Bits, a Stockholm-based provider of compliance and onboarding infrastructure for regulated fintech firms and banks, has raised €12 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Alstin Capital, with participation from Cherry Ventures, Unusual Ventures and Alliance Ventures. Haval van Drumpt, chief executive of Tre Sweden, also invested. The company will use the funding to increase automation across financial crime and fraud workflows and to expand coverage of regulatory and data sources across Europe. Jonatan Klintberg “Our customers need to scale, convert, and remain compliant at the same time,” said Jonatan Klintberg, Chief Executive and Co-Founder of Bits. “By unifying onboarding, fraud, and AML workflows in a single platform, teams gain the speed and control needed to expand across Europe.” Bits was founded in 2022 by former employees of Klarna, AWS and Tink. The company provides a compliance infrastructure platform that supports KYC and KYB workflows in more than 100 jurisdictions. The platform connects to company registries, beneficial ownership data, sanctions and PEP lists, and fraud signals through a single integration. Bits says its software can reduce manual case handling by 50–70% and cut onboarding times by up to six times, while allowing human reviewers to focus on higher-risk cases. Customers include Qliro, Alisa Bank and Walley. The company plans to expand its presence in the DACH region and the UK.     Featured image credit: Bits The post Bits Raises €12M Series A to Scale Compliance Automation Across Europe appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Franchise incentive programs play a critical role in keeping franchise systems healthy, competitive, and growth-focused. While brand recognition and a proven business model attract entrepreneurs to franchising, long-term success often depends on how well franchisors motivate and reward their franchisees after the agreement is signed. The most successful franchise brands understand that engaged franchisees perform […] The post Franchise Incentive Programs: How Top Brands Motivate Franchisees appeared first on TechBullion.

PAY360 2026, the largest event dedicated to the global payments ecosystem, will take place on 24–25 March 2026 at ExCeL London. Hosted by The Payments Association, the event will bring together more than 6,000 innovators, thought leaders and industry stakeholders to explore the trends, technologies and challenges shaping the future of payments.A Powerhouse of SpeakersOver 200 global speakers from fintech, financial services, regulatory bodies and technology leaders will take the stage, featuring industry-leading speakers such asPaul Horlock,Chief Payments Officer, SantanderHelen Bierton, Chief Digital Officer, Lloyds Banking GroupSuren Nawalkar,SVP Business Development, MastercardGeorgios Kolovos,Payments & Fintech Leader, NVIDIAGeoff Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research, Standard CharteredAnd so many more....Brand New AgendaPAY360 2026 features a refreshed agenda designed for professionals across the payments ecosystem. Attendees can join sessions covering:The Future of Money – How crypto, stablecoins, digital wallets and CBDCs are reshaping global payments.Open Payments – How open banking and finance enable secure, data-driven services through APIs and embedded finance.Financial Crime – How technology is improving AML, fraud detection and compliance in a shifting regulatory landscape.Operational Resilience – How organisations embed resilience into digital transformation to meet regulatory demands.Predictive Intelligence – The role of AI and data in transforming risk management, operations and customer experience.The Instant Transfer – The infrastructure behind instant payments and its impact on expectations and cross-border flows.Interactive workshops and merchant-focused roundtables will provide hands-on learning and tailored problem-solving.Innovation and NetworkingPAY360 2026 offers unmatched networking opportunities, supported by an AI-powered matchmaking app that helps attendees connect and schedule meetings in advance. More than 150 exhibitors will showcase cutting-edge solutions, while the Fintechs’ Pitch Live competition will highlight emerging innovators to a global audience of investors and decision-makers.Why Attend?PAY360 2026 is the essential event for professionals across payments, banking and technology, offering:Access to world-class thought leadershipOpportunities to connect with peers and industry influencersExposure to the latest products, solutions and innovationPractical insights to solve challenges and future-proof businessesWhether you aim to innovate, network or gain strategic perspective, PAY360 2026 is the must-attend event for the payment’s community.Register today https://pay360event.com/ This article was written by Finance Magnates Staff at www.financemagnates.com.

Snowflake has signed a US$200 million, multi-year partnership with OpenAI to integrate AI models into its enterprise data platform. Under the agreement, OpenAI’s models will be made natively available within Snowflake Cortex AI, enabling enterprises to build and deploy AI applications and agents directly on their data. The partnership is structured as a first-party integration, positioning OpenAI as one of the primary model providers within Snowflake’s AI services. The integration will be available to Snowflake’s more than 12,600 global customers. Snowflake said models including GPT-5.2 will be accessible within Snowflake Intelligence, its enterprise AI agent platform, allowing employees to analyse enterprise data using natural language within a governed environment. Sridhar Ramaswamy Sridhar Ramaswamy, CEO, Snowflake, said, “By bringing OpenAI models to enterprise data, Snowflake enables organizations to build and deploy AI on top of their most valuable asset using the secure, governed platform they already trust. Customers can now harness all their enterprise knowledge in Snowflake together with the world-class intelligence of OpenAI models, enabling them to build AI agents that are powerful, responsible, and trustworthy.” Fidji Simo Fidji Simo, CEO of Applications at OpenAI, said, “Snowflake is a trusted platform that sits at the center of how enterprises manage and activate their most critical data. This partnership brings our advanced models directly into that environment, making it easier to deploy AI agents and apps, so businesses can close the gap between what AI is capable of and the value they can create today,” Snowflake and OpenAI will jointly develop tools that allow enterprises to build custom AI agents across systems using governed data. The partnership builds on existing internal use, with OpenAI using Snowflake for analytics and Snowflake using OpenAI’s enterprise tools. Snowflake said the collaboration is aimed at accelerating adoption of agentic AI across large organisations by combining OpenAI’s models with its data governance, security and reliability framework.     Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Singapore, based on image by itzabshubo via Freepik The post Snowflake, OpenAI Sign Multi-Year US$200 Million Enterprise AI Partnership appeared first on Fintech Singapore.

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.       

Waymo's growth is reinforcing Alphabet's tech dominance and strengthens the bull case for the stock.

Swedish AI company Berget AI has raised €2.1 million (SEK 24 million) in funding. The investment comes at a time when AI is rapidly becoming critical infrastructure, while increasing regulatory requirements, geopolitical tensions, and the EU’s new AI legislation are driving growing demand for local control of data and AI workflows.  Berget AI was founded by Christian Landgren, a well-known digital entrepreneur and activist, and Andreas Lundmark, who brings extensive AI experience from Boston Consulting Group. The company is developing a service that enables organisations to build AI applications using open language models operated on sovereign infrastructure in Sweden, ensuring that sensitive data does not leave national borders and remains under European jurisdiction.  The company positions itself toward developers who want to get started quickly without managing infrastructure, offering a modern alternative to both US hyperscalers and complex on-premise solutions. By delivering a turnkey full-stack AI platform, Berget AI enables organisations to combine ease of use with data sovereignty, open technology, and sustainable operations.  According to Andreas Lundmark, co-founder of Berget AI, more and more organisations do not want to place sensitive data in global cloud platforms.  “We offer an accessible alternative that provides full control without requiring customers to build and operate their own infrastructure.” The company’s first service was launched shortly before summer 2025 and has attracted strong interest from customers who prioritise sovereignty and data control.  “We have seen that our offering addresses a very real market need and that this topic is high on the agenda in both Sweden and Europe. We have not actively pursued sales so far, but now is the time to accelerate in order to capture the strong demand we are experiencing. Several new services are currently under development.”  With the EU AI Act and stricter requirements for transparency, traceability, and data governance, the conditions for how AI is built and deployed in Europe are changing. Public sector organisations and regulated industries are increasingly demanding solutions that keep data and models within EU jurisdiction.  “Sovereignty is moving from being a policy discussion to becoming a concrete and practical requirement for development teams. Our platform is built for this reality: local operations, open models, and technical control from day one,” says Christian Landgren, Co-founder of Berget AI. The funding round was led by Luminar Ventures together with Wellstreet and Norrsken Evolve.  “Berget AI addresses a structural problem in Europe’s AI ecosystem: the lack of sovereign and scalable infrastructure. The team combines strong technical expertise with perfect timing,” says Jacob Key, General Partner at Luminar Ventures.  “Open and sustainable AI infrastructure is crucial for Europe’s long-term resilience,” says Rebecca Löthman Rydå, General Partner at Norrsken Evolve.  The newly raised capital will primarily be used to accelerate product development and scale sales operations. 

The rapidly growing crypto network achieves a billion-dollar valuation milestone. Highlights: Crypto network Mesh achieved unicorn status after recent funding. The company’s valuation surpassed $1 billion. Investment signals strong growth in the cryptocurrency sector. Crypto network Mesh has officially reached unicorn status, valued at over $1 billion following its latest funding round. The investment highlights the increasing appetite for blockchain technology and innovative financial solutions in the cryptocurrency market. Mesh’s rapid growth reflects strong investor confidence as the demand for decentralized finance continues to rise. This milestone marks a significant moment in the fintech industry, as more companies seek to innovate within the digital currency space.

YC-backed Givefront is building a fintech designed specifically for nonprofits, including food banks, churches, and homeowner associations.