall 2024 FinovateEurope 2025 FinovateSpring 2025 FinovateFall 2025 The post FinovateEurope 2026 Best of Show Winners Announced! appeared first on Finovate.      Related StoriesFinovateEurope 2025 Best of Show Winners AnnouncedFinovateEurope 2026 Sneak Peek Series: Part 3FinovateEurope 2026 Sneak Peek Series: Part 2 

FinovateEurope 2026 is only days away! With its home in London, it is no surprise that FinvoateEurope often showcases the highest number of demoing companies headquartered outside of the United States. What’s especially interesting about this year’s cohort of FinovateEurope demoing companies, however, is the percentage of non-US companies compared to the total: more than 77% of this year’s demoers hail from countries other than the US. Check them out below and then join us next week for FinovateEurope 2026! FinovateEurope 2026 kicks off at London’s Intercontinental 02—February 10 and 11. Tickets are still available. Visit our FinovateEurope 2026 hub to register and save your spot! AAZZUR—Berlin, Germany Founded in 2019, AAZZUR empowers brands to launch embedded finance solutions with a single integration, unlocking new revenue streams and enhancing customer engagement. Candour Identity—Oulu, Finland Founded in 2021, Candour Identity boosts onboarding conversions, reduces fraud losses, enables daily biometric use, and supports regulatory complaince to help instituions scale their digital offerings. FINTRAC—London, England Founded in 2024, FINTRAC automates workflows to deliver stronger controls, richer analytics, and lower costs across the model lifecycle. The company’s Model Ops platform helps banks and other financial institutions manage their most complex models and calculations. Francis—London, England Founded in 2025, Francis empowers financial institutions and fintechs to make the most of open finance by leveraging AI. The company’s technology turns fragmented financial data into actionable wealth insights. Hagbad—United Kingdom Founded in 2025, Hagbad digitizes trust-based savings, enabling compliant engagement, expanding customer reach and driving financial inclusion via regulated, culturally aligned financial infrastructure. Intuitech—Budapest, Hungary From simple workflows to complex cases such as commercial loans and mortgages, Intuitech delivers AI agents capable of automating over 90% of manual tasks, shortening approval times and lowering costs. The company was founded in 2018. Keyless—London, England Keyless replaces outdated multi-factor authentication (MFA) with biometrics, improving the user experience and saving millions. Founded in 2019, Keyless was acquired by fellow Finovate alum Ping Identity. Maisa—Valencia, Spain Maisa boosts business efficiency by automating end-to-end processes with traceability, hallucination-resistance, and governance, in regulated industries such as banking and financial services. Maisa was founded in 2024. Mifundo—Tallinn, Estonia Mifundo enables banks and other financial institutions to grow their business volume by up to 15% by enabling them to better serve foreign and cross-border customers throughout Europe. The company was founded in 2022. MyPocketSkill—London, England Founded in 2020, MyPocketSkill is a digital technology company at the nexus of fintech and edtech that offers solutions to help Gen Z to save, invest, and become more money savvy. Neuralk AI—Paris, France Founded in 2024, Neuralk AI makes predictive capability a viable option at every point where tabular data is available. The company’s technology delivers superior performance compared to traditional machine learning and large-language models. Opentech—Rome, Italy Founded in 2023, Opentech partners with banks and card issuers, supporting digital transformation with secure, compliant, and scalable payment solutions. The company combines UX design with software engineering via a co-design model that accelerates delivery while ensuring equality and reliability. R34DY—Budapest, Hungary Founded in 2019, R34DY offers an automated system, ABLEMENTS, that enables rapid AI transformation for banks, enabling them to deliver new products faster, lower IT costs, and differentiate themselves via context-aware modernization. Sea.dev—London, England Sea.dev provides embeddable AI for business lending. The company’s technology automates underwriting workflows, to enable credit analysts to focus on higher-value analysis, faster decision-making, and growth. Sea.dev was founded in 2024. Serene—London, England Founded in 2023, Serene combines behavioral insights, predictive intelligence, and financial data to enable institutions to identify and understand early signs of fraud, vulnerability, and financial stress. Skill Studio AI—Dublin, Ireland Founded in 2025, Skill Studio AI transforms training documents into engaging, AI-powered learning experiences. The company’s platform reduces training costs, accelerates compliance readiness, and scales globally. Tweezr—Tel Avi, Israel and Amsterdam, the Netherlands Tweezr empowers institutions to transform and grow by accelerating time-to-market and boosting developer productivity for both maintaining legacy systems as well as for modernization initiatives. The company was founded in 2024. Photo by Lucas George Wendt on Unsplash The post Finovate Global: Meet the International Alums of FinovateEurope 2026! appeared first on Finovate.       

As banks digitize their lending processes and seek to expand credit access across borders, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make fast, accurate credit decisions. To mitigate risk, lenders need real-time insights into spending habits, automated functionality, and visibility into a broader set of data, especially as they seek to improve speed, enhance the customer experience, and maintain compliance. At FinovateEurope 2026, a new group of fintechs will showcase how they are addressing these challenges by bringing intelligence and automation directly into the lending process. From sourcing alternative credit data to deploying AI-driven lending agents, the companies below are helping banks and lenders modernize credit decisioning while keeping risk in check. FinovateEurope 2026 will take place at London’s InterContinental O2 on February 10 and 11. Tickets are available now. Visit our FinovateEurope hub today and save your spot! Intuitech Intuitech brings live AI agents into lending workflows to automate manual, time-consuming processes across origination and servicing. The company helps lenders streamline tasks including data collection, validation, and borrower interactions. This automation helps reduce operational burden while improving speed and consistency. By embedding AI agents directly into clients’ lending operations, Intuitech enables them to scale their lending activity without requiring additional talent in-house. The automated approach helps bring modern credit delivery to lenders of all sizes. Mifundo Mifundo’s technology enables customers to assess cross-border credit risk by sourcing and standardizing credit data from across European markets. The company helps lenders better evaluate borrowers with international financial histories by assess creditworthiness for mobile, expatriate, and cross-border customers. Mifundo enables banks to reach more borrowers, as many are underserved by traditional credit systems and therefore are overlooked. With remote work becoming more popular and the potential for cross-border lending increasing, firms are realizing that there is a gap in data for European credit markets. Mifundo closes this gap by expanding access to reliable credit information, ultimately helping lenders minimize risk while unlocking new lending opportunities across borders. Sea.dev sea.dev provides real-time risk insights designed to help lending teams make better credit decisions across the loan lifecycle. The company’s platform aggregates and analyzes borrower, portfolio, and market-level data to offer lenders clearer visibility into risk exposure, ultimately supporting faster approvals. sea.dev enables lending teams to continuously monitor risk and adapt decisions as inputs change. The company’s more dynamic, insight-driven approach helps lenders explore more products and serve new borrower segments. Why banks should care With more consumer data available than ever before, lenders can now underwrite loans more effectively, especially for customers who were once considered risky or had limited credit histories. This abundance of data also introduces new challenges, including inaccurate, unclean, or cross-border information that can complicate analysis and require specialized expertise. Fortunately, new tools are emerging to help automate data collection, filtering, and validation. These tools have the potential to enable lenders of all sizes to expand their reach and better serve a broader customer base. Photo by RDNE Stock project The post Three Fresh Lending Tools that Are Redefining Credit Decisioning appeared first on Finovate.       

Compliance and fraud prevention platform Sumsub has teamed up with digital asset infrastructure solutions provider Fireblocks to provide Travel Rule compliance. The Travel Rule is a regulation mandated by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) designed to fight money laundering and terrorist financing. The rule requires financial institutions and Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) to share specific information about the sender and receiver of funds during certain transactions. Enacted to defend traditional financial transactions from money laundering and terrorist financing, the rule has been extended to cover cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Courtesy of the partnership, Sumsub’s Travel Rule solution will be natively integrated into the Fireblocks platform. This will provide both financial institutions and VASPs with real-time, automated, and dynamic verification for virtual asset transactions. Fireblocks users will benefit from complete control over compliance workflows, enabling them to customize these workflows to fit their preferred risk profiles. The integration features automated and encrypted Travel Rule data exchange between VASPs, supporting faster and more secure stablecoin payments. “We’re excited to partner with Fireblocks to bring native Travel Rule compliance directly into one of the world’s leading digital asset infrastructure platforms,” the company noted on its X page. “Together we’re setting a new standard for Travel Rule compliance—secure, automated, and designed for scale—helping businesses power faster, safer, and fully compliant stablecoin payments.” The Sumsub/Fireblocks partnership comes at a time of increased interest in stablecoins, with stablecoin volumes nearing $1 trillion per month in 2025, twice the levels of the previous year. The rise of stablecoins has put pressure on the fragmented settlement rails and compliance workflows of VASPs and other financial institutions. Further, evolving regulations—from MiCA in the European Union to the latest moves from the FATF—are driving firms to improve their ability to manage financial risks associated with virtual assets, including both implementation and operationalization of the Travel Rule. “As digital asset payments and stablecoin adoption accelerate, our customers need compliance solutions that are robust and operationally seamless,” Fireblocks SVP of Corporate Development & Partnerships Adam Levine said. “By integrating Sumsub’s Travel Rule solution directly into the Fireblocks platform, we’re giving institutions the flexibility to meet global regulatory requirements while maintaining efficient, streamlined transaction workflows.” Per the partnership, Fireblocks will remain the hub for transaction processing. Sumsub will provide secure, real-time Travel Rule data exchange to enrich the transaction workflow, facilitating access to 1,800+ VASPs across top protocols including GTR, CODE, Sygna, the Sumsub protocol, and more. The data sharing between counterparties in virtual asset transfers is fully embedded in the Fireblocks platform to ensure scalable, friction-free compliance. New York-based Fireblocks is a digital asset infrastructure company that helps organizations build, manage, and scale their businesses on the blockchain. The company streamlines stablecoin payments, settlement, custody, tokenization, and trading operations across a large ecosystem of banks, payment providers, stablecoin issuers, exchanges, and custodians. Fireblocks counts 2,200 organizations among its customers including Finovate alums like Worldpay and Revolut. The company secures more than $10 trillion in digital asset transactions across 100 blockchains. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in London, Sumsub (“Sum & Substance”) made its Finovate debut at FinovateEurope 2020 in Berlin, Germany. At the conference, the company demonstrated its all-in-one technical and legal solution to help firms meet KYC/KYB/AML requirements. The company’s technology helps accelerate verification, reduce costs, and detect fraud, and is used by more than 4,000 companies around the world. Andrew Sever is company Co-Founder and CEO. Photo by Pixabay The post Sumsub Partners with Fireblocks to Ensure Travel Rule Compliance appeared first on Finovate.       

Data, analytics, and technology company Equifax unveiled Credit Abuse Risk, a new solution to help lenders fight first-party fraud. The new offering leverages machine learning to identify common first-party fraud tactics such as credit washing and loan stacking. News of Equifax’s Credit Abuse Risk predictive model comes on the heels of the launch of the company’s Synthetic Identity Risk tool. The solution empowers institutions to identify when fraudsters are using fake identities to set up credit accounts and obtain loans. A new offering from international data, analytics, and technology company Equifax will help protect lenders from first-party fraud. Credit Abuse Risk is a new predictive model that leverages FCRA-regulated data to spot fraud tactics such as credit washing and loan stacking. The model will help lenders make more confident lending decisions. “By focusing on application behavior in real time, Credit Abuse Risk quickly helps to reduce the potential for fraud and related costs,” Equifax Chief Product Officer for US Information Solutions Felipe Castillo said. “This supports a more confident lending environment and helps keep credit available for consumers.” In a world of phishing and deepfakes, first-party fraud is a type of financial crime that often goes overlooked in conversations about fraud prevention. First-party fraud, unlike third-party fraud, involves fraud committed by the actual customer or account holder rather than by an external party impersonating someone else. Credit Abuse Risk is designed to detect two specific forms of first-party fraud: loan stacking, in which an individual applies for multiple loans in a short period of time with no intention of repaying the debt, and credit washing, in which an individual attempts to remove accurate but negative information from their credit report. Credit Abuse Risk identifies the behaviors associated with these types of fraud during prequalification, account origination, or portfolio review, enabling lenders to adjust loan terms based on FCRA-compliant insights. Powered by machine learning, Credit Abuse Risk offers enhanced insights derived from behavioral indicators that detect atypical credit activity, and provides targeted decisioning that addresses the lifecycle of fraud. Credit Abuse Risk features comprehensive portfolio protection covering all credit tiers and actionable intelligence that empowers lenders to make real-time, regulated decisions on credit terms. This includes FCRA-compliant scoring with adverse action reason codes to ensure transparency in the event of application denials, restrictive credit term modifications, and related actions. Credit Abuse Risk is part of Equifax’s suite of fraud solutions and works alongside the company’s Synthetic Identity Risk tools. Introduced earlier this month, Equifax’s Synthetic Identity Risk uses machine learning algorithms to detect fraud patterns—such as those related to synthetic identity fraud—that are often difficult to spot using traditional methods. Synthetic identity fraud occurs when a fraudster combines aspects of a real identity with fake data to create a new, fictitious identity. The fraudster then uses these fictitious identities to open credit accounts and secure loans on which they eventually stop making payments. The fact that these synthetic identities often include real data and appear in mostly legitimate means that these frauds can be difficult to detect and can persist for long periods of time. Equifax estimates that charge-offs per known synthetic identity cost companies on average $13,000. “Synthetic identity fraud is a rapidly growing threat impacting the consumer lending ecosystem,” Castillo said. “With Synthetic Identity Risk, Equifax strengthens lenders’ fraud defenses, helping them to uncover hidden risks and ultimately shift from reactive loss recovery to proactive prevention. In doing so, they not only reduce their financial losses but they (also) safeguard and build long-term trust with their legitimate customers.” Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Equifax made its Finovate debut at FinovateFall 2011 in New York. The company’s differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology help financial institutions, companies, employers, and public agencies make better decisions with more confidence. Along with Experian and TransUnion, Equifax runs one of the three major credit reporting agencies in the US, has nearly 15,000 employees around the globe, and operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. Equifax is publicly traded on the NYSE under the ticker EFX and has a market capitalization of $24 billion. Photo by Growtika on Unsplash The post Equifax Unveils Credit Abuse Risk to Combat First-Party Fraud appeared first on Finovate.       

The countdown is on! FinovateEurope 2026 lands in London on February 10 through 11 at the InterContinental O2 in London, and the global fintech community is gearing up for one of the year’s most engaging events. The two-day conference will feature more than 1,000 senior decision-makers, including bankers, investors, founders, and fintech leaders as they uncover what’s next in fintech and banking. You’ll see over 20 live demos of cutting-edge technology with 100+ expert speakers offering insights that go well beyond buzzwords. If you already have your ticket (if you don’t, there’s still time to register), here’s how to make the most of your days on-site: Download the ConnectMe app and create your profile to start networking, set your schedule, and view the agenda. The invitation-only Leaders+ and Impact+ sessions begin on February 9 at 6:00 pm. Registration and networking begins at 8:15 am on February 10 and the day concludes with the Best of Show announcement during the evening cocktail reception, which starts at 4:30 pm. Breakfast and networking begins at 8:15 am on February 11 and the day concludes with the Investor All Stars panel, which wraps up at 4:30 pm. Bring your badge each day. You’ll need it for entry! Plan your travel time to the venue, especially if you’re commuting or taking public transport. Dress code? Business casual to business formal. Be comfortable, but ready to make an impression. Need help? Stop by the registration desk or find a Finovate team member for assistance. Follow #FinovateEurope on LinkedIn and Twitter for live updates and key takeaways. Whether your goal is to track early fintech trends, forge new partnerships, or benchmark your strategy against peers, FinovateEurope delivers. With elite networking, live product insights, and industry-shaping conversations all under one roof, this conference promises to kick off 2026 with fresh ideas and real momentum. See you in London! The post FinovateEurope 2026 Is Almost Here: What You Need to Know Before You Go appeared first on Finovate.      Related StoriesFinovateEurope 2026 Sneak Peek Series: Part 5FinovateEurope 2026 Sneak Peek Series: Part 4FinovateEurope 2026: Innovation, Regulation, and Transformation in the AI Era 

Varo raised $123.9 million in a Series G round led by Warburg Pincus and Coliseum Capital. The bank will use the investment to scale its chartered banking and lending platform. Alice Milligan, former chief marketing officer at Morgan Stanley, and Kevin Watters, former division chief executive officer at JPMorgan, have joined Varo’s Board of Directors. Digital challenger bank Varo landed $123.9 million in financing this week. The Series G round, which boosts Varo’s total funding to $1.1 billion, was led by existing investor Warburg Pincus and new investor Coliseum Capital Management. Also contributing to today’s investment are existing investors such as Northview. For new investor Coliseum Capital Management, the appeal lies in Varo’s ability to use its charter to compete with incumbent banks while expanding its product depth. “We are thrilled to join Warburg Pincus as long-term, collaborative partners, and support Varo’s work to expand its customer value proposition and to further differentiate from traditional banks,” said Coliseum Capital Management co-founder and Managing Partner Chris Shackelton. “We believe Varo is building a resilient and scalable platform from which to capitalize on a significant market share opportunity.” Varo was founded in 2017 and secured a bank charter three years later. The fintech’s banking platform brings digital-first bank tools, from money management to lending, credit building, and savings accounts and tools. Varo offers two lending products, Varo Advance and Varo Line of Credit, which together generated $547 million in volume last year. The bank’s lending tools are powered by the company’s machine learning models that supplement traditional credit data, allowing the bank to lend to non-traditional borrowers. As part of today’s announcement, Varo disclosed that Alice Milligan, former chief marketing officer at Morgan Stanley, and Kevin Watters, former division chief executive officer at JPMorgan, have joined its Board of Directors. From a governance and operating perspective, Varo’s board sees the company’s combination of regulated banking discipline and modern technology as a key differentiator in a crowded challenger market. “Varo has built something rare: a technology-first customer experience paired with the governance and risk discipline required of a nationally chartered bank,” said Varo Bank Board of Directors Alice Milligan and Kevin Watters. Watters reports that Varo will use today’s funds to support the company’s next phase of growth by scaling its lending and banking platform. “This combination of new capital, Coliseum’s partnership, and experienced banking leaders joining our board, is propelling Varo into its next phase of growth,” said Varo Bank CEO Gavin Michael. “We remain focused on operating with discipline and delivering meaningful impact for our customers.” US-based Varo is one of the few true challenger banks that operate with their own bank charter, a structural advantage that gives it direct control over deposits, lending, customers, and unit economics. But a charter alone does not guarantee scale. Varo is still small when compared to competitors such as Chime, which operates under a sponsor banking model and has tens of millions of users. And while SoFi is Varo’s closest chartered competitor, the gap between the two is widening. SoFi recently reported record Q4 2025 results, including $1 billion in net revenue, $174 million in net income, and one million new members added in a single quarter. As bank charters increasingly become table stakes in the challenger banking field, Varo will need to focus on scaling by differentiating its offerings and channels to reach new markets, especially as international players like Nubank, which just received regulatory approval to operate in the US, bring their customer-winning strategies to the US. Photo by Landiva Weber The post Varo Raises $123.9 Million to Scale its Lending and Banking Platform appeared first on Finovate.       

Welcome to the first week of February! Both FinovateEurope and Valentine’s Day are just around the corner, and there’s lots to love about this week’s fintech news headlines. Below, we’ve aggregated the top news in fintech for the week. We’ll continue to add more announcements as the week progresses. Payments Verisave launches credit card processing fee optimization program for professional services firms. NCR Atleos and Heart of England Co-operative extend relationship to enhance financial inclusion. STAR Financial Bank partners with CorServ to meet demand for enhanced commercial credit cards. Wealth management Envestnet appoints Jonathan Linstra as Chief Growth Officer (CGO).  Arcesium acquires Limina to deliver a unified front-to-back investment platform. Back office tools HuLoop and Ceto partner to advance adaptive work optimization for financial institutions. Embedded lending Affirm expands buy now pay later network with Expedia. Digital banking OnePay names Patrick O’Connell Chief Financial Officer. Photo by Monstera Production The post Fintech Rundown: A Rapid Review of Weekly News appeared first on Finovate.       

Payoneer is expanding local collection capabilities across Indonesia and in the Mexican Peso. The investments aim to scale infrastructure and capabilities that support Payoneer’s global payments and commerce ambitions. With nearly 2 million customers, Payoneer aims to offer further improved local access and cross-border payment efficiency through 2026. Global payments company Payoneer made moves to help companies doing business in Indonesia and Mexico this week. The New York-based company expanded its global payment platform in Indonesia and enhanced local collection services in Mexico. The new capabilities aim to help customers transact and receive funds from local buyers and ecommerce platforms. Payoneer anticipates its platform will facilitate the funds faster and at a lower cost, ultimately helping businesses tap into new, global markets. In Indonesia, Payoneer will help small businesses collect funds from local businesses. The company aims to offer more control over foreign exchange management while providing increased access to a trade in the largest ecommerce market in Southeast Asia. For global businesses looking to collect funds in the Mexican Peso, Payoneer has expanded its collection services in that currency. With the expansion, the company is aiming to reduce friction for global sellers who need to collect funds across multiple channels, supporting shifting international demand. “Global trade is dynamic—reshaping in response to macro factors and trade policy,” said Payoneer SVP of Treasury and Payment Services Derek Green. “For over 20 years, Payoneer has supported and enabled our customers’ global ambitions. By expanding our capabilities in critical markets like Mexico and Indonesia, we continue to empower our customers as they look to expand into fast-growing markets, leveraging our ecommerce marketplace ecosystem to enable access to customer demand on Amazon Mexico, Walmart, Mercado Libre, and Shopee.” Payoneer was founded in 2005 to help SMBs transact, do business, and grow globally. The company’s global financial stack helps remove barriers and simplify cross-border commerce to make it easier for businesses to connect to the global economy, pay, get paid, manage their funds across multiple currencies, and grow their businesses. The new capabilities launched this week add to Payoneer’s existing local collection infrastructure across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. In today’s announcement, Payoneer disclosed that it plans to expand local collection capabilities in other high-growth markets in Latin America and Asia Pacific later this year to support its almost 2 million customers.  The post Payoneer Expands Services in Indonesia and Mexico appeared first on Finovate.       

Nubank has received conditional approval from the US OCC to form a national bank, marking a major regulatory milestone as it begins the setup phase for entering the US market. Unlike past challenger bank attempts, Nubank enters the US from a position of strength, with more than 127 million customers, strong engagement, and $783 million in quarterly net income. Regulators require Nubank to fully fund the bank within 12 months and begin operations within 18 months. Brazil-based digital bank Nubank (also known as Nu) just achieved a long-standing goal. The fintech received conditional approval from the US OCC for the formation of a de novo national bank, Nubank, N.A. Announcing the approval, Nu Founder and CEO David Vélez framed the move as a strategic validation of the company’s long-held belief in digital-first banking. “This approval isn’t just an expansion of our operation; it’s an opportunity to prove our thesis that a digital-first, customer-centric model is the future of financial services globally,” said Vélez. “While we remain fully focused on our core markets in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, this step allows us to build the next generation of banking in the United States.” The conditional approval, granted about four months after Nu initially submitted its application, places the company in the early setup stage of forming a US national bank. During this period, Nu must meet a series of requirements set by the OCC and secure additional approvals from the FDIC and the Federal Reserve. Regulators also require the company to fully fund the bank within 12 months and begin operations within 18 months. After Nu receives full regulatory approval for a national bank charter, it will operate under a comprehensive federal framework that allows it to launch deposit accounts, credit cards, lending, and digital asset custody. Nu plans to establish strategic hubs in Miami, San Francisco, Northern Virginia, and the North Carolina Research Triangle. Cristina Junqueira, Nu’s co-founder and CEO of its emerging US business, highlighted the regulatory milestone as a step toward establishing credibility and competitiveness in a crowded market. “Receiving federal approval for a national bank charter is a significant step in our journey to becoming a solid, compliant, and competitive regulated institution in the US,” said Junqueira. “We look forward to delivering the transparent, efficient financial experiences already trusted by more than 127 million customers around the world to our future customers in the US.” Founded in 2013, Nu has operated in its home country of Brazil as a fully regulated financial institution since 2016 and announced that it plans to obtain its full banking license this year. The fintech also operates in Colombia and has an expansion plan in Mexico, where it is waiting on approval from the Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores to organize as a banking institution. While international expansion efforts have been slow, the company’s customer acquisition growth has not. With more than 127 million customers, Nu is known throughout fintech for its high customer engagement level, reaching an activity rate exceeding 83%. In the third quarter of last year, the fintech reached a record revenue of $4.2 billion, which represents a 39% year-over-year growth. It’s important to note that Nu’s entrance into the US market will likely succeed where other challenger banks have failed. Monzo, N26, and Bunq have all tried and failed to secure a US license from the OCC, while Revolut still does not have a US banking license, either. The difference is that Nu is massively profitable with relatively low customer costs. The company reported $783 million in net income in the last quarter alone. For Nu, which caters to a largely Hispanic customer base, the US is full of opportunity. There are more than 65 million Hispanics living in the US, many of whom are left out of traditional banks in the US due to high fees, limited access to credit, and legacy onboarding models that fail to reflect their financial realities. Nu’s success in Latin America has been built on designing for inclusion at scale. The fintech boasts transparent pricing, an intuitive digital experience, and unique underwriting. Bringing this successful model to the US while navigating one of the world’s most demanding regulatory environments, would be a huge win for Nu, and perhaps could serve as a model for other overseas challengers seeking to launch in the US. Photo by Steppe Walker The post Nubank Lands US Regulatory Approval appeared first on Finovate.       

Core banking platform 10x Banking has teamed up with Australian asset manager and lender Remara. Remara will use 10x Banking’s core banking platform to bring new lending and investment solutions to market faster. Headquartered in London, 10x Banking won Best of Show in its Finovate debut at FinovateEurope 2023. Cloud-native core banking platform 10x Banking announced a partnership with Australian asset manager and alternative lender Remara. The firm will leverage 10x Banking’s core banking platform to launch new mortgage, commercial lending, term investment, and novated lease products faster. The Sydney-based firm sought a partner that could support the unique financial products Remara offers to its clients. The company highlighted 10x Banking’s API-first and event-driven architecture, which will enable Remara to bring new products to market quickly and give the company the control it needs to differentiate its offerings. The new core banking platform will also support Remara as it scales across Australia and the Southeast Asian region. The company noted in its partnership statement that the APAC core banking market is expected to grow by more than 10% CAGR through 2032. “Remara’s decision to select 10x reflects both the maturity of Australia’s alternative lending scene and the broader shift towards next-generation core technology in the region,” 10x Banking Founder and CEO Antony Jenkins said. “We’re committed to supporting innovative financial providers that make banking better for everyone. Our partnership with Remara is the latest proof point that cloud-native platforms deliver real differentiation and tangible value, both to businesses and end users. This is our ninth ANZ client, underlying the impact our local strategy is having for new and established players.” Headquartered in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Remara is an alternative asset manager that offers specialty finance, middle-market lending, and tactical credit strategies that are not typically available to investors via banks or traditional brokers. Remara offers at-call, 6-month, and 12-month cash management funds; investment grade, high-yield, and credit income funds; as well as a real estate fund that provides exposure to small and medium scale developments. Founded in 2019, Remara has more than $3 billion AUD in assets under management. “10x Banking’s platform puts us in the driving seat for product and delivery flexibility, letting Remara go to market faster with innovative, specialist lending solutions that really meet our customers’ needs,” Remara Managing Partner Andrew McVeigh said. “Australia’s financial services sector is modernizing fast, and being able to offer something different to the market is vital. With 10x, we can do that, building on a best-of-breed core foundation and executing on our vision for growth.” 10x Banking was founded in 2016, and won Best of Show in its Finovate debut at FinovateEurope 2023. The company’s technology enables banks to deploy next-generation core banking solutions via a cloud-native, SaaS core banking platform. This empowers firms to deliver new products, services, and customer experiences to customers—both retail and corporate—faster and with less cost. 10x Banking’s partnership announcement with Remara comes a little over a month after the company reported that it was working with Audax Financial Technology to help banks in Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East scale new digital products and services and modernize their core banking systems. Photo by Johnny Bhalla on Unsplash The post 10x Banking Inks Partnership with Alternative Asset Manager Remara appeared first on Finovate.       

As FinovateEurope returns to London on February 10 and 11, the spotlight on the second day of the conference shifts from demos to deep discussion. On February 11, FinovateEurope’s Industry Stages run in parallel with one another, giving attendees the opportunity to dive into strategic conversations shaping financial services in 2026. This year’s event features five Industry Stages: Artificial Intelligence; Banking, Regulation & Risk; Customer Experience; Lending; and Payments. Each stage is designed to offer banking and fintech leaders more than just theory. The sessions focus on what’s working in practice, what’s breaking under the pressure of new technology and regulations, and what institutions need to rethink about their current operations. Artificial Intelligence: from pilots to production The AI stage will feature discussions on one of the biggest challenges facing financial institutions today: moving beyond experimentation. The sessions will explore lessons learned from early AI agent pilots, governance frameworks to combat “shadow AI”, and how banks can scale AI responsibly. Highlights include a keynote from Richard Davies, CEO of Allica Bank, who will speak about the realities of implementing AI in production. The stage will also host panels tackling ROI, data readiness, and responsible AI as a competitive necessity. Customer Experience: personalization without losing the human touch On the Customer Experience stage, the conversation moves past buzzwords to focus on execution. Sessions will examine how open data enables hyper-personalization, why mindset can be the biggest challenge, and how banks can retain empathy while scaling. A standout power panel brings together leaders from J.P. Morgan, Invesco, and PolyAI to explore what banks can learn from other industries as customer expectations are being reset by the evolution of enabling technologies. Payments: instant, intelligent, and under threat Payments are quickly evolving across the globe, especially with new regulations such as PSD3 and new capabilities and enabling technologies such as instant payments, stablecoins, and cross-border modernization. Panels will focus on how data-centricity and AI can unlock growth while strengthening security, especially as fraud losses and cyber threats keep rising. Banking, regulation & risk: resilience in a volatile world Regulatory pressure and operational resilience will be the center of the conversation on this stage, where discussions will span DORA, dispute management, and the risks embedded in cloud and AI adoption. These sessions are especially relevant for banks navigating complex vendor ecosystems while being asked to do more, faster, and with greater accountability. Lending: capturing the embedded opportunity The Lending stage will look at how banks can reclaim growth by meeting unmet needs, especially in small business and embedded lending. Panelists will explore how AI is reshaping credit decisioning, how regulation is evolving, and where incumbents can realistically compete with fintech challengers. Together, these five Industry Stages on February 11 will offer a concentrated look at the decisions that will define banking’s next chapter. If you register for FinovateEurope before January 30, you can still save £300. The post Beyond the Demos: The Industry Stage Conversations Driving FinovateEurope 2026 appeared first on Finovate.       

This year, FinovateEurope 2026 is bringing a new addition to our annual showcase of innovative fintech. Our invitation-only Impact+ event, held on Monday, 9 February, is a unique opportunity for investors to meet and network with fintech startups that have developed solutions for a variety of challenges currently facing banks, financial services providers, and their customers and members. As part of the program, the evening will feature a series of four-minute pitches from eight startups selected in collaboration with London & Partners, Fintech Sandbox, and other leading startup specialists. “I’m delighted to unveil the Impact+ Founders & Funders program at FinovateEurope 2026,” Heather Stowell, Finovate VP and Director of Demos, said. “The eight startups pitching to investors as part of the February 9 session are presenting cutting-edge ideas and technologies from across fintech and finserv. It’s inspiring to see this level of innovation from such young companies and exciting to foresee the connections coming up for them with investors.” Exclusively for investors and startups, Impact+ takes place Monday, 9 February—the evening before FinovateEurope 2026 begins in earnest. The program starts at 6pm and ends with a networking and drinks reception beginning at 7:15pm. Anna Tsiganchuk – CEO & Co-Founder, Aleta Index A product leader with a foundation in design, a passion for AI innovation, and a track record of building and scaling impactful solutions, Tsiganchuk is CEO and Co-Founder of Aleta Index. Aleta Index is an AI-powered platform that analyzes alternative data sets including news and social media to expose bias and source credibility to enable business analysts and researchers to make better decisions and develop more accurate machine-learning driven prediction models. Founded in 2024, Aleta Index is headquartered in London. Filiberto Tasca – CEO & Co-Founder, Aurea Hub With a strong conviction that the third internet revolution of Web 3.0, decentralized finance (DeFi), and the metaverse will have a significant impact on every aspect of society, Tasca is CEO and Co-Founder of Aurea Hub. Aurea is the EU-native B2B infrastructure for on-chain finance. The company offers a white-label, fully-compliant Wallet-as-a-Service (WaaS) platform that serves as a neutral technological bridge to empower banks, fintechs, and merchants to integrate digital assets and stablecoins into their existing applications. Barak Katz—CEO & Founder, DotzLink An alum of Tel Aviv University and Harvard Business School with more than a decade of Chief Executive experience, Katz is founder and CEO of DotzLink. DotzLink is creating a financial protection platform designed to fight the growing challenge of scams and financial abuse. The company’s AI-powered technology provides real-time detection, proactive protection, and actionable insights to help seniors and families stay safe and financially secure. Founded in 2025, DotzLink is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel. Máté Jendrolovics—CEO & Founder, Intuitech With a background as a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Head of Digital at Hungary’s Gránit Bank, Jendrolovics is CEO and founder of Intuitech, an Agentic AI and digital solutions provider for companies in the financial industry. Intuitech is a 200+ member, full-stack development and AI services studio—launched in 2018—that empowers banks, insurers, consultancies, and other firms to reach their digital potential, from customer applications and automated platforms to sophisticated back-office and AI solutions. The company is based in Budapest, Hungary. Joshua Ojo—CEO & Founder, Ndewo Finance An innovator with a background in mathematics and a strong passion for using technology to solve business challenges, Ojo is CEO and founder of Ndewo Finance. Ndewo Finance offers a platform for “credit invisibles”—people with significant gaps in their credit files. The company leverages alternative data sources such as home credit history and transactional data to enable underbanked and unbanked individuals to access financial and non-financial services such as rents, mortgages, student loans, credit cards, retail financing, and more. Ndewo Finance is based in Manchester, UK. Rukayyat Kolawole—CEO & Co-Founder, PaceUP Invest Dedicated to breaking barriers and reshaping financial empowerment, Kolawole is CEO and Co-Founder of Wealthtech PaceUp Invest. PaceUp Invest is a B2B and B2C hyperpersonalized wealth technology platform that leverages AI, behavioral science, inclusive cultural context, and human expertise to drive financial wellness. The platform offers multilingual guidance and integrates seamlessly with banks, corporations, insurers, and digital financial apps. Headquartered in Mannheim, Germany, PaceUp Invest was founded in 2020. Savannah Price—Founder & CEO, Serene A FinTech London Rising Star for 2025, Price is Founder and CEO of Serene, the infrastructure for financial care, that empowers banks, lenders, and fintechs to provide customers with better financial outcomes. Serene combines behavioral insights, predictive intelligence, and financial data to detect early indications of vulnerability, fraud, or potential distress. This enables financial institutions to do more than just identify risk, but also to understand, predict, and prevent it. Headquartered in London, UK, Serene was founded in 2023. Mariana Barona—CEO & Co-Founder, Synthera AI With a background as an analyst at Goldman Sachs and an education from the University of Cambridge, Barona is CEO and Co-Founder of Synthera AI. Headquartered in London, Synthera AI generates synthetic yield curves, equities, FX prices, and other financial instruments to enable professional investors to test their portfolios on realistic but unseen market scenarios using generative AI. The company’s synthetic data redefines portfolio analysis with AI-driven dynamic scenario testing, predictive analytics, and deep portfolio insights. Photo by Ben Wicks on Unsplash The post IMPACT+ Showcases Early-Stage Fintech Innovation at FinovateEurope 2026 appeared first on Finovate.       

A look at the companies demoing at FinovateEurope in London on February 10. Register today using this link and save 20%. FINTRAC TRAC by FINTRAC is the governance layer for regulated analytics – making calculations auditable, repeatable, and self-documenting by default. Features Includes a governed execution layer compatible with modern analytics architectures Embeds auditability, repeatability, and documentation directly into execution Eliminates manual processes and controls Who’s it for? Any financial institution that has to execute models and calculations in a highly governed fashion to meet regulatory or internal governance requirements. MyPocketSkill MyPocketSkill is an AI-infused platform helping Gen Z earn, save, and learn about money. Supported by PocketAI, their award winning platform helps 13 – 25 year olds become more financially capable. Features Adaptive Personalized Impactful Who’s it for? Financial institutions looking to appeal to Gen Z customers. Syntex Syntex is a digital onboarding portal for account opening and lending that pre-qualifies clients, shortens onboarding to less than two days, supports Reg B compliance, and increases deposits by 40%. Features Client self-serve intake reduces onboarding from 30–45 days to 2–3 days Delivers a 40% increase in conversion rates and deposits Provides Reg B tracking of application completeness and decision timelines Who’s it for? Small banks, community banks, and credit unions. The post FinovateEurope 2026 Sneak Peek Series: Part 5 appeared first on Finovate.      Related StoriesFinovateEurope 2026 Sneak Peek Series: Part 4FinovateEurope 2026 Sneak Peek Series: Part 3FinovateEurope 2026 Sneak Peek Series: Part 2 

AML compliance platform Dotfile has teamed up with stablecoin issuance platform Bastion to provide onboarding and risk management for stablecoin programs. The partnership will deliver comprehensive verification, AI-powered compliance screening, and the ability to adapt to local jurisdictions and multiple regulatory regimes. Headquartered in Paris, France and founded in 2021, Dotfile made its Finovate debut at FinovateEurope 2024 in London. AI-powered AML compliance platform Dotfile has forged a partnership with Bastion to provide onboarding and risk management for enterprise-grade stablecoin programs. Bastion, which powers secure and compliant stablecoin issuance, wallets, on/off ramps, cards, and yield products for financial institutions, will benefit from a comprehensive verification platform with AI-powered compliance and the ability to adapt to multiple regulatory contexts. “Bastion’s enterprise focus demands flexible, auditable onboarding that scales,” Dotfile Founder and CEO, Vasco Alexandre, said. “Together, we’re enabling a compliant path from treasury to consumer rollouts.” As stablecoins are maturing into enterprise-grade financial instruments, a greater range of companies and brands are exploring ways to use their own branded stablecoins for operations such as treasury management and consumer payments. In order for them to do so safely and compliantly, these firms will need modern KYC capabilities to ensure an engaging user experience as well as meet regulatory requirements. The partnership between Dotfile and Bastion will deliver an all-in-one solution for the safe and secure onboarding of institutions (KYB) as well as individuals (KYC). The platform leverages AI to automate sanctions and PEP screening, document verifications, and risk assessments. It also ensures compliance with local regulatory requirements with bank-level due diligence across jurisdictions. “Bastion has been hyper-focused on compliance and ensuring we operate under the highest level of regulation as we work to bring stablecoin implementation to life for some of the world’s largest enterprises,” Bastion Chief Risk & Compliance Officer Rohan Kohli said. “Partners like Dotfile help us meet those standards in a scalable and efficient way.” Bastion builds regulated stablecoin infrastructure for modern money movement. Businesses around the world leverage Bastion’s technology to issue, orchestrate, convert, transfer, and scale white-label stablecoins. Founded in 2023, Bastion recently announced a partnership with Sony Bank to power the Japanese financial institution’s stablecoin program infrastructure. Nassim Eddequiouaq is Bastion’s co-founder and CEO. Headquartered in Paris, France, Dotfile was founded in 2021. The company made its Finovate debut at FinovateEurope 2024, demonstrating how its platform enables businesses to streamline verification and onboarding, automatically evaluate risk profiles, and manage risk in real-time. Dotfile’s technology increases productivity, reduces operational costs, and accelerates customer onboarding processes. Photo by Clément Dellandrea on Unsplash The post Dotfile Teams Up with Bastion to Boost Risk Management for Stablecoin Programs appeared first on Finovate.       

One of the biggest challenges for financial institutions, large and small, is core modernization and digital transformation. Whether to facilitate automation to streamline workflows or to deploy new products and services faster, modernization and transformation are key to ensuring that banks and financial institutions can grow revenues, expand into new markets, and meet regulatory obligations with regard to security and privacy for customers. At FinovateEurope 2026 next month, five fintechs will demonstrate how their innovations are helping banks and financial institutions transform their systems and operations to boost productivity and lower costs. From AI-driven automation that delivers seamless deployment of new solutions to AI-powered learning technologies that keep employee skills up to date, these companies are leveraging enabling technologies to make banks better. FinovateEurope 2026 will take place at London’s InterContinental O2 on February 10 and 11. Tickets are available now. Visit our FinovateEurope hub today and take advantage of big early-bird savings! R34DY R34DY empowers banks and other financial institutions with AI-driven automation for seamless integration and rapid deployment of solutions. The company’s ABLEMENTS solution enables rapid AI transformation, allowing banks to deliver new offerings faster, lower IT costs, and achieve competitive differentiation via context-aware modernization. Headquartered in Budapest, Hungary, R34DY was founded in 2019. Tweezr Tweezr helps businesses grow and transform by accelerating time-to-market (TTM) and boosting developer productivity for both legacy-system maintenance and modernization. The company’s technology serves as an AI-powered surgical code assistant that identifies exactly where changes are needed across tens of millions of lines of code without breaking critical functionality. Founded in 2024, Tweezr is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel. Outsampler Outsampler helps asset managers better interact with their data and models. With its AI conversational agents that turn complex time-series and tabular data into natural language dialogue, Outsampler’s technology boosts research productivity by 40%, enabling portfolio managers to focus on high-value client engagement. Headquartered in Berkeley, California, the company was founded in 2025. mAI Edge mAI Edge transforms the challenges of external creative production into internal marketing infrastructure. The company’s BrandOS is a brand operating system for banks and financial services companies that enables them to create streamlined branded content at scale with consistency across every channel. mAI Edge was founded in 2025. Skill Studio AI Skill Studio AI offers AI-driven training that accelerates compliance readiness from weeks to minutes, reduces trading costs by 95%, and scales internationally with support for 180 languages. The company’s technology transforms training documents into engaging, AI-powered learning experiences that boost learner engagement and help keep workforce skills up to date. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Skill Studio AI was founded in 2025. Why Banks Should Care For banks and financial institutions that are still on the path toward modernization and digital transformation, the rise of technologies such as AI offers a major opportunity to streamline operations, reduce costs, and offer a much wider range of products and services. Partnering with innovative companies that specialize in working with banks and financial services companies will enable FIs to integrate new technologies at their own pace and for the preferred use cases that matter most to themselves and their customers. At the same time, the solutions offered by these fintechs remind us that transformation is not just about legacy cores and systems. True modernization in financial services also involves using enabling technologies to make it easier for front- and back-office workforces, including developers and technical talent, to meet increasingly complex responsibilities. From ever-changing regulations to ever-evolving customer expectations, these fintechs are putting new technologies to work in support of people as well as processes. Photo by Pixabay The post Five Fintechs Delivering Core Modernization, AI Transformation, and Productivity appeared first on Finovate.