Swiss software company Abacus, which provides business management solutions for companies across various industries, has integrated bLink into its Business Software. The integration enables a direct and secure connection to participating financial institutions, allowing companies to use a single platform agreement and standardised interface instead of multiple bilateral connections or contracts with individual banks. Through the bLink integration, users can access account and transaction information and initiate payments directly from the Abacus Business Software. This reduces the need for manual entry of banking data and simplifies payment reconciliation. Raffaelle Grillo “The bLink connection provides a secure, uniform, and future-proof foundation for electronic data exchange with banks,” said Raffaelle Grillo, Chief Operating Officer of Abacus Research AG. “Through standardisation via the platform, various bank connections, transaction information, and payments can be integrated more efficiently into the Abacus Business Software.” The bLink interface will be available from September 15 in the current Abacus 2025 version.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by user850788 via Freepik The post Abacus Integrates bLink for Streamlined Bank Connections appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Tide, the UK-based business management platform, has announced a strategic investment from TPG, the global alternative asset management firm. The investment, comprising primary and secondary funding of more than US$120 million, raises Tide’s valuation to US$1.5 billion. Existing investor Apax Digital Funds also took part in the round. The funding, led by TPG through The Rise Funds, will support Tide’s international expansion, product development, and adoption of agentic AI. The Rise Funds, TPG’s impact investing strategy, has previously invested in over 85 companies. Oliver Prill, CEO of Tide, said: Oliver Prill “This funding will accelerate our international expansion, building on our highly successful and profitable UK business, where we support nearly 800,000 members with 14% of the SMB market. In India, we’ve seen rapid growth and now support over 800,000 Tide members. “We’ve also launched in Germany, a large market with nearly 6 million SMEs, and very recently launched our affordable credit solutions as our first proposition in France. Over time, we’ll bring the full richness of Tide’s UK platform to each of our international markets. “This investment will also fuel product innovation and means we can broaden and deepen our offering, helping our members everywhere save time and money. Tide is already adopting AI at pace, and the investment will allow us to accelerate this.” Yemi Lalude, Partner at TPG and Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa for The Rise Funds, said: Yemi Lalude “Tide has built an industry-leading platform that empowers sole traders, micro-enterprises, and small firms across the UK, India, and Germany with tailored products. We are excited to support Tide’s mission to democratise access to financial and administrative services for SMEs, helping them thrive from inception through to growth.” As part of the deal, Lalude will join Tide’s board. Tide currently serves 1.6 million members in the UK, India, Germany, and France. Its platform provides services including business registration, accounting tools, payroll, business accounts, credit solutions, payments, and sales tools.   Featured image credit: Tide The post Tide Raises $120M from TPG, Valuation Hits $1.5B appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

FTX Trading and the FTX Recovery Trust have announced that, in accordance with FTX’s Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganisation, distributions will commence to holders of allowed claims in the Plan’s Convenience and Non-Convenience Classes who have completed the pre-distribution requirements on September 30. Eligible creditors can expect to receive funds from their selected distribution service provider, either BitGo, Kraken, or Payoneer, within one to three business days from 30 September 2025. Dates for subsequent record and payment cycles will be communicated in due course. In the Third Distribution, in line with the waterfall priorities set out in the Plan, Allowed Class 5A Dotcom Customer Entitlement Claims will receive an additional 6% distribution, representing a cumulative distribution of 78% to date. Allowed Class 5B U.S. Customer Entitlement Claims will receive a 40% distribution, bringing the cumulative total to 95%. Allowed Classes 6A General Unsecured Claims and 6B Digital Asset Loan Claims will each receive a 24% distribution, amounting to 85% cumulatively. Allowed Class 7 Convenience Claims will receive a 120% distribution. By onboarding with a Distribution Service Provider, claim holders have irrevocably elected to forgo their right to receive cash distributions directly from FTX, directing instead that FTX pay any distributions due under the Plan to the chosen provider. For queries regarding the availability of funds with a selected Distribution Service Provider, claim holders should contact customer support at their provider directly. To remain eligible for distributions on future dates, customers and other creditors must complete the following before the relevant distribution record date: log in to the FTX Customer Portal where applicable, complete the required Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, submit any necessary tax forms, and onboard with either BitGo, Kraken, or Payoneer, with instructions provided via the FTX Customer Portal. For transferred claims, distributions will be made only to the transferee holder of an allowed claim, provided it has been processed and recorded on the official register maintained by the Notice and Claims Agent. The 21-day notice period must have elapsed without objection for the distribution to proceed.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by thanyakij-12 via Freepik The post FTX to Begin Third Distribution to Eligible Claim Holders appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Swiss financial institution Bivial AG has introduced instant Swiss Franc (CHF) payments through the SIC Instant Payments (SIC IP) clearing system. As an early adopter of the national infrastructure, Bivial now allows clients to send and receive CHF payments in real time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the year. Clients can process payments of up to CHF 20,000 in under 10 seconds, including during weekends and public holidays. The rollout complements Bivial’s existing global payments capabilities, which include Swiss IBAN accounts in more than 19 currencies and the ability to make payments to over 160 countries. Clients can also fund accounts, cards, and wallets via alternative payment methods and locally preferred payment rails, now with the added option of real-time CHF transfers. Martynas Bieliauskas “This is a great step forward in delivering real-time financial services in Bivial’s home market, Switzerland,” said Martynas Bieliauskas, CEO of Bivial. “By combining instant CHF payments with our existing global infrastructure, we are giving businesses a single platform to manage liquidity, make faster payouts, and improve their overall cash flow.” Bivial’s launch aligns with Switzerland’s move towards a modern, real-time payments ecosystem, providing full connectivity with other SIC IP participants while maintaining global coverage across currencies and payment methods.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Claudio Schwarz via Unsplash The post Bivial Launches Real-Time 24/7 CHF Payments appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Thredd, a London-based payments processor, has expanded its partnership with Reap, a Hong Kong-based fintech offering stablecoin-enabled card programmes, white-label stablecoin card issuance, and a cross-border payments platform with fiat payouts. Under the expanded agreement, Thredd will provide the infrastructure supporting Reap’s physical and virtual card programmes, facilitating the company’s expansion into the US and Latin America. As Reap grows its stablecoin-enabled services, Thredd will support authorisation, transaction processing, fraud controls, tokenisation, and digital wallet integration. Since the partnership began in 2021, Thredd has enabled Reap to scale from processing thousands of card transactions monthly to millions. With Thredd’s solution and support teams, Reap now handles high transactions per second (TPS) volumes, integrates stablecoin-based repayment, and operates with round-the-clock technical and account support, assisting clients in launching programmes efficiently. Jim McCarthy “This collaboration enables Reap to focus on product innovation while Thredd underpins their expansion, enabling corporate, B2B, and B2B2C clients, particularly in fast-evolving markets, to issue cards swiftly and securely,” said Jim McCarthy, CEO of Thredd. “From initial design to tokenisation and fraud protection, our infrastructure is built to handle ambitious growth and complex needs.” Daren Guo “We are pleased to be partnering with Thredd to enable us to bring stablecoin-enabled infrastructure to our clients across major trade corridors for more efficient money movement,” said Daren Guo, Co-Founder of Reap. “Following our strong business growth, we are focused on scaling our infrastructure so clients can better connect and streamline their financial operations with our integrated business accounts and embedded finance solutions.” The partnership illustrates how modular payment infrastructure, combined with technical expertise, can help fintechs scale operations across borders and transform card programmes into broader financial infrastructure.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by EyeEm via Freepik The post Thredd Expands Partnership with Reap for Stablecoin Cards appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

SMG Swiss Marketplace Group has listed its shares on the SIX Swiss Exchange, marking a notable development in Europe’s initial public offering activity this year. The shares opened at CHF 48.25 each, giving the company a market capitalisation of approximately CHF 4.7 billion. Founded in 2021 as a joint venture between TX Group, Ringier, Mobiliar and General Atlantic, SMG Swiss Marketplace Group has established a prominent presence in Switzerland through platforms including Homegate, ImmoScout24, AutoScout24, Ricardo, tutti.ch and FinanceScout24. The IPO represents a significant step in the company’s growth and provides a foundation for future initiatives and an enhanced market position. The company’s issued and outstanding share capital consists of 98,145,200 registered shares, of which 19,629,040 existing shares were offered in the IPO. The issue price was CHF 46.00 per share, resulting in a placement volume of around CHF 903 million, excluding the over-allotment option of 2,944,353 shares. The listing is expected to provide SMG Swiss Marketplace Group with greater financial flexibility, increased brand visibility and additional liquidity options for shareholders. The company will be included in the Swiss Performance Index family from September 22. Christoph Tonini, CEO of SMG Swiss Marketplace Group, said: Christoph Tonini “We have been building on the Swiss digital economy and driving our customers’ success through our digital products and services, innovation and dedication from the start. We are proud to be listed on SIX and look forward to the opportunities ahead as a public company.” Tomas Kindler, Global Head Exchanges at SIX, commented: Tomas Kindler “As Switzerland’s most popular online marketplace operator, SMG underscores the strength of Switzerland’s digital economy and the attractive growth opportunities the country provides for ambitious companies. On behalf of SIX, we congratulate SMG on this important milestone and wish them continued success as a publicly listed company.”   Featured image credit: SIX The post SMG Swiss Marketplace Group IPO Hits SIX Swiss Exchange appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Google and PayPal have announced a multiyear strategic partnership to advance digital commerce solutions. The collaboration will focus on improving how businesses and consumers transact across platforms and devices, combining the companies’ expertise to enhance the efficiency and security of online payments. Sundar Pichai “PayPal is a leader in digital commerce, and we’re excited to expand our work together to make online transactions simpler and more secure,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. “Through this partnership, PayPal will use our industry-leading AI to enhance services and security, and we will more deeply integrate PayPal’s payment capabilities across Google products and platforms.” Alex Chriss, President and CEO of PayPal, added: Alex Chriss “Together with Google, we are leading the way for digital commerce, ensuring greater opportunities for merchants and users worldwide. We are bringing PayPal’s products and services to billions of Google users and redefining what’s possible at global scale.” The partnership will develop AI-driven shopping experiences and establish standards for agentic commerce. This includes combining PayPal’s global payment infrastructure, personalisation tools, and identity solutions with Google’s AI capabilities. Both companies are promoting best practices such as Google’s Agent Payments Protocol, a secure and scalable framework for agentic commerce. PayPal’s solutions, including PayPal-branded checkout, Hyperwallet, and PayPal Payouts, will be integrated across Google products to support seamless payment experiences. Additionally, PayPal Enterprise Payments will process card payments on platforms such as Google Cloud, Google Ads, and Google Play, further embedding PayPal as a key payment provider. The partnership also extends to Google Cloud, where PayPal will work to modernise its technology infrastructure and applications to support its next-generation commerce and payments platform. These developments aim to provide tools for consumers, merchants, and developers to engage in digital commerce while creating a foundation for ongoing collaboration and industry standards.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by Marques Thomas via Unsplash The post Google and PayPal Forge Partnership to Improve Digital Commerce appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Ebury, a London-based fintech specialising in cross-border financial services, has entered into a strategic alliance with IQ-EQ, a Luxembourg-headquartered provider of investor and corporate services. The collaboration aims to broaden access to treasury and foreign exchange solutions for fund managers, institutional investors, and corporates operating across multiple jurisdictions. As cross-border business activity continues to grow, challenges such as accessing transactional accounts, managing liquidity, mitigating FX exposure, and handling international payments have become increasingly complex. The Ebury-IQ-EQ partnership seeks to address these issues by integrating Ebury’s platform into IQ-EQ’s service offering. Through this integration, clients will be able to access transaction accounts in more than 20 jurisdictions, make international payments in over 130 currencies, and use tailored FX risk management strategies to manage market volatility. They will also gain access to cash management tools designed for complex fund and corporate structures, supported by local expertise across multiple jurisdictions. Aaron Bird, Head of Enterprise & Institutional Solutions APAC at Ebury, said: Aaron Bird “IQ-EQ’s global footprint and deep expertise in investor services makes them an ideal partner. Together, we’re offering a future-ready solution for international funds and corporates looking to streamline operations and reduce FX risk.” Joanne McEnteggart, Global Head of Debt, Capital Markets and Corporate at IQ-EQ, added: Joanne McEnteggart “We’re always looking for ways to further enhance our service to clients and our collaboration with Ebury brings together their expertise in international payments, FX risk management and cash flow solutions with our unrivalled experience servicing complex fund and corporate structures.”   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by lovely12 via Freepik The post Ebury and IQ-EQ Partner to Enhance Cross-Border Financial Services appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Telegram is an underutilized but powerful marketing channel for fintech and financial apps. With its scale, engaged user base and innovative features, including Telegram Ads, mini apps, and built-in payments, the platform offers strong opportunities for fintech companies to reach, engage, and convert audiences, according to a report by Magnetto, a Telegram ads agency. Telegram is a cloud-based, cross-platform social media and instant messaging service. It allows users to send messages, share media and files, and hold private and group voice or video calls as well as public livestreams. Beyond messaging, Telegram also includes social networking features, allowing users to post stories, create public groups of up to 200,000 members, or broadcast updates to unlimited audiences via channels. Telegram is the world’s third most popular messenger app in the world, with over 27 million downloads in January 2025. It claims more than 1 billion monthly users, nearly 450 million daily active users, and says it adds about 2.5 million new users each day. This scale gives brands a major opportunity to expand globally, build communities, and stay top of mind with highly engaged users. A leading channel for crypto users Unless mass media platform like Meta or Google Ads, Telegram excels at fostering tight-knit, highly engaged communities. This makes sectors including crypto, niche e-commerce brands, and gaming good fits, because their audiences are already plugged in and actually want to be sold to. In fact, crypto represents the biggest community on Telegram. Nearly one-third of Telegram users have experience with cryptocurrencies, according to the Magnetto study. Within this group, 16% are seasoned crypto users. Furthermore, the most-subscribed Telegram channels currently are crypto-related. The largest channel is Blum, a crypto ecosystem with more than 25 million subscribers. It’s followed by Major Community, with 19 million subscribers, and Tapswap Community, with 17 million subscribers. Most subscribed Telegram channels 2025, Source: Telegram Marketing 2025: Global Statistics and Trends, Magnetto, 2025 Telegram channels work like a public broadcast tool, where brands share updates, exclusive offers, and content. Subscribers receive each message directly, a model which drive strong engagement. Telegram users generate over 1 trillion views in channels every month, and posts see an average open rate of 55-60%, which is higher than on most social platforms, the report says. Telegram Ads for tech savvy audiences and communities Another key functionality is Telegram Ads. Telegram Ads allow sponsored messages to appear in public and private channels and bots. It gives users access to three prime placements: inside public or private channels, within bots, and in Telegram Search results. Brands can target specific audiences with precision, even by placing ads in their competitors’ channels. To qualify, a channel must have over 1,000 followers, and a bot must have more than 1,000 monthly active users. Telegram Ads work best for online brands that appeal to a tech savvy audience, such as crypto projects, trading platforms, tech tools, and anything in the fintech space. Products with a strong community angle also tend to do well, especially if they speak to a clear niche. Mini apps as a game-changer for fintech Mini apps are another powerful tool for brands. Telegram’s mini apps let businesses build experiences inside Telegram without requiring downloads or app-switching. They’re especially attractive in sectors where speed, access, and cost-efficiency matter more than deep app functionality, like fintech. Key benefits of mini apps include a massive reach of over 500 million monthly users already interacting with mini apps, frictionless onboarding with instant access and no app store approval, versatile use cases from e-commerce and booking systems to crypto wallets and portfolio wallets, and built-in payments using cryptocurrencies or traditional methods. Mini apps are particularly taking off in emerging regions like Eastern Europe, India, and Latin America, where Telegram is already part of daily life. In crypto specifically, mini apps already enable users to manage wallets, trade tokens, stake assets, and track portfolios seamlessly. Currently, crypto mini apps are the top-performing mini app category on Telegram, boasting 87 million monthly active users. Non-fungible token (NFT) mini apps rank fourth with 13 million monthly active users, while finance mini apps rank 13th with 3 million unique monthly active users. Top performing Telegram mini app categories by monthly active users, Source: Telegram Marketing 2025: Global Statistics and Trends, Magnetto, 2025 Influencer marketing: underused but promising Telegram’s influencer marketing, on the other hand, remains largely in its early stages, but its potential is significant, especially in high-value categories like finance, emerging tech, and wellness, the report says. As more tools emerge to measure these campaigns, this space will get more structured. But for now, it is largely an overlooked levers in performance marketing, it says. Telegram influencers often build authentic, trust-based connections with their audiences within focused, niche communities. Brands tapping into these relationships don’t have to start from zero, benefiting instead from the credibility influencers have already established. That kind of credibility matters: studies show that nearly 70% of people are more likely to act on recommendations from influencers, friends, or family than on messages from brands themselves, according to Magnetto. Another major advantage of Telegram influencer marketing is access to the platform’s 15 million active Premium users, who don’t see Telegram Ads and are otherwise difficult to reach. This audience is more engaged, quicker to convert, and far more likely to stay loyal over time, Magnetto says. A professional, tech-savvy audience According to the study, Telegram mostly draws a professional, tech-savvy audience. Around 21% of the app’s users are employed in IT and Internet-related fields, 12% are in marketing and public relations, and 4% work in finance. This makes Telegram especially appealing for promoting tech solutions, (SaaS) products, or business-to-business (B2B) services, allowing brands to directly reach audiences who are more likely to respond, convert, and remain loyal. Top 15 professions of Telegram users, Source: Telegram Marketing 2025: Global Statistics and Trends, Magnetto, 2025 Telegram also reaches people at different levels of decision-making. 44% of users are in non-managerial roles, making it a strong channel for reaching hands-on professionals and everyday decision influencers. These are the people who research tools, try new products, and recommend them to their teams or friends. 13% of Telegram users are in managerial positions with purchasing power or play a role in business decisions, which makes them a key audience for B2B, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and service-based brands. Meanwhile, 5.5% of users are business owners. These are proactive, entrepreneurial, and always looking for ways to grow. Employment status and positions, Source: Telegram Marketing 2025: Global Statistics and Trends, Magnetto, 2025 Over the past years, messaging apps have emerged as powerful communication channels for companies, which are utilizing SMS, WhatsApps, and other popular platforms to engage customers, promote services, and enhance user experience. WhatsApp, for example, offers a dedicated app for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to communicate with customers. Dubbed WhatsApp Business, it allows companies to automate messages, organize chats, and provide efficient customer support. Most recently, Meta overhauled WhatsApp Business’ pricing model, moving away from its old per-conversation pricing model and to a per-message system with volume-based discounts and free utility messages within a 24-hour window. These changes aim to position WhatsApp as a more attractive alternative to SMS for businesses, and encourage two-way conversation. Experts predict that this will increase the volume of messages, which will eventually drive greater adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) agents used to automate customer interactions across WhatsApp, manage sales flows, and streamline support.   Featured image by user3980505 on Freepik The post Telegram Emerges as a Powerful Marketing Channel for Fintech Brands appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Crédit Agricole next bank, the Swiss subsidiary of the French banking group, has partnered with additiv, a provider of a Digital Financial Services Platform, to introduce “Pilla,” a fully digital pension service. Pilla targets Switzerland’s 3a and vested benefits market, offering a mobile-first experience. The service digitises the entire customer journey, including onboarding, risk profiling, and investment allocation, while complying with Swiss pension regulations. It is intended for clients seeking a simple and streamlined approach to managing their pension savings. Central to the service is additiv’s orchestration capability, which integrates with Liberty Pension, a regulated foundation and asset manager. This illustrates additiv’s open sourcing model, which allows banks to incorporate both their own and third-party regulated products into a single, coordinated process without extensive system changes. Pierre Fortis “Pilla marks a strategic step for Crédit Agricole next bank as we launch a modern, mobile-first pension product for a more digital-oriented, independent target group,” said Pierre Fortis, Development Director. “additiv’s platform enabled us to launch fast, with full regulatory alignment and a fully digital customer journey.” Pilla is designed for mobile-first users in Switzerland and also accommodates the bank’s cross-border clients living in France, Germany or Italy while working in Switzerland. It allows these clients to manage, contribute to, and monitor their 3a and vested benefits accounts entirely via the app, removing the need for branch visits. The partnership demonstrates additiv’s capabilities in digital pensions and investment solutions. Its cloud-native, API-first platform allows financial institutions to design, launch, and scale pension services quickly, integrating regulated offerings while maintaining compliance. Michael Stemmle “Pilla isn’t just a product launch, it’s a strategic leap for Crédit Agricole next bank, enabling them to offer a fully digital, mobile-first pension experience that improves access, advice, and efficiency for their customers,” said Michael Stemmle, Founder of additiv. “Through our open sourcing approach, we’ve enabled Crédit Agricole next bank to orchestrate regulated third-party pension solutions seamlessly into a mobile-first journey. It proves that our platform can set the standard for end-to-end digital pensions, fully compliant, scalable, and ready to consume new solutions as they evolve.”   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by EyeEm via Freepik The post Crédit Agricole next bank Unveils Fully Digital Swiss Pension Service appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Light Frame, a Lausanne-based provider of wealth management core systems, has appointed Philipp Rickenbacher to its Advisory Board. Rickenbacher was CEO of Julius Baer Group and Bank Julius Baer from 2019 to 2024, leading the institution through a period of significant transformation and external disruption. Since joining Julius Baer in 2004, he held various positions across Structured Products, Global Advisory Solutions, and Intermediaries & Custody. He began his career at McKinsey & Company in Zurich and London. He holds a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from ETH Zurich and has completed programmes at Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Programme and Singularity University. He is currently Chairman of the Zug-based venture capital firm CVVC and serves on several boards and advisory bodies in finance and technology. Schuyler Weiss “Technology is increasingly shaping the way private banks create and deliver value for their clients. A modern core is at the heart of this, as part of a long-term transformation strategy for established players, and as a critical stepping-stone for neobanks,” said Schuyler Weiss, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Light Frame. “Philipp has been on the front lines of that shift. His counsel will help us deliver even greater impact for banks ready to lead.” Commenting on his appointment, Rickenbacher said: Philipp Rickenbacher “I’m excited to join Light Frame’s Advisory Board. I am impressed by how the team combines business knowledge with modern technology. They are set to help financial institutions move towards modern infrastructure, and I am glad to afford them my support as they scale the company.” Light Frame provides an event-driven core system for wealth management, combining investment operations and portfolio management with a cloud-native, API-first architecture designed to integrate with existing ecosystems. The platform aims to reduce operating costs, support change, and enable real-time, compliant client service.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by topntp26 via Freepik The post Light Frame Names Ex-Julius Baer CEO Philipp Rickenbacher to Advisory Board appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Storyline, a US-based platform providing personalised AI-generated video for wealth and asset management, has secured its first institutional funding round, led by Zurich-based FiveT Fintech. The platform is designed specifically for financial institutions, converting traditional reporting formats, such as PDFs, portfolio summaries and performance updates, into secure, compliant video “episodes” suitable for both desktop and mobile. These videos are intended to support client communication across the wealth management lifecycle. Unlike generative AI tools aimed at marketing, Storyline’s deterministic AI prioritises compliance, accuracy and security. Financial institutions can produce market updates, fund explainers, portfolio reviews and proposals, all with built-in analytics, narration controls and audit-ready workflows. The platform integrates with existing systems through an API-first approach, allowing for rapid deployment. David Navama “Private banking has long struggled to balance personalisation with scale,” said David Navama, Co-founder and CEO of Storyline. “Storyline bridges that gap with a compliant, video-first format that clients actually consume. We believe this empowers relationship managers to deliver more impactful interactions, while signalling to the next generation of wealth management clients that their bank is ready to engage and communicate in their language.” As generational wealth transfers and investor expectations shift towards digital channels, financial institutions are seeking ways to modernise communications without losing the human element. Storyline aims to support firms in enhancing advisor-client connections by freeing time for relationship managers and providing timely, relevant updates in a format clients can revisit. “FiveT Fintech shares our conviction that wealth management doesn’t need another replacement for the relationship manager, it needs augmentation,” Navama added. “With their support, we can accelerate our mission to redefine how financial institutions engage clients, ensuring every update is timely, compliant, and meaningful.”   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by jcomp via Freepik The post Storyline Secures First Institutional Funding Led by FiveT Fintech appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

The Swiss Bankers Association (SBA), PostFinance, Sygnum and UBS have completed a feasibility study enabling legally compliant payments with digitised bank deposits on a public blockchain. The findings mark a first for the Swiss financial centre. While today’s payment systems are fast and efficient, they face limitations with emerging digital business models. The deposit token concept seeks to address this by bringing bank deposits onto the blockchain, enabling payments around the clock, fully integrated into digital processes and capable of automation. Martin Hess, Chief Economist and Head of the SBA’s Digital Currencies Project, said: Martin Hess “The tested token is a strategic step towards the future of the payment system and underlines the innovative capacity of the Swiss financial centre.” Alexander Thoma, Head of Digital Assets at PostFinance, noted the practical implications: Alexander Thoma “The deposit token offers great potential for making payment transactions more efficient and secure for all parties in the future. The feasibility study has shown that blockchain technology works for this and is legally viable.” The technology allows for programmable transactions through smart contracts, enabling automatic payments when conditions are met. Potential applications include automated securities trading and machine-to-machine transactions in the Internet of Things. Two use cases were examined: payments between customers of different banks and the automated exchange of assets via a trust-like process. The results confirmed that the technology functions effectively, that payments are legally binding, and that regulatory requirements and depositor protection are met. This is the first time deposit tokens have been shown to work across banks in a compliant and transparent manner. The report forms the basis for a broader introduction and further development of the deposit token. The next phase will require adjustments to the model and wider collaboration with other banks and authorities, with the aim of making blockchain-based payments more broadly available to Swiss bank customers. The initiative represents a shift towards modernised, efficient financial infrastructure. It also signals a coordinated effort by Swiss banks to contribute to the development of future payment systems.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on screenshot from video by Swiss Banking via YouTube The post Swiss Banks Complete First Deposit Token Trial on Public Blockchain appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Worldline, a global provider of payment solutions, announces that Bernhard Lachenmeier will take on the role of Managing Director and Head of Merchant Services Switzerland from October 1. In this dual role, he will have overall responsibility for the Swiss business and oversee the strategic development of the company’s merchant services activities. Bernhard Lachenmeier has more than 20 years of management experience in the financial and payments sector. He previously held senior positions at SIX Payment Services and CCV Switzerland and most recently served as Head of Shopping & Merchant Solutions at PostFinance. Bernhard Lachenmeier “I am looking forward to working with our team to shape the future of Worldline in Switzerland and to advance innovations in digital payments, providing our customers with reliable, secure and sustainable solutions,” he said. The appointment of Bernhard Lachenmeier reflects the strategic importance of Switzerland for Worldline. Combining national responsibility with expertise in merchant services is intended to support the company’s growth strategy and strengthen its customer and partner engagement.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by ariyenrahul806 via Freepik The post Bernhard Lachenmeier Named Worldline Managing Director, Switzerland appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Binance has announced a strategic collaboration with Franklin Templeton, a global investment firm managing US$1.6 trillion in assets, to develop new digital asset initiatives and products. The partnership combines Franklin Templeton’s expertise in the compliant tokenisation of securities with Binance’s global trading infrastructure and investor reach. The collaboration aims to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accessibility in capital markets, while improving settlement speed and yield opportunities. It seeks to connect the scale of traditional finance with the agility of digital markets and provide solutions for a broad range of investors. Roger Bayston, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Assets at Franklin Templeton, said investors are increasingly curious about digital assets but emphasised that these must be both accessible and reliable. He commented, Roger Bayston “By working with Binance, we can deliver breakthrough products that meet the requirements of global capital markets and co-create the portfolios of the future. Our goal is to take tokenisation from concept to practice for clients to achieve efficiencies in settlement, collateral management, and portfolio construction at scale.” Catherine Chen, Head of VIP and Institutional at Binance, said, Catherine Chen “Binance has a record of innovating first in crypto solutions that unlock access and opportunities for investors. Our strategic collaboration with Franklin Templeton to develop new products and initiatives furthers our commitment to bridge crypto with traditional capital markets and open up greater possibilities.” The collaboration reflects a convergence between traditional finance and digital assets, combining tokenisation expertise with global reach to create solutions that are efficient, accessible, and scalable.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by rawpixel.com via Freepik The post Binance and Franklin Templeton Collaborate on Digital Asset Initiatives appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Swift, the Belgium-based financial messaging cooperative, has carried out experiments demonstrating how AI and secure cross-border data collaboration could help reduce fraud in international payments. In partnership with 13 global financial institutions, the tests applied privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) to allow participants to exchange fraud-related insights securely across jurisdictions. In one case, PETs enabled the real-time verification of intelligence on suspicious accounts, potentially shortening the time needed to identify international financial crime networks and preventing fraudulent payments from being executed. Another case combined PETs with federated learning, an AI technique that trains models locally at each institution without sharing customer data. Using synthetic data from ten million artificial transactions, the model was twice as effective in detecting known frauds compared with one trained on a single institution’s data. Rachel Levi, Head of AI at Swift, said: Rachel Levi “These experiments demonstrate the convening power of Swift as a trusted cooperative at the heart of global finance. A united, industry-wide fraud defence will always be stronger than one put up by a single institution acting alone. “The industry loses billions to fraud each year, but by enabling the secure sharing of intelligence across borders we’re paving the way for this figure to be significantly reduced, and allowing fraud to be stopped in a matter of minutes, not hours or days.” Swift plans to expand participation before moving to a second phase of trials using real transaction data to assess the impact of the technologies in live environments. The cooperative has been exploring AI’s role in financial services, with more than 50 use cases ranging from proofs of concept to live applications. Financial crime is estimated to have cost the sector US$485 billion in 2023. Earlier this year, Swift introduced an AI-enhanced Payments Controls Service to support smaller financial institutions in identifying potentially fraudulent activity in real time. Institutions involved in the experiments included ANZ, BNY and Intesa Sanpaolo, alongside technology partners such as Google Cloud.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by New Africa via Freepik The post Swift Tests AI and Data Tools to Tackle Cross-Border Payment Fraud appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

California-based AI search startup Perplexity AI has reportedly secured US$200 million in new funding. The latest investment values the company at US$20 billion, according to multiple media reports late on Wednesday (September 10). The Information first reported the financing, citing sources familiar with the matter. That report noted that Perplexity has raised funds roughly once every two months over the past year, with total funding now exceeding US$1 billion. Perplexity was valued at US$14 billion following a funding round in March, with its valuation climbing to US$18 billion after raising a further US$100 million in July. This latest round comes after Perplexity last month bid to acquire Google’s Chrome browser for US$34.5 billion. The move would have allowed its Comet browser to better compete with the likes of OpenAI. The offer followed a proposal by the Justice Department that Google sell Chrome as part of a remedy in its antitrust case. A federal judge recently ruled that Google did not need to break up its search business, meaning it will retain Chrome. The emergence of AI-driven search tools such as Perplexity, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and Google’s AI Overviews has given rise to the concept of generative engine optimisation, or GEO. “Businesses now face a two-front battle: keep their place in traditional search while ensuring AI systems recognise and cite them as authoritative answers,” the report stated. “Whether one calls it SEO, GEO, or simply good content, the playbook for staying visible is changing fast, and the cost of sitting out is invisibility.” As companies observe declining click-through rates, they have little choice but to adapt to an era in which AI provides complete answers to user queries.   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by suriyawutsuriya via Freepik The post Perplexity AI Secures US$200M, Valued at US$20B appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

LSEG has launched its Digital Markets Infrastructure (DMI) platform for private funds and facilitated its first transaction. The DMI platform, powered by Microsoft Azure, is designed to support the full asset lifecycle, from issuance, tokenisation, and distribution to post-trade settlement and servicing, across multiple asset classes. LSEG has stated that the platform will be interoperable with existing market solutions in both distributed ledger technology and traditional finance, leveraging a range of the group’s products and services, including Workspace. Developed in collaboration with Microsoft, DMI aligns with LSEG’s aim of supporting clients across the full funding continuum, alongside other initiatives such as the Private Securities Market. Private funds are the first asset class to use the DMI platform, with plans to extend it to additional asset classes in the future. DMI adopts an open and interoperable approach, bringing together participants from international markets to broaden distribution, raise capital, improve liquidity, and service assets within a regulated environment. Built on Microsoft Azure, the platform offers scalability and resilience. Its design aims to accelerate innovation while maintaining high security standards. LSEG and Microsoft will continue their collaboration to further develop and scale the platform. As part of the initial rollout, private funds on DMI will be discoverable by Workspace users, allowing general partners to interact at scale with professional investors within a platform they already use. Investors will be able to identify, analyse, and access private market investment opportunities that were previously less accessible. MembersCap and Archax are the first clients to join the platform, with the first transaction completed through MembersCap as general partner of MCM Fund 1, executing a primary fundraise with Archax acting as nominee for a major Web3 foundation. EJF Capital has also been onboarded as an early adopter, with a selection of its funds expected to be available on the platform shortly. Dr Darko Hajdukovic, Head of Digital Markets Infrastructure at LSEG, said: Dr Darko Hajdukovic “There are many processes in private markets today that can be improved. At LSEG we are committed to significantly improving access to private markets, by streamlining workflows, enhancing distribution, and enabling liquidity. We intend to do this by continually working with all stakeholders to enhance efficiencies and connectivity for both digitally-native and traditional assets.” “The onboarding of our first clients and this first transaction are significant milestones, demonstrating the appetite for an end-to-end, interoperable, regulated financial markets DLT infrastructure. LSEG’s position as a convener of markets can bring significant scale to digital assets and effect real change.” Bill Borden, Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Financial Services at Microsoft, said: Bill Borden “Microsoft’s collaboration with LSEG on its Digital Markets Infrastructure (DMI) is a powerful example of the innovation driving our strategic partnership. Together, we’re reshaping the future of global finance to empower our customers to unlock new opportunities and drive meaningful change.”   Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by freepik The post LSEG Launches Digital Markets Infrastructure Platform for Private Funds appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

CB Insights has released its annual Smart Money list, spotlighting the world’s 25 best-performing venture capital (VC) investors over the past decade. These firms consistently back breakout startups and achieve more exits than their peers, offering a front-row view of where innovation and capital are headed. Leading the AI wave According to the report, these 25 VC investors, which include Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, and Lightspeed, are at the forefront of funding artificial intelligence (AI) wave. They backed 52% of new AI unicorns in 2023, 73% in 2024, and 77% in 2025 year-to-date (YTD). Their focus on AI remains strong, particularly in agentic applications. Over the past 18 months, agent-related categories have led deal activity, with coding agents and copilots securing 28 deals; agent development platforms, 24; enterprise workflow agents and copilots, 20; and legal agents and copilots, 17. Infrastructure remains active as well, with 17 deals involving large language model (LLM) developers over the same period. Fintech dominance These 25 firms are also the most active VCs in the fintech sector. According to CB Insights’ State of Fintech reports for H1 2025, General Catalyst led the space, participating in 19 rounds. It’s followed by Andreessen Horowitz with 16 transactions, and Accel, Founders Fund and Index Ventures, each closing six deals. Notable transactions include Rippling’s US$450 million Series G (Founders Fund participation); Mercury’s US$300 million Series C (Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia); and Ramp’s US$200 million Series D (Founders Fund, Thrive Capital, and General Catalyst). Cybersecurity as the next exit hotspot CB Insights highlights cybersecurity as the likeliest near-term exit opportunity for these VCs’ portfolios. Companies like Tenex.ai, a cybersecurity company leveraging advanced AI and human expertise for enterprise security; Bedrock, which delivers AI-driven data security and management; and Arcjet, a security-as-code platform providing developers with the tools to protect their applications, are among those best positioned for exits. This trend has already started to accelerate, exemplified by Google’s US$32 billion acquisition of Wiz in March 2025. Wiz is an Israeli-American cloud security company headquartered in New York City. Outside the US, cybersecurity is also drawing money from these prominent investors. Since January 2024, Accel, General Catalyst, and Lightspeed have been the most active by deal count outside of the US, participating in 84, 64, and 55 deals, respectively. Their portfolios include Ireland’s Tines, an AI orchestration platform for security and IT teams; Israel’s Cato Networks, a network security company; and Torq, another Israeli firm specializing in autonomous security operations. Where the top VCs are deploying now, Source: CB Insights, Sep 2025 The 25 best-performing VCs CB Insights’ Smart Money 2025 list draws on an analysis of more than 12,000 venture firms, evaluating portfolio outcomes, share of rounds led, portfolio quality, capital efficiency, and entry discipline, to identify the 25 highest-achieving VC investors. Top venture capital investors based on 10-year portfolio outcomes, Source: CB Insights, Sep 2025 An analysis of these firms reveals that they are 6.5 times more likely than the average VC to back to a future unicorn. They also achieve 2.2 times more exits per firm, whether through mergers and acquisitions (M&A) or initial public offerings (IPOs). Since 2015, these VCs have backed 80 companies that exited at US$10 billion+, roughly 100 times the US$100 million median exit. Their largest exits include Uber (US$75.5 billion, 2019), Coinbase (US$65.3 billion, 2021), and Coupang (US$56.6 billion, 2021). These 25 investors also tend to back the same ventures, with Sequoia and Andreessen Horowitz sharing 43 common portfolio companies, General Catalyst and Andreessen Horowitz sharing 42 companies, and Lightspeed and Sequoia sharing 36 companies. Among their most widely backed companies are Chainguard, a US-based developer platform for software supply chain security; Figma, a collaborative web application for interface design; and Wiz, each with seven of these top VC firms, including Sequoia, Spark, Redpoint, Lightspeed, Index Ventures, Greylock, and Kleiner Perkins. Currently, the most promising startups in these VC investors’ portfolios include Zepto, an Indian online grocery delivery app; Bilt, a US-based payments and commerce network that is known for its rent-focused credit offerings; and Glean, a US work AI platform that integrates with all of a company’s data. 25 best-performing VC investors in numbers, Source: CB Insights, Sep 2025   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by freepik via Freepik The post World’s 25 Best-Performing VCs Driving the AI, Cybersecurity and Fintech Boom appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.

Global consultancy EY has released a new licensing guide for market participants in Switzerland, offering practical guidance for industry players including fintech firms, distributed ledger technology (DLT) trading platforms, and payment system operators. It provides an overview of the main types of FINMA licenses and authorizations, outlines key regulatory frameworks, and explains specific requirements. The guide identifies five principal legal acts governing Switzerland’s financial sector under the supervision of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA): the Banking Act (BA), the Insurance Supervision Act (ISA), the Financial Market Infrastructure Act (FinMIA), the Financial Institutions Act (FinIA), and the Collective Investment Schemes Act (CISA). It also highlights the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) and the Financial Services Act (FinSA), which affect the financial services sector but which fall outside of FINMA’s direct supervisory scope. The Fintech License For fintech companies, BA is the core regulation. Under this law, the Fintech License allows companies to accept public deposits without engaging in traditional banking activities such as lending or paying interest. Introduced in January 2019, it offers a lower regulatory burden than a full banking license, while still requiring compliance with anti–money laundering rules and robust risk management. The license allows holders to accept up to CHF 100 million in public deposits or crypto-assets, without investing or paying interest on them. By contrast, a traditional banking license targets institutions accepting deposits above CHF 100 million, investing or paying interest on those deposits, and providing financing on their own account while refinancing extensively with other banks. Eligible applicants include limited companies, partnerships with unlimited partners, and limited liability companies, and minimum capital must equal at least 3% of public deposits and crypto-assets held in collective deposit, with a floor of CHF 300,000, fully paid up and maintained at all times. Governance requirements include management located in Switzerland, at least a third of the governing body independent of management, and assurance of irreproachable business conduct by key participants and management. Licensees must also implement effective risk management systems covering market, credit, default, settlement, liquidity, image, operational and legal risks. They must maintain clear separation of internal functions, in particular lending, trading, asset management and settlement, and have an independent internal audit function. They must also appoint a recognized regulatory audit firm for ongoing supervision. Regulated entities under the Banking Act (BS), comparative table, Source: The FINMA Licensing Guide, EY, 2025 Just like the banking license, the Fintech License also comes with costs, which are covered by fees and supervisory levies. To manage these, FINMA has created a new section in its Fees and Levies Ordinance especially for Fintech License holders. The supervisory levy includes a fixed basic levy of CHF 3,000 plus an additional levy calculated as 20% based on the company’s balance sheet total, and 80% based on the company’s gross income. On top of these levies, companies must also pay for relevant financial and regulatory audits, payable to the respective audit companies. FINMA estimates this amount to be around CHF 40,000 to CHF 50,000, which is significantly less than what is due for a regular banking license. FINMA authorization fees and supervisory levies, comparative table, Source: The FINMA Licensing Guide, EY, 2025 DLT Trading Facilities In addition to BA, FinMIA is another key regulation for fintech companies, in particular those operating digital asset trading platforms and payment systems. Financial market infrastructure groups, including DLT trading platforms, must apply for licensing as a DLT Trading Facility. A DLT Trading Facility is a financial market infrastructure which enables multilateral trading of DLT securities on a professional basis. These book-entry securities are transferred and held on a blockchain-based platform. DLT Trading Facilities are required to at least admit legal entities other than supervised financial institutions or private clients as participants; provide central custody of DLT securities under uniform rules and procedures; or offer clearing and settlement for DLT securities. Licensing of these facilities is based on the DLT Act, which entered into force in Switzerland in August 2021 and created a new type of financial market infrastructure. As part of the licensing process, FINMA requires applicants to address business continuity, including settlement infrastructure on public blockchains. To limit operational risks, licensees are required to carry out technical checks of the technology used, such as checking the source code used by smart contracts. Robust risk management and control systems are also mandatory. Minimum capital requirements include CHF 1 million for DLT Trading Facilities without central custody or clearing and settlement services; or CHF 5 million for DLT trading facilities providing these services. Small DLT Trading Facilities must hold at least CHF 500,000 or 5% of all DLT securities in custody. Regulated entities under the Financial Market Infrastructure Act (FinMIA), comparative table, Source: The FINMA Licensing Guide, EY, 2025 Payment Systems For companies operating payment systems, FINMA authorization is only required if necessary for the proper functioning of the financial market or the protection of financial market participants, and if the payment system is not operated by a bank. Applicants must have at least at CHF 1.5 million in minimum capital and provide collateral. Governance requirements mirror those of Fintech Licensees, and include proven integrity of qualified participants and management; clear separation between management, oversight, and internal audit functions; a supervisory body with at least three members; effective risk management and internal control systems, plus an independent internal audit function; and a recognized regulatory audit firm must also be appointed for ongoing supervision. Current License Holders To date, FINMA has licensed one DLT Trading Facility, namely BX Digital, which uses the Ethereum blockchain to trade and settle DLT securities, and five fintech companies. Yapeal is a Swiss app-based bank which combines a private account with a Visa Debit card. It also offers embedded finance through a B2B2X model, claiming over 850 corporate clients, and partnering with 25 Swiss businesses to integrate its financial services. Bivial, formerly known as Klarpay, provides multi-currency accounts, payment services, and acceptance, serving both individuals and businesses. Since commencing operations, Bivial has remained consistently profitable, doubling its annual profit in 2024 compared to the previous year. It now serves nearly 500 corporate clients. Fiat24, operated by SR Saphirstein, is a global payment app leveraging blockchain technology to give clients access to a Swiss IBAN account in their name, a Visa debit card, foreign exchange (FX), and more; and Relio is a digital Swiss bank account for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Finally, Swiss4, once a digital banking startup with approximately 250 customers, is currently in liquidation. FINMA opened bankruptcy proceedings against the fintech institution on March 4, 2025, citing over-indebtedness and severe liquidity issues.   Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on images by jofreepik and creativeart via Freepik The post EY Releases New Licensing Guide for Swiss Finance Market Participants appeared first on Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - FintechNewsCH.