The long-running tension between fintech agility and banking caution is entering a new phase—one shaped not just by regulation and capital discipline, but by the disruptive force of artificial intelligence. That was the underlying message from a senior panel at the Finance Magnates London Summit 2025, where executives from banks, fintechs and technology firms debated how fast is “too fast” when innovation now moves at machine speed.The session, titled “Move Fast & Fix Things? Corporate Culture in Fintechs vs Banks,” brought together Tiama Hanson-Drury, Chief Product and Technology Officer at legal-tech firm Opus 2; Charlotte Bullock, Chief Product Officer at the Bank of London; Elena Novokreshchenova, Board Director at Virgin Money and former Remitly executive; and Ezechi Britton, co-founder of innovation accelerator Collectively Better.From Headcount to Value CreationWhere growth once meant rapid hiring, the panel argued that fintech and banking cultures are now converging around leaner, outcome-driven models. Novokreshchenova, who helped scale Remitly from a three-person operation, said today’s environment demands discipline on both sides of the regulatory divide.“Capital is expensive now,” she said. “Investors are looking very carefully at profitability per head. You have to be mindful of how much you bulk up your team versus what you actually produce.”Britton said the industry has moved beyond what he called “team empire building” toward a sharper focus on revenue and execution. “The question now is not how many people you have, but are you generating revenue, are you profitable, and are you growing?”Hanson-Drury agreed, warning that early-stage companies often mistake hiring for progress. At one former employer, she said, no role could be approved unless someone had already performed the work for three months—an approach designed to prevent premature expansion. Britton admitted he had learned the lesson the hard way: “Six months later you’re going, ‘Oh dear, I’ve got a problem right now.’”Agile, but Not AimlessIf startups move quickly, banks move deliberately—and both models carry risk. Bullock, who has worked in global corporates and early-stage firms, described the extremes. In large institutions, lengthy approval chains can outlast the relevance of the technology under review. In startups, strategy can veer sharply with each new opportunity.“I sometimes describe it as kids playing football,” she said. “One person kicks, everyone follows. It creates change debt—an MVP goes live, but when you try to scale it, the cracks show.”Novokreshchenova added that the cultural divide is also geographic, with US firms historically more tolerant of failure than their European peers. Yet even banks are trying to adapt, she said, though regulators inevitably slow the pace. “By default, they are slower in terms of change,” she said. “But the appetite to improve is clearly there.”McKinsey warned that banks could lose up to $170 billion in global profits, about 9%, as AI agents begin helping consumers automatically move money into higher-yield a/c"Agentic AI” could erode margins by removing the inertia that keeps $23T of deposits stuck in near-0-rate… pic.twitter.com/aXLzZcks6O— Wall St Engine (@wallstengine) October 24, 2025AI: Competitive Weapon and Existential RiskWhere the panel showed both excitement and anxiety was artificial intelligence. Hanson-Drury warned that the competitive moat once created by professional judgment in fields such as banking and law is eroding fast.“We’re now in a place where AI is being applied to multi-step processes—reason and judgment,” she said. “What used to be a competitive advantage is no longer one. If legacy players don’t harness this, fintechs will take market share.”But Bullock cautioned against “AI for the sake of AI,” arguing that many use cases are disconnected from real strategy. Novokreshchenova added that implementation—not invention—will define the next phase of disruption. “It’s not plug-and-play,” she said, pointing to the difficulty of embedding new models into fragile legacy data infrastructures.Governance emerged as the sharpest fault line. Bullock offered a stark warning about security risks. “With AI, copying an entire CRM platform could take minutes,” she said. “That’s terrifying.”Britton framed the dilemma bluntly: “Revolut can move fast in a very different way from Barclays. The risk of making a mistake in production is not the same. In banking, the moment you break things for customers, you have a real issue.”AI just went from making viral videos to moving millions of dollars.This fintech is building AI agents to automate finance workflowsHere's the complete breakdown? pic.twitter.com/aSToxkVEdM— AI Frontliner (@AIFrontliner) December 9, 2025The Talent QuestionAs automation accelerates, the panel warned of an unintended consequence: the hollowing out of junior roles. Bullock said entry-level positions are already disappearing. “Who needs an analyst when you have AI at your fingertips?” she asked. “But those people are also our future buyers.”Hanson-Drury said future hires must combine curiosity with humility. “If you’re too fixed on how you used to build products, you’ll be out of date very quickly,” she said, describing how her teams now prototype ideas with AI tools before they ever reach formal approval.Britton, however, urged caution against blind reliance on machine output. Without skepticism, he warned, “you’re going to get a generation of young coders vibe-coding their way into production with no understanding of what the code is doing.”Novokreshchenova added a sobering ethical dimension, citing concerns around AI in debt collection and vulnerable consumers. “Innovation is exciting until there is an accident on the other side,” she said. Her advice to both startups and banks: “Don’t hire yourself. Balance speed with experience.”Strategy Before SpeedAs the discussion closed, a common thread emerged: technology may be accelerating, but strategy and people remain the decisive variables. Hanson-Drury urged firms to ensure every employee understands the basic economics of the business. “We can build faster than ever,” she said, “but that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to launch.”Britton offered a final warning against rushing into AI transformations without foundations in place. “Solve your people first,” he said. “Then your process. Then your technology.”The panel ended where it began—on the uneasy balance between velocity and responsibility. In a world where systems can now move at machine speed, the true challenge for banks and fintechs alike is not how fast they can go, but how carefully they choose where to go next. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Trading and investing platform eToro has launched a new UAE-Economy Smart Portfolio, providing retail investors worldwide access to companies listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and Dubai Financial Market.Global Investors Adjust Portfolios Amid UncertaintySeparately, eToro’s latest Retail Investor Beat surveyed 11,000 investors across 13 countries to assess global retail sentiment worldwide. A majority, 56 percent, expect the current bull market to continue into the next year. Confidence in portfolios remains high at 78 percent, while 51 percent believe they are on track to meet their investment goals. Investors cite political uncertainty, geopolitical instability, and slowing economic growth, affecting 43 percent, 40 percent, and 34 percent, respectively. Anticipated interest rate changes have led 51 percent to adjust portfolios, with growth stocks and crypto among preferred allocations.UAE Companies Open to Global InvestorsGeorge Naddaf, Managing Director of eToro MENA, said the UAE is “one of the fastest-expanding economies in the world, supported by strong GDP growth, government reform, and growing non-oil sectors.” He added that local companies, particularly in banking, telecoms, and energy, are known for “attractive dividend yields.”The portfolio includes 20 leading UAE-listed companies across banking, real estate, energy, utilities, telecommunications, and logistics. Naddaf noted that the exchanges are “quickly becoming leading capital markets in the Middle East with increased foreign participation and growing liquidity,” and the portfolio aims to broaden access for global investors.Portfolio Features and Investment DetailsStocks are selected based on market capitalisation, liquidity, key financial ratios, and analyst consensus ratings. The portfolio delivers an average dividend yield of 3.75%, with some stocks yielding up to 7%, compared with the S&P 500’s 1.15%. Initial investment starts at USD 500, and investors can track performance using eToro’s tools and charts, while updates are available via the platform’s social feed.Previous Additions: DFM and ADX StocksIn August, eToro added 10 stocks from the Dubai Financial Market, covering real estate, banking, utilities, logistics, and transport. Notable names include Dubai Electricity & Water Authority, Emaar Properties, and Dubai Islamic Bank, with a combined market capitalization exceeding USD 124 billion.Earlier, in February, eToro added over 30 stocks from the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, across energy, real estate, banking, technology, and healthcare. ADX’s total market capitalization exceeds USD 700 billion. Naddaf said the move helps global users diversify portfolios while giving local investors access to familiar companies. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Demand for tokenised US equities is accelerating, making the asset class an important source of liquidity for global trading platforms. Activity around tokenized stocks surged by 450% during the most recent earnings season, suggesting structural shifts in market behaviour, according to recent Bitget research. Spot and futures markets posted month-on-month increases of 452% and 4,468% respectively, indicating that both speculative and long-term investors are gravitating towards these instruments. What Is Driving the Surge The strongest momentum came from the futures market, where traders focused heavily on mega-cap technology names. Monthly futures volumes in Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Tesla and MicroStrategy expanded at exceptional rates as traders used tokenized contracts to speculate on earnings volatility and AI-related catalysts. Meta alone recorded 40,774% growth. Spot markets showed a different pattern, indicating more defensive positioning. Investors paired exposure to leading technology companies with substantial allocations into tokenized ETFs. Volumes in QQQon and SPYon - tokenized versions of major technology and S&P 500 ETFs - climbed more than thirtyfold. Demand for the tokenized long-duration Treasury ETF TLTon surged by 69,573%, highlighting its role as both a hedge against earnings-season uncertainty and a macro bet on potential US Federal Reserve rate cuts. Why This Matters for Platforms For trading platforms, the surge is more than a spike in one asset class. Tokenized stocks are forming a stable liquidity channel that attracts both high-frequency and long-horizon investors, supporting higher client activity and new commercial opportunities. Their 24/7 structure offers a competitive advantage over traditional equity venues, particularly in Asia and Europe, where investor demand extends beyond US trading hours. Institutional market infrastructure is adapting. Nasdaq has signalled that tokenized equities are a strategic priority, and Switzerland is moving in the same direction. These developments indicate that traditional exchanges are preparing to support continuous, multi-jurisdictional trading in tokenized assets. As regulatory pathways expand, barriers to scaling tokenized offerings continue to fall. The result is a market in which tokenization is moving from experimentation to a meaningful force shaping liquidity flows across the trading ecosystem. This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

United Fintech has landed Barclays as its latest banking investor, bringing the British lender onto its board as the fifth major financial institution to back the fintech infrastructure platform in just over two years.The investment puts Barclays alongside BNP Paribas, Citi, Danske Bank and Standard Chartered - all of which have put money into United Fintech since 2023. The company operates as an industry-neutral platform connecting banks, asset managers and wealth managers with fintech solutions."We're excited to partner with United Fintech to accelerate digital transformation across the industry. United Fintech's approach to scaling proven fintech innovation aligns closely with our vision for future-ready financial services," said Ryan Hayward, Head of Strategic Investments at Barclays.Bank-Backed Fintech Portfolio GrowsUnited Fintech has completed two acquisitions this year alone, most recently picking up AI-powered lender Trade Ledger in a share swap deal in November. That followed the April acquisition of CBA, which added trade finance and payments capabilities to the platform.The acquisitions have pushed United Fintech's portfolio to seven fintech companies covering commercial banking, capital markets and investment management. The company now runs 11 offices worldwide with more than 200 employees.Christian Frahm, CEO and founder of United Fintech, pointed to artificial intelligence as a driver for the platform's approach. "With AI accelerating across financial services, industry-wide collaboration has never been more important. With Barclays now onboard, we further strengthen our industry-wide adoption, and United Fintech is well on its way to becoming the trusted ecosystem for enabling that collaboration."Banks Seek Shared Infrastructure PlayThe concentration of major bank investors in a single fintech platform reflects growing interest in shared infrastructure approaches. Instead of building or buying technology independently, banks are backing a common ecosystem where they can access vetted fintech solutions."We remain excited about the prospects of United Fintech delivering real innovation through solutions delivered to well-established financial institutions built on a trusted governance of delivery,” Claus Harder, Head of Group Strategy & M&A at Danske Bank, said. United Fintech was founded in 2020 and operates through a model of selective acquisitions, deep integration and shared infrastructure. The platform handles procurement and deployment of new technology for its financial institution clients.Standard Chartered joined as an investor in August 2024, securing board observer rights as part of its investment. Barclays' deal includes a full board seat, giving the British bank direct input into United Fintech's direction.The company maintains offices in London, New York, Copenhagen, Singapore and the UAE among its 11 locations. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

At FMLS 2025 industry panel on “AI and Marketing in Fintech”, senior marketers from Investing Live, Innovate Finance, ADSS and X delivered a blunt message: artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of acquisition in finance – and many firms are not ready.The End of the Google Era?For more than two decades, digital marketing in finance has been built around Google – organic search at the top of the funnel and paid search further down. That model is now under pressure.“For 20-plus years, the world of marketing was used to the very successful Google model,” said Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at Investing Live. “Google was the 900lb gorilla. And we can start seeing a possibility that in the future that will be almost completely gone. ”He noted that AI gateways like Gemini or ChatGPT changed the journey and many publishers had already seen organic traffic fall 30–50% as AI overlays intercept queries. Jo Benton, the former ADSS executive, argued that the shift is exposing broader weaknesses: “Performance masked weak brands for years. AI is just exposing it faster.” Platforms are witnessing the same behavioural pivot. Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X, said users now discover information differently from the search-led habits of the past decade. “AI surfaces answers before they reach the source — discovery has moved up the stack,” he noted. For content sites and even brokers, this raises a blunt strategic question: if users can get what they need from an AI interface, “what is the reason for them to come to me?”Infinite Content, Finite TrustIf discovery is changing, so is the content itself. AI has made it trivial to generate copy at scale – and that, several speakers warned, is creating a new kind of risk.“We’ve now got the ability to create almost infinite content at close to zero cost,” said Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications. “If we’re not careful about this, there’s going to be so much rubbish out there, people aren’t going to be able to find the truth in the noise.”Levitan cited another cautionary tale: a site called AI Invest, which he said had grown rapidly on Google thanks to fully AI-generated content. “They dominated so much placement there, it was crazy,” he said. “And then Google did the spam update, and now their traffic is zero.”Platforms, too, are struggling to maintain signal over noise. Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X, noted that Grok now scans more than 100 million posts and videos per day to distinguish relevance from clutter.Governance, Education and Uneven AI AdoptionThe panel’s enthusiasm for AI was tempered by repeated calls for governance and internal education.“There are some really strong commercial use cases,” Benton said, pointing to scaling production, automating optimisation and testing campaigns against synthetic audiences. “But what [AI] can’t replace and shouldn’t replace is that strategic thinking and judgement. That framework and governance around it is really, really important.”She argued that organisations have a responsibility to educate their workforces – not only to dispel fears about redundancy but also to ensure consistent adoption. In some firms, product teams have been early adopters, “10x-ing” their output, while marketing, sales and operations lag behind.Gross warned that organisations often adopt AI for the wrong reasons. “Someone senior hears ‘we can do more for less’ and pushes for automation without thinking about the quality implications,” he said. “And that’s how bad content slips out the door.”Beyond Clicks: Reputation, Partnerships and PaybackAsked what marketers should measure “beyond clicks”, Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance, argued that traditional performance metrics are no longer sufficient.“For us, KPIs are, first, reputation,” he said. “We know reputation is very hard to build but very easy to kill. It’s not just how many clicks you get, how many impressions you get, but what the sentiment in the market is about your organisation or your product.”The second pillar, he added, is strategic partnerships. “Fintechs are partnering with other fintechs; they’re partnering with banks,” he said. “We need to be better at measuring the impact and the return on investment on partnerships.”Other speakers agreed that narrow metrics no longer capture true performance. Benton noted that rigid CPA targets can limit growth. “Some of the most important channels in the funnel are the hardest to measure,” she said. “If you only reward last-click conversion, you underinvest in the activity that creates demand in the first place.” Platforms are experiencing the same shift. Paderni said advertisers on X are moving away from pure CPA and towards longer-horizon metrics: “More partners are now looking at lifetime value and brand lift. They want to know how activity influences the whole journey, not just the final click.” Measuring those effects remains difficult, particularly given the long time horizons and reputational risks if a partner runs into trouble. But Napolitano believes AI will eventually help firms quantify partnership value more precisely.Affiliates, Ambassadors and Broken AttributionAI is also complicating longstanding acquisition models, not least in affiliates.“With so many touchpoints today, if I’m an affiliate, it’s not fair that I do all the marketing and you want to pay me CPA,” Levitan argued. “They might go to the AI. They might convert on a different device. There’s no more tracking… The good affiliates will work with the brands that pay them upfront or pay them for the real work.”He predicted more publishers and comparison sites would favour hybrid or fixed-fee arrangements, while brands that cling to last-click, CPA-only models will “create a void” that better-funded competitors can fill.Paderni, by contrast, highlighted X’s “affiliate programmes” as a way to turn customers into brand ambassadors rather than simple lead sources. Companies can assign badges to clients or employees, making their posts visibly associated with the brand. He cited eToro’s use of badges for “popular investors” as an example of “branding the content of their own clients to increase visibility and message”.The broader point, echoed by several speakers, was that marketers should think less about buying clicks and more about mobilising their customer base as advocates – with or without financial incentives.Looking Ahead: New Marketing EnvironmentFor marketers, the immediate challenge is balancing AI’s advantages with its risks: discovery bottlenecks, content dilution and trust erosion.AI may accelerate workflows and reshape acquisition paths, but it cannot replace the human judgement that underpins financial decision-making. The panel returned repeatedly to that tension.“We’ve lost sight that we’re actually selling to human beings,” Benton reflected — a reminder that trust, clarity and authenticity still determine whether a customer engages or walks away. Firms that rebuild around those principles will remain visible in an AI-driven ecosystem; those that don’t may simply disappear from it. This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

At the Finance Magnates London Summit 2025, a panel titled “How Neo Banks Go Wealth” explored the role of digital challengers in wealth management. The discussion highlighted how Europe’s £30 trillion wealth market is shifting from traditional advice to digital platforms, creating opportunities for neo banks to expand their presence in savings, investment, and asset management.The session was moderated by Andy Russell, CEO of Project Arnaud at 11:FS, and featured Mushegh Tovmasyan, Chairman of Zenus Bank; Stefan Lucas, Founding CEO of FinTech Armenia; and Rachel Przybylski, Chief Product Officer at SIGMA AI. The panel examined how neo banks, fintech hubs, and AI-driven platforms are reshaping the industry.Market OpportunityThe moderator framed the opportunity in stark terms: Europe’s wealth market is expanding at roughly five percent annually, while the gap widens between digitally engaged younger investors and high-net-worth clients relying on traditional advice. At the same time, a significant intergenerational transfer of assets is underway, prompting the industry to rethink how wealth is delivered. Neo banks view this transition as a natural extension of their existing payments business.Neo Banks as Infrastructure Front-EndsTovmasyan described neo banks as the “front end of financial services,” built on infrastructure that quietly manages payments, custody, and investment behind the scenes. “Stablecoins and crypto are a big trend, especially under the new US administration,” he said, pointing to faster cross-border settlement, decentralised finance, and new yield models as drivers of change. Zenus, he added, now powers money movement for digital brands that want to add wealth without building full banking stacks themselves.Strategic Expansion and GrowthFrom a market strategy perspective, Lucas said the push into wealth is driven by both regulatory and strategic considerations, with firms increasingly focused on profit growth and the accumulation of assets under management. He pointed to forecasts that place the neo banking market at about two trillion dollars by the end of the decade, while wealth management represents a three-trillion-dollar opportunity with far larger projected AUM overall. By contrast, he said: “a CFD, spread-betting or forex broker—or a neo bank operating only in payments across a handful of countries—remains structurally limited in its growth.” Expanding into wealth, he added, reflects the broader convergence now under way, with “traditional banks going digital, digital banks moving into traditional markets,” and crypto wallets increasingly intersecting with both.Client Expectations and AIPrzybylski focused on client behaviour rather than balance sheets. Younger investors, she said, expect personalised, data-driven, and fast investment tools. “They want to make their own investment decisions and want the data to support that,” she told the audience. Firms with AI-native platforms, she added, will hold a structural advantage as competition accelerates.What is a “neobank”?Good question. ?It’s basically a fintech company that only offers services online. (No physical locations)Example: Revolut (and Chime, Mercury, SoFi)Revolut has a banking license for the EU and the UK, but the US will be a critical market for for… pic.twitter.com/mcBIHfVyIV— Noel Moldvai (@noelregrets) December 5, 2025Super-App CompetitionThe panel agreed that the industry is entering what Tovmasyan called a “super-app arms race,” as payments firms add investments, crypto platforms seek banking licences, and brokers move into payments. The strategic value, he argued, is shifting away from proprietary technology toward audience access and speed to market.Yet the fragmentation of today’s wealth landscape may not last. Russell warned that while entry-level investing has already become an add-on feature across apps, deeper disruption is likely to strike the private banking middle, where efficiency and consolidation pressures are rising.Regulatory LandscapeRegulation remains a moving target. Przybylski said most existing frameworks already cover much of today’s activity, but governance around artificial intelligence will be critical. Lucas pointed to a resurgence of regulatory sandboxes, including stablecoin trials under the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and controlled fintech experimentation in Armenia.Crypto and Generational ChangeThe sharpest generational divide surfaced during questions on crypto and custody. Tovmasyan said some younger wealthy clients now reject paper contracts altogether. “They just connect a wallet and trade,” he said, adding that regulators are increasingly focused on controlling fiat on-ramps and off-ramps through KYC and AML. “Once funds are on-chain, control becomes much harder. The change is already here.”Long-Term OutlookDespite the risks, the panel’s long-term outlook was broadly optimistic. Neo banks, Lucas argued, already have trust, data, and scale among middle-aged users. As products mature and older assets gradually change hands, wealth could become their most significant frontier yet. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Revolut has offered former employees the chance to sell their shares back to the company at a price that implies a valuation of about $52.5 billion, roughly 30% below the $75 billion level set in its latest funding round completed in November. The offer prices the stock at $966.74 per share for alumni, according to correspondence sent to former staff. And seen by the Financial Times.Revolut’s Discounted Offer Follows $75 Billion RoundThe buyback for ex-employees comes shortly after Revolut’s latest secondary share sale, which was led by Coatue, Greenoaks, Dragoneer and Fidelity and valued the fintech at $75 billion. That valuation puts the London-based group in the same range as UK high street banks such as Barclays and Lloyds, despite Revolut still operating without a full UK banking license.In the correspondence to former staff, Revolut said the alumni offer is 30% below the recent funding valuation but represents a 12% premium to the price available in a 2024 secondary sale. A person familiar with the program said some former employees stand to make substantial sums, potentially in the millions of dollars, depending on the size of their holdings.Company Cites Former Staff DemandRevolut said it expanded the buyback scheme this year in response to demand from ex-employees who wanted to sell part of their stakes. In a statement, the company said it had “received interest from a number of former employees looking to sell shares, so we extended the buyback program that we started earlier this year to facilitate this for those who wish to participate.”The company has presented the latest offer as a way to align liquidity options for current and former staff, even at a discount to the headline valuation attached to the November round. The moves follow a broader push to make Revolut’s employee equity more liquid as its private valuation has climbed sharply in the last 18 months.Banking License Uncertainty LingersDespite the lofty valuation, Revolut still operates under a restricted UK banking license in what regulators describe as a “mobilization phase.” During this period, deposits at its UK banking unit are capped at £50,000 in total, and the company is required to strengthen its risk controls and infrastructure before a full license is granted.Concerns around global risk management have weighed on regulatory approvals, noting that Revolut has been in the mobilization phase for longer than the typical 12 months. The extended process has added a note of caution for investors weighing the fintech’s growth trajectory against traditional banks with long-established regulatory track records.Alongside its banking ambitions, Revolut has been expanding in digital assets and capital markets. In November, the company secured approval from CySEC to offer crypto services across 30 EU markets, giving it potential access to as many as 450 million Europeans for products that include staking and stablecoin features, according to Finance Magnates. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ: HOOD) will acquire two Indonesian financial firms - Buana Capital Sekuritas and Pedagang Aset Kripto - as the trading app targets one of Asia's hottest cryptocurrency markets.The company announced the deal yesterday (Sunday), marking its first major move into Southeast Asia. Financial terms weren't disclosed, but the transaction is expected to close sometime in the first half of next year.Robinhood Acquires Indonesian Brokerage, Crypto Firms in Southeast Asia PushIndonesia has become one of the world's largest crypto adoption markets, with roughly 17 million cryptocurrency traders and 19 million capital market investors. The country's young, tech-savvy population and favorable regulations have made it attractive for U.S. financial firms looking to grow outside their home markets."Indonesia represents a fast-growing market for trading, making it an exciting place to further Robinhood's mission to democratize finance for all," Patrick Chan, Head of Asia at Robinhood, said.In recent months, many retail trading firms have turned their attention to the region. Toward the end of last year, Doo Financial received a license there, followed shortly by XTB. Both companies aimed not only to access a large local market, but also to gain entry to clients in neighboring countries across the region.Two Acquisitions Speed Market EntryBuying an existing brokerage helps companies meet local regulatory requirements faster than building operations from scratch. The crypto trader acquisition gives Robinhood immediate access to Indonesia's digital asset infrastructure.Pieter Tanuri, who owns the majority stake in both Indonesian firms, will stay on as a strategic adviser after the deal closes.The move comes as Robinhood looks beyond its core U.S. market, where it built a massive following by eliminating trading commissions and simplifying stock investing through a mobile app. Product ExpansionTo achieve this,Robinhood has been expanding its product lineup aggressively this year. The company joined the S&P 500 index in September and launched prediction markets in March. Last month, it acquired MIAXdx to reduce dependence on third-party providers like Kalshi for event-based trading contracts.The platform has also been pushing tokenization of traditional securities. CEO Vlad Tenev described it as "the biggest innovation in capital markets" in more than ten years, outlining plans to let users use tokenized stocks as collateral for crypto loans.Robinhood shares have climbed 268% this year through December 5, far outpacing the broader market. The stock went public in New York in 2021.However, XTB's CEO Omar Arnaout said he expects Robinhood will struggle to replicate its U.S. success in Europe. The Poland-based platform executive called XTB the continent's answer to the American brokerage and questioned whether Robinhood's model would work across fragmented European markets. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Trading and investing platform eToro has rolled out its stock lending programme in the UK, allowing eligible users to earn passive income by lending out fully paid stocks. The programme follows earlier rollouts in Europe and the UAE and forms part of eToro’s plan to expand stock lending access to retail investors globally.The initiative, announced in April, expands eToro’s partnership with BNY, which acts as custodian and clearing provider, while stock lending platform EquiLend identifies borrowers and facilitates the lending process. UK Retail Investors Gain Stock LendingeToro said it is bringing a practice long dominated by large financial institutions to UK retail investors. “Launching stock lending in the UK is a key step in our mission to make passive income opportunities available to every investor,” said Yossi Brandes, VP Execution Services at eToro.The programme also expands eToro’s clearing and custody relationship with BNY, which provides the infrastructure for its fully funded stock and ETF offering across 19 global exchanges. Victor O’Laughlen, Executive Platform Owner – Global Clearing at BNY, said the collaboration combines the capabilities of eToro and EquiLend with BNY’s clearing services to “equip retail investors with an institutional-grade solution to support their investing journey.”BNY, Canada Bank Launch EquiLend PlatformBNY and the National Bank of Canada have gone live with EquiLend’s 1Source platform, a blockchain-based system that reduces manual reconciliation in securities lending by maintaining synchronized transaction records and automating lifecycle events such as recalls and rate adjustments. The platform currently covers North American equities, with plans to expand to corporate bonds and European markets. eToro has used EquiLend for six months to support its UK and European stock lending programme. The system could save the industry hundreds of millions annually through improved efficiency and fewer settlement failures. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Revolut Business has opened a waitlist for a new corporate card set to launch in the UK early next year. The Visa-powered product targets companies with international operations by combining spend management tools with travel, data and subscription benefits.Product Launch and PricingAccording to the fintech giant, Titan will launch for Revolut Business customers in the UK at a price of £65 plus VAT per user per month. The announcement follows Revolut Business surpassing 1 billion dollars in annualized revenue earlier this year.The Titan countdown begins. Our most exclusive and rewarding card yet. Get early access — the Titan waitlist is now open in the UK: https://t.co/2i53U3w51J pic.twitter.com/ANfO8IN5dI— Revolut Business (@RevolutBusiness) December 4, 2025Titan runs on the existing Revolut Business platform and adds integrated expense tools. Features reportedly include real-time expense tracking, automated receipt matching and support for simpler reconciliation to reduce manual administrative work for finance teams.The card includes unlimited complimentary access to airport lounges for cardholders. It also offers travel insurance that covers delays and lost luggage, and provides a monthly 10 GB global data allowance usable in more than 190 countries.Titan gives access to business-focused subscriptions worth up to £4,000 annually per user. Named partners include WeWork, Perplexity, Masterclass, NordVPN and Headway.Eligible Revolut Business customers on the Titan waitlist will receive 10,000 bonus RevPoints for every team member who joins Titan within 30 days of launch and stays enrolled for at least 14 days. Customers on the waitlist will receive advance notice before the card becomes available.Regulators Delay Full Banking License ApprovalLast year, Revolut partnered with Visa to enable instant card transfers for its business customers through the Visa Direct system. The collaboration sought to speed up cross-border transactions by removing delays and administrative hurdles tied to international payments.It involved the integration of Visa Direct into Revolut’s business platform to allow companies to send funds to more than 78 countries in under 30 minutes. The service supports over 50 currencies.Despite making inroads in the card payment space, the fintech giant’s ambitions in the banking space remain on hold. UK regulators recently delayed Revolut’s full banking license approval due to concerns over its risk controls linked to rapid international expansion. The Prudential Regulation Authority granted the fintech a restricted license last year following a three-year wait, allowing it to hold up to £50,000 in total customer deposits under a “mobilisation” phase that typically lasts 12 months. Revolut has remained in this phase for 14 months now. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

Hedva Ber, eToro’s Global Chief Operations Officer and Deputy CEO, has filed to sell 94,000 shares of eToro Group. The shares are valued at approximately $3.95 million at current market prices. The filing was submitted today (Tuesday).eToro Insider Plans Multi-Million Stock SaleThe shares were acquired through eToro’s employee stock option plans. Sixteen thousand shares were acquired in January 2021, and 78,000 shares in July 2023. Payment for the exercised options was made in cash yestereday.The sale was reported via a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The filings indicate an intent to sell rather than a completed transaction. Sales must comply with SEC rules regarding volume, timing, and manner of sale. Such filings are routine for company insiders, but they provide the market with insight into planned stock movements.Ber has been with eToro for over five years, according to her LinkedIn profile. She initially joined as a part-time consultant for a few months before taking on the role of Global COO and Deputy CEO, which she has held for nearly five years. She also held part-time roles outside eToro, serving on the advisory board for Wix Payments for over a year and as a board member at Mimun Yashir for about seven months.Plus500 COO Purchases Over £1 Million SharesInsider transactions continue across the sector. Alon Cohen Naznin, Group COO of Plus500, purchased over £1 million worth of the broker’s shares in a single transaction yesterday. Naznin has been with Plus500 for almost a decade and has held the COO role for more than five years. The shares have gained about 31 per cent since the start of the year and doubled over the past five years.Company Reports $215 Million Third‑Quarter ContributionThe last recorded trade for eToro shares yesterday was at US$41.88, a slight decline of 0.16 percent from the previous close. This reflects the most recent transaction during trading and does not necessarily indicate broader market trends. Pre‑market and after‑hours activity may differ due to lower liquidity and wider bid‑ask spreads, so actual trading prices in the regular session could vary. The company recently reported third‑quarter results, with a net contribution of $215 million, up 28 percent year‑on‑year, and announced a $150 million share buyback program. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Wise has secured conditional approval from the South African Reserve Bank to operate in the country, marking the company’s first regulatory license in Africa. The UK-listed fintech can now offer personal money transfers in South Africa, joining a market where demand for faster, cheaper, and more transparent cross-border payments is growing.Global fintech firm Wise has secured conditional approval from the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). The licence allows Wise to operate as a Category 2 Authorised Dealer in Foreign Exchange with Limited Authority.Click the link in our bio for more information. Read more:… pic.twitter.com/3xnPCfgyul— Business Tech Africa (@BusinessTech_SA) December 1, 2025Regulatory Nod Gives Wise First African FootprintCommenting about the expansion, the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says: “Wise’s expansion into South Africa not only strengthens ties with one of Africa’s most dynamic economies but also showcases British excellence in building solutions that make life better for people and business worldwide, both at home and abroad.“This is yet another example of a thriving UK business expanding internationally, that success is good for British jobs, good for growth and good for business.”The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) approved Wise as a Category 2 Authorized Dealer in Foreign Exchange with Limited Authority (ADLA). The license allows the firm to provide cross-border payment services once final conditions are met.South Africa, the continent’s largest economy, handles significant international money flows, driven by a large diaspora and growing digital adoption. Wise’s entry aims to reduce fees, increase speed, and improve transparency compared to traditional providers.Wise Expands GloballyThe latest authorization adds to Wise’s growing global presence, which now includes more than 70 regulatory approvals worldwide. The company recently received in-principle approval to operate in India as a payment aggregator, obtained a retail payments license in the UAE, and became the first non-bank to go live on Japan’s Zengin payment network.Last month, Wise reported £658 million in revenue for the first half of 2025, up 11% year on year. Its pre-tax profit, however, declined 13% to £254.6 million. The company has reportedly been exploring the possibility of applying for a banking license in the United Kingdom. The Times recently reported that the company has contacted senior figures in the financial sector in recent months about roles related to a potential banking operation.If granted a license, Wise would join Revolut, which received a UK banking license from the Prudential Regulation Authority last year. Revolut’s license included restrictions, enabling the London-based firm to gradually build its banking operations ahead of a full-scale launch. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

Robinhood shares (NASDAQ: HOOD) climbed more than 10% yesterday (Wednesday) after the retail brokerage announced plans to launch its own futures and derivatives exchange. The move signals a deepening push into prediction markets, which has become the company's fastest-growing revenue source.Until now, the fintech had been expanding its offering through Kalshi, generating more than 50 percent of the platform’s trading volume. By launching its own exchange, Robinhood can list contracts directly instead of relying solely on distributing Kalshi’s products.Robinhood Shares Jump 11% on Derivatives Exchange DealThe brokerage is partnering with Susquehanna International Group to acquire a 90% stake in MIAXdx, a derivatives platform previously known as LedgerX. Miami International Holdings, which currently owns the exchange, will retain a 10% interest in the venture. Robinhood will control the new entity, while Susquehanna provides liquidity on day one.The stock closed at $128.20, up nearly 11%, making it the top performer in the S&P 500 on Wednesday. Shares have climbed 215% this year, the second-best showing in the index.Robinhood’s shares appear to be consolidating near the all-time highs tested in early October, around 154 dollars. A move back above the 50-day EMA could give the company room to retest those levels.Users Bet on Everything From NFL Games to Fed DecisionsRobinhood launched prediction market contracts in March through a partnership with Kalshi, just ahead of the NCAA basketball tournament. Users can now wager on outcomes ranging from sports results to Federal Reserve interest rate moves.More than 9 billion contracts have traded on the platform since launch, with over 1 million customers participating. The company reported 2.3 billion event contracts traded in the third quarter alone, more than double the volume in the previous quarter.“Robinhood is seeing strong customer demand for prediction markets, and we're excited to build on that momentum,” said JB Mackenzie, the company's general manager for futures and international.Street Sees Revenue Windfall From Betting BoomBernstein analysts estimate Robinhood's prediction market business is on track to generate over $300 million in annualized revenue. The firm maintains a Buy rating with a $160 price target, the highest on Wall Street.“With HOOD already accounting for more than 50% of Kalshi market volumes, we believe HOOD wants to leverage its distribution edge to claim a higher share of the market revenue pool,” Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani wrote on Wednesday.The new exchange will allow Robinhood to list and clear contracts directly rather than rely solely on its Kalshi partnership. Analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald noted that the CFTC licenses acquired through MIAXdx will also allow the company to offer traditional futures and options products.Rivals Race to Capture Growing MarketThe move comes as prediction markets attract surging interest from both crypto and fintech firms. Kalshi logged $4.47 billion in trading volume over the past month, while rival Polymarket reported $3.58 billion.Crypto.com recently launched its own prediction market and plans to integrate Trump Media, while Gemini has filed for regulatory approval to open a similar marketplace. Reports suggest that Coinbase is also exploring an entry into the space.The exchange is expected to begin operations in 2026 following completion of the MIAXdx acquisition. Robinhood plans to make the platform available to other brokerage firms, not just its own customers. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Nasdaq has expanded its regulatory technology agreement with Revolut, deploying the AxiomSL reporting platform across the fintech's European operations as the company pushes into new markets.Nasdaq Taps Revolut for RegTech ExpansionRevolut consolidated most of its regulatory reporting infrastructure in Europe and recently integrated all workflows in the United Kingdom onto the Nasdaq system. The deal gives the $75 billion fintech access to a cloud-based managed service that handles compliance filings across different countries, replacing separate reporting frameworks that previously operated independently."As we expand our global footprint, we are committed to ensuring our underlying infrastructure scales with us and strengthens our ability to operate," Murray Laister, Head of Group Regulatory Reporting at Revolut, said in a statement."Our partnership with Nasdaq offers the flexibility, transparency and control to meet regulatory expectations across jurisdictions- without slowing down innovation and growth."Platform Handles Multi-Country ComplianceThe AxiomSL system centralizes data from across Revolut's operations and manages reporting requirements that vary by country. Nasdaq operates the infrastructure as a managed service, meaning its staff track regulatory changes in different jurisdictions and maintain the system without direct involvement from Revolut teams.The platform is used by 90% of global systemically important banks for domestic and international regulatory obligations. These institutions face pressure from regulators to automate compliance processes and maintain consistent data across multiple jurisdictions with different accounting rules.“Revolut is at the forefront of digital banking transformation, and we’re excited to support their journey,” said Ed Probst, Head of Regulatory Technology at Nasdaq.The managed service model lets companies focus on core business while staying compliant as the platform incorporates new rules and provides ongoing support.Revolut Pushes Into New MarketsRevolut received a British banking license in September 2024, though with restrictions during a mobilization phase. The company reported 50 million registered users globally by the end of 2024 and secured a payments license in India in April 2025.The fintech plans to launch as a bank in Mexico early next year and has advanced plans for Colombia and Argentina, with another bank license application expected in 2025. In May 2025, Revolut announced a $1.1 billion investment over three years to expand in France and established Paris as its Western European headquarters.Nasdaq serves more than 135 market infrastructure providers, 35 central banks and regulatory authorities, and 3,800 clients across financial services. The company provides platforms for data, analytics, software, and exchange capabilities to institutions navigating global capital markets. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Revolut, the digital-bank darling posts a private valuation of $75 billion after a share sale, putting it ahead of legacy titans such as Barclays, NatWest and Deutsche Bank.The $75 Billion DropOn November 24, 2025, fintech juggernaut Revolut announced it had completed a secondary share sale that values the company at an eye-watering $75 billion. In British-centric money terms, that translates to roughly £57 billion.This is no small bump. In August 2024, Revolut’s valuation stood at about $45 billion. The latest mark thus represents a 66 to 67 per cent leap in just over a year.It’s official — we’ve secured a $75 billion company valuation.This (still) makes us Europe’s most valuable private company and in the top 10 of the world's most valuable private companies. pic.twitter.com/rNgJteE6OA— Revolut (@Revolut) November 24, 2025The share sale was not about raising new funds from scratch. Rather, it provided an exit route for early investors and employees to cash out, effectively marking how much the market now values their stakes.Bigger Than BarclaysThat $75 billion price-tag does more than just pop eyeballs. It puts Revolut on a pedestal, above some of Europe’s biggest, most storied banks. Analysts and commentators have explicitly compared the valuation to that of major lenders like Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest Group and even Deutsche Bank.That puts Revolut in rarefied air. A ten-year-old app-born startup now dwarfs institutions that have shaped banking for centuries.UK's @MoltenVentures considers selling more Revolut shares. CEO Ben Wilkinson told City AM:“The people investing at $75bn will be looking for at least a 2x return…so the expectation that they’re underwriting is that this can go beyond $100bn.“But for us, given it’s a large… pic.twitter.com/iP6edFOT6n— Max Karpis (@maxkarpis) November 26, 2025Why Investors Are Throwing Money at RevolutWhat’s driving this surge in value? It is not magic. Several very solid signals.Revenue & Profit Growth: Revolut’s pretax profit topped £1.1 billion in the last fiscal cycle. That kind of profitability combined with a global user base, estimated at over 65 million users in 2025, gets serious attention.Investor Confidence and Big-Name Backers: The secondary share sale brought in heavy hitters such as Coatue Management, Greenoaks Capital, Dragoneer Investment Group, and Fidelity Management & Research Company. Even the venture arm of technology powerhouse Nvidia jumped on board.Fintech Appeal: As banking migrates to apps and services that combine payments, banking, crypto-trading, transfers and budgeting, Revolut seems positioned right at the crossroads of the future. That makes it not just a bank alternative but a potential global financial platform.Taken together those factors make investors comfortable betting at valuation levels that would make many public banks sweat.But All That Glitters Isn’t GoldValuation and hype are one thing. Long-term banking credibility is another. As impressive as the numbers are, Revolut still has important boxes to check.Despite its growth, Revolut does not yet operate as a fully fledged UK bank. Its banking license remains in a “mobilization phase,” simple signals that regulatory approval does not yet translate to full banking maturity.Also, many customers still do not treat their Revolut account as their primary banking account. That reduces the argument that Revolut has usurped traditional banks. Changing entrenched habits takes time and trust, two things that even a high valuation cannot guarantee. Finally, much of Revolut’s profit seems tied to trading fees, crypto transactions, card fees and interest income from higher rates. Those revenue streams can be volatile. If macroeconomic conditions change, or crypto traffic cools off, Revolut will need more stable fundamentals, deposits, loans, mortgages, to back up that sky-high valuation.What This Means for Banks, Fintech and the FutureFor traditional banks, Revolut’s meteoric rise is a warning sign: if a ten-year-old fintech can attract more investor money than century-old institutions, it underscores a shift in how money is managed, stored and moved.For fintech, Revolut’s valuation confirms there is still massive upside. For global investors, digital-first, lean, cross-border platforms look like a safer, faster bet than slow-moving legacy banks.For Revolut itself, the challenge now is converting this valuation into long-term, stable banking infrastructure. If it can snag a full license, expand deposit bases, offer loans and mortgages, then that $75 billion evaluation will start to feel less like conjecture and more like a foundation for a real banking giant.If not, it might just go down as one of the boldest, and most expensive, fintech bets ever placed.For more stories making the rounds in finance and fintech, visit our Trending pages. This article was written by Louis Parks at www.financemagnates.com.

Robinhood is expanding deeper into the world of prediction markets and derivatives, with the trading app reporting rapid user uptake in its new contracts and announcing plans to operate a regulated futures and derivatives exchange.Prediction Market Volumes on Robinhood Hit MilestonesSince unveiling prediction market contracts in March, the publicly listed (NASDAQ: HOOD) retail trading platform says more than nine billion contracts have changed hands, with over one million users taking part on its platform. JB Mackenzie, Robinhood’s general manager of futures and international, credited “strong customer demand” and signaled plans to grow the offering into a broader financial marketplace.“Our investment in infrastructure will position us to deliver an even better experience and more innovative products for customers.”The prediction market surge comes at a time when similar platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket are reporting record trading volumes. Kalshi, which also partners with Robinhood, logged about $4.47 billion in trading over the past month, while Polymarket reported $3.58 billion for the same period, as retail investors increasingly use these venues to speculate on real-world events.Derivatives Exchange to Launch In 2026Looking to capitalize on this trend, Robinhood will roll out a new futures and derivatives exchange in 2026, becoming the controlling owner and leading market maker. The launch will follow Robinhood’s planned acquisition of MIAXdx, a licensed exchange and clearinghouse regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and brings in Susquehanna International Group as the initial liquidity provider.Robinhood is introducing a new futures and derivatives exchange and clearinghouse, deepening our investment in Prediction Markets and better positioning us to deliver innovative products to our customers.More in our newsroom: https://t.co/Hqv6EMXZiD pic.twitter.com/JXDkp3c2Tr— Robinhood (@RobinhoodApp) November 25, 2025MIAX, the parent company of MIAXdx, is expected to retain a minority stake in the new venture. Robinhood will use the independent joint venture to serve other commission merchant platforms, aiming to “add more choices for consumers” and provide faster, broader access to market contracts.Industry Race to Capture Prediction Market GrowthRobinhood’s move comes as crypto and fintech competitors expand in the space. Crypto.com recently launched its prediction market, with integration plans involving Trump Media, while Gemini has filed for regulatory approval to open its own event contract marketplace. Public reports also suggest Coinbase is eyeing a similar entry.Industry analysts note that prediction markets, historically a niche, have emerged as one of 2025’s busiest corners of digital trading. The flourishing activity is driven by election-year speculation, new regulatory clarity, and demand for tradable event contracts, which bridge retail and institutional interest in non-traditional risk markets.New betting options, however, have less and less to do with investing. Now contracts cover everything from holiday sneaker releases and Supreme apparel to Pokémon card collections and Pop Mart Labubu figurines. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

eToro (NASDAQ: ETOR) rolled out crypto deposits in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), joining a handful of platforms in the region to let users move digital assets from external wallets and exchanges. In addition, local traders can benefit from the stock cashback program, the same one the company introduced in the UK and Europe a few weeks ago.eToro Sweetens Crypto Deposits With Stock Rewards in UAEUAE users can now transfer nine cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, USDC, Chainlink, Aave, Uniswap, Polygon, and Fetch.ai, into their eToro Crypto Wallet before converting those holdings to US dollars for trading across the platform. To promote the new feature, the company is offering 1% back in UAE-listed stocks on conversions, capped at $1,000 monthly through March 31, 2026."Many younger users began investing through crypto, and are now looking for simple, seamless ways to diversify into other asset classes," Doron Rosenblum, executive vice president of business solutions at eToro, said. Users must opt into the program and select from a monthly list of stocks trading on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange or Dubai Financial Market.Digital Assets Generate Nine-Tenths of RevenueThe UAE launch extends a broader push by eToro to funnel crypto gains into traditional markets as digital asset trading dominates company revenue. Cryptocurrency accounted for $1.91 billion of the platform's $2.09 billion in second-quarter revenue, or 91 percent of the total. Equities and commodities brought in just $114 million during the same period.Crypto trades jumped 49 percent year-over-year to 10.7 million transactions in July and August, with average trade size nearly doubling to $345. Traditional capital markets activity showed 3 percent growth, reaching 87.7 million equity and commodity trades with average sizes climbing 4 percent to $273.The concentration has held steady through 2025. Crypto represented 93 percent of eToro's $3.76 billion in first-quarter revenue before dipping slightly to 91 percent in the third quarter. Assets under administration reached $19.7 billion in August, up 77 percent from the previous year, while funded accounts grew 15 percent to 3.69 million.Rewards Program Debuts After European RollouteToro first launched the stock cashback model in the UK and Europe on November 6, offering 1 percent back in British or European equities when users deposit and convert crypto to pounds or euros. The promotion runs through the same March deadline with monthly caps of £1,000 for UK customers and €1,000 for European users.The company expanded eligible cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum in both markets, adding the same seven tokens now available in the UAE. George Naddaf, managing director of eToro MENA, said more than 90 percent of UAE-based investors express confidence in the long-term performance of local companies.“This will give UAE investors more ways to connect their crypto investments to opportunities in the local market,” he added.eToro entered the UAE market in November 2023 after receiving approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market to operate as a broker for securities, derivatives, and cryptoassets. The platform added over 30 stocks from the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange in February 2025, representing 88 percent of the exchange's market capitalization.Deposits Build on Payment PartnershipsThe crypto deposit feature follows eToro's September partnership with Lean Technologies to enable instant AED bank transfers in the UAE. That integration let users link their eToro account to local banks for deposits completed in seconds without leaving the app.Earlier in November, eToro introduced a five-dollar monthly Club subscription providing 4 percent cashback, an AI analyst tool, and higher yields on crypto staking. The company has added local currency deposit options across European markets and integrated UAE PASS for streamlined onboarding as part of its regional expansion.Users must convert deposits within the promotion period and select stocks from eToro's monthly list to receive the 1 percent reward, which gets added directly to trading portfolios. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Revolut wrapped up a share sale that pegs the fintech company at $75 billion, pulling in investment from Nvidia 's venture capital unit and several heavyweight institutional investors.The new number represents a sharp uptick from the $45 billion valuation Revolut carried last year. Victor Stinga, the company's Chief Financial Officer, attributed the jump to investor appetite and what he called the company's ability to pair fast growth with actual profits.Revolut Revenue Climbs as Customer Base ExpandsRevolut posted $4 billion in revenue for 2024, a 72% increase from the prior year. Profit before tax hit $1.4 billion, up 149%. The company said that momentum carried into 2025, with its global retail customer base now exceeding 65 million and its business arm bringing in $1 billion on an annualized basis.“The level of investor interest and our new valuation reflect the strength of our business model, which is delivering both rapid growth and strong profitability,” Revolut Chief Financial Officer Victor Stinga said in the statement.The platform offers checking and savings accounts, cross-border money transfers, cryptocurrency and stock trading, along with bill payment and budgeting features. Chief executive Nik Storonsky has set a target of reaching 100 million customers across 100 countries.The transaction drew participation from Coatue, Greenoaks, Dragoneer and Fidelity Management & Research Company, who led the round. Andreessen Horowitz, Franklin Templeton and accounts managed by T. Rowe Price also joined, alongside NVentures, which is deepening ties with Revolut around artificial intelligence applications.Expansion Plans Take Shape Across Multiple RegionsRevolut has been lining up regulatory approvals to enter 30 new markets, including Mexico, Colombia and India. The company received final banking authorization in Mexico and secured a banking incorporation license in Colombia, with launches planned in both countries. An India entry is also in the works.Storonsky has made it clear that obtaining a full UK banking license remains his main focus. Revolut received initial approval in July 2024 and entered a mobilization phase, though the process has stretched over several years. A full license would allow the company to move customers onto a new banking entity and offer them credit products.Employee Liquidity Opportunity Marks Fifth Share SaleRevolut opened the transaction to current employees, giving them a chance to sell shares. This marks the fifth time the company has provided liquidity to staff through such a program.The fintech has earmarked roughly $13 billion to fund its global expansion and infrastructure buildout as it works toward Storonsky's goal of creating what he described as "the first truly global bank". This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

KuCoin Pay, the crypto payment arm of KuCoin, has integrated with Pix, Brazil’s widely used instant payment system, allowing millions of users to convert over 50 cryptocurrencies into real-world spending. According to the exchange, this move positions crypto as an investment and a practical financial tool for daily life.Join stablecoin builders in London at the fmls25Crypto Payments in BrazilKuCoin’s integration with Pix reportedly enables users to transfer funds directly from their KuCoin wallets to any Brazilian bank account or pay merchants via QR code. The feature supports both crypto and fiat currencies within a single app. By leveraging Pix’s existing network—already serving 175 million users—KuCoin Pay aims to tap into Brazil’s rapidly growing crypto ecosystem, where approximately 12% of the population, or 26 million people, already engage with digital assets.The new platform supports over 50 cryptocurrencies, including BTC, USDT, USDC, and KCS, for instant conversion to Brazilian real (BRL). Users can reportedly pay bills, shop online, or settle in-person purchases without delays.⚡️ UPDATE: KuCoin Pay has integrated with Brazil’s Pix network, letting users convert crypto to reais and pay any Pix-enabled merchant via QR code. pic.twitter.com/JcpRpkf7La— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) November 21, 2025Raymond Ngai, KuCoin Pay Lead, highlighted the significance: "This embodies our commitment to enhance crypto accessibility for all, building on our previously announced on-chain payment solutions as a new step forward in making digital assets practical for everyday life."Reducing Reliance on Cash Pix, Brazil’s instant payment system boosts payments by enabling 24/7 transfers using simple identifiers like QR codes. Its widespread adoption has reduced reliance on cash, increased operational efficiency, and provided affordable access to digital financial services. KuCoin Pay has been designed for merchants and consumers alike. Businesses integrating KuCoin Pay can accept crypto for both online and offline transactions, unlocking new revenue streams and borderless payment options.Meanwhile, KuCoin recently launched KuCoin Institutional, a division designed for professional investors, brokers, and partners. This move follows the company’s retail-focused initiatives, such as KuCoin Pay.The crypto exchange also launched xStocks, a product offering tokenized versions of major U.S. equities, including Tesla, NVIDIA, and the S&P 500 ETF. These assets are now available for trading on KuCoin and are denominated in USDT. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

British pub quiz regulars will soon encounter a new topic on their weekly answer sheets as Robinhood moves to bring financial education into one of the UK’s most familiar social settings.Discover how neo-banks become wealth tech in London at the fmls25The trading platform announced on Thursday that it is launching a nationwide series of finance-themed quiz nights in November, aiming to spark public interest in money and investing. The trading app is targeting more than 100 pub quiz nights across England. Robinhood Brings Money Talk to the Pub FloorRobinhood partnered with quiz operators Question One and Quiz Live to integrate a dedicated round covering everything from pop culture references to basic investment facts. The questions tie together fictional icons, historical empires, and market benchmarks such as the FTSE 100.Teams from London to Liverpool and Wolverhampton to Hull will reportedly encounter light financial prompts amid familiar rounds. The aim is to encourage people to engage with financial concepts in a casual and social setting.​​“Investing can be a powerful tool for building financial security. Still, financial literacy in the UK remains stubbornly low, not due to a lack of interest, but because clear, accessible money education isn’t easy to come by,” commented Jordan Sinclair, President of Robinhood UK.“By adding a financial twist to a much-loved British institution, the pub quiz, we’re helping to build financial confidence in a way that’s social, fun and approachable.”The quiz nights form part of Robinhood’s broader effort to expand its UK presence and make financial education more relatable. The company said it will analyze anonymous quiz data at the end of the campaign to see where participants show strong understanding and where gaps remain.Where the Quiz Nights Will RunQuiz nights will reportedly take place at pubs across the UK, with venues stretching from Preston, Wolverhampton and Hull in the north to London, Milton Keynes, Cambridge and Windsor in the south. The list includes long-established local pubs as well as city venues with strong quiz followings. The events will be organized and hosted by Question One and Quiz Live. Robinhood staff are, however, not expected to attend. Further reading: Can You Trade Taylor Swift's Next Album? Robinhood Says YesLately, Robinhood has been abuzz with activity, expanding its offerings from prediction markets to mortgages. The fintech giant recently announced that users can now make predictions on Grammy nominations, Oscar winners, Golden Globe outcomes, and whether certain artists will release new albums, alongside the company’s existing sports and political categories.The platform has also introduced contracts tied to cultural and digital trends, including Google search rankings, top Spotify streaming artists, and awards such as TIME Person of the Year. Additionally, Robinhood launched a mortgage benefit for its Gold subscribers, offering discounted rates through a new partnership with Sage Home Loans, marking the fintech company’s latest expansion beyond trading and investing into the highly competitive consumer mortgage market. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.