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GlobalData Predicts Future Fintech Unicorns

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Unicorn - Investors King

Whether to enhance the efficiency in the usage of financial services provided by existing financial companies or to increase customer retention through speed and convenience, startups are transforming the financial services and allied sectors by tech driven solutions. Against this backdrop, the Unicorn Prediction Model of GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, has released a list of 50 fintech startups that have the potential to become unicorns (valuation > US$1bn).

Apoorva Bajaj, Practice Head of Financial Markets at GlobalData, says: “Ranging from digital payments to insurtech, from mobile banking to cross-border payments, startups aim to disrupt finance using modern technologies and innovative business models to attract various new-age consumers. The COVID-19 has certainly provided tailwinds to the industry, as more consumers turned to fintech solutions to manage their finances. New opportunities keep emerging in the fintech sector across the globe, which bodes well for the startups working in the space.”

GlobalData’s latest report ‘Future Unicorns in Fintech, reveals that in Q3 2021, the fintech industry reported investment in excess of US$27.2bn spanning 650 deals globally. During the period, North America (primarily the US) accounted for nearly 40% of overall venture capital (VC) deal volume, followed by APAC with almost one-fourth of total investments.

When it comes to social media discussions, ‘fintech’ and its use cases in banking-as-a-service, insurtech and digital payments are increasingly being mentioned by social media influencers. Key mentions on social media include Klarna launching ‘Pay Now’ option in US, Mastercard offering SMEs digital cash-flow solutions via strategic partnerships and Russian food retailer launching X5 Bank to offer financial services.

Some of the fintech startups in GlobalData’s list of potential unicorns include Boost Insurance, Open, XTransfer, Moneytree and Ocrolus.

Boost offers an API-driven infrastructure-as-a-service platform for property and casualty insurers, which reduces the cost of building and managing an insurance company by packaging the necessary operational, compliance, and capital components and making them accessible.

Open is Asia’s first neo-banking platform for SMEs and startups that develops and offers an online platform for banking and intercompany settlement. It offers services ranging from deposit accounts, money transfers, debit cards for online/offline purchases, expense management, to invoice management. It currently serves more than 15,00,000 SMEs and processes US$24bn in transactions annually.

XTransfer is a one-stop cross-border platform offering financial and risk control services for foreign trade enterprises, dedicated to helping SMEs to greatly reduce the threshold and cost of global exhibition industry and improve global competitiveness.

Moneytree is a financial data aggregation platform offering personal financial management solution, an expense tracking tool for small businesses, and a customer database software for financial enterprises. It aims to bring people and institutions closer together, help them find balance and discover new opportunities to grow personal wealth.

Ocrolus is a document automation platform powering digital lending ecosystem, automating credit decisions across banking, fintech, and mortgage.

Bajaj concludes: “The adoption of ‘fintech’ is increasing as is evident by latest tech innovations in the banking, financial services and insurance sector, massive surge of digital-only banks, increase in number of related mentions in corporate filings and continued increase in jobs posted to hire talent in this space. With all the emerging trends in fintech, it will be interesting to see how future shapes up for companies investing in digital transformation of the traditional banking, investment and insurance services.”

Fintech

Flutterwave Celebrates Inclusion in CNBC’s Top 250 Global Fintechs

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Flutterwave has been recognized as one of the Top 250 Fintech companies globally by CNBC and Statista.

Joining the ranks of industry giants like Ali Pay, Klarna, Piggyvest, and Mastercard, this accolade underscores Flutterwave’s impact on the financial technology sector.

This honor follows Flutterwave’s recent inclusion in Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list, highlighting the company’s pivotal role in transforming Africa’s payment landscape.

The recognition is a testament to Flutterwave’s dedication to innovation and excellence in providing seamless payment solutions across the continent.

Expressing gratitude, Flutterwave acknowledged its talented team, supportive board, reliable partners, and loyal customers for contributing to this success.

The company continues to drive progress in the fintech industry, reinforcing its commitment to enhancing financial accessibility and inclusion in Africa and beyond.

Flutterwave’s recognition on these prestigious lists marks a proud moment and a significant milestone in its journey, reflecting the company’s growing influence and leadership in the global fintech arena.

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Nigeria Sees 31% Increase in POS Fraud Amid Rising Terminal Adoption

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Moniepoint

The prevalence of fraud and forgery in Nigeria’s payment system has shown a significant shift in the first quarter of 2024, with Point-of-Sale (POS) transactions experiencing the highest increase in fraudulent activities.

According to the “Fraud and Forgeries Report in Nigerian Banks” for Q1 2024 by the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC), POS fraud cases surged by 31.12%.

In Q4 2023, there were 2,683 reported cases of fraud associated with POS terminals. However, this number escalated to 3,518 cases by Q1 2024.

POS fraud cases made up 30.67% of the total fraud cases (11,472) recorded in the quarter under review.

Financial Impact of POS Fraud

While there was a rise in fraud cases, the amount of money involved in POS fraud declined. In Q4 2023, the total amount involved in POS fraud was NGN604.91 million.

This amount decreased by 37.74% to NGN376.59 million by Q1 2024.

Also, the amount of money lost to POS fraud saw a significant decline, falling from NGN14.62 million by 68.34% to NGN4.63 million on a quarterly basis.

The decrease in financial losses may indicate improved detection and prevention measures, but the overall rise in fraud cases highlights the need for continued vigilance.

Adoption of POS Terminals

The rise in POS fraud cases is attributed to the widespread adoption of these terminals by merchants and consumers alike.

As a cash-driven Nigerian economy, the convenience and efficiency of POS transactions have made them a popular choice.

However, this widespread adoption has also made them a target for fraudsters seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in the system.

In Q1 2023, the number of registered POS terminals increased by 218,475, from 2,318,947 in January 2023 to 2,537,422 by March 2023.

By the same quarter in 2024, the number of registered POS terminals had increased by 289,154, from 3,441,287 in January 2024 to 3,730,441 by March 2024.

Overall, between the end of Q1 2023 and Q1 2024, Nigeria witnessed an additional 1,193,019 POS terminals, marking a 47.02% increase.

Despite this increase in the number of registered POS terminals, the first quarter of 2024 saw POS transaction volumes reach 314 million, which is a significant drop of 73.81 million, or 19.03%, from the 387.81 million transactions recorded in the first quarter of 2023.

Regulatory Measures and Industry Response

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) recently stated that POS agents of major fintechs in Nigeria, including OPay, Palmpay, and Moniepoint, among others, must have registered their businesses by July 7, 2024.

However, it extended the deadline by 60 days, giving operators until September 5, 2024. The CAC said the registration is aimed at safeguarding the businesses of fintechs and customers, as well as strengthening the economy.

Meanwhile, the Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria (AMMBAN) condemned the mandated registration, describing it as an attempt to tax more Nigerians to generate revenue for the government.

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PalmPay Issues July 7 Deadline for POS Operators to Submit CAC Certificates

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PalmPay

PalmPay has announced a firm deadline of July 7, 2024, for all Point of Sale (POS) operators using its platform to register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) or submit their CAC certificates.

This mandate aims to ensure compliance with Section 863 (1) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 and the 2013 Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) guidelines on Agent Banking.

In a statement released on Thursday, PalmPay emphasized the importance of adhering to these legal requirements.

“Following CAC’s directive for POS operators to register and submit their CAC details on or before July 7, 2024, PalmPay is encouraging its business users who have not yet complied with the directive to do so promptly,” the statement read.

This initiative comes in the wake of a two-month registration deadline issued by the Federal Government through the CAC, mandating POS companies to register their agents, merchants, and individuals.

The directive is part of broader efforts to bring regulatory compliance and transparency to Nigeria’s burgeoning fintech sector.

To facilitate the registration process, PalmPay has integrated the CAC registration portal into its Business App.

This integration allows operators to seamlessly register their businesses and submit the required documents, ensuring a smoother compliance process.

Umuteme Enakeno, Head of Marketing and Communication at PalmPay, reiterated the company’s support for the CAC directive.

“PalmPay fully supports the CAC’s directive. We provide 24/7 customer support and conduct weekly meetings to guide operators through the process,” Enakeno stated.

He also highlighted that operators can seek assistance through PalmPay’s customer support channels, including phone, email, or in-person visits to any of the 36 state offices across Nigeria.

PalmPay has urged all its business customers to submit or register their CAC details before the deadline.

“Register your business via the PalmPay Business App: Ensure that all necessary documents and information are provided accurately before submitting your application. Update your PalmPay account once you get the certificate to reflect your new corporate status,” Enakeno advised.

Failure to comply with the CAC registration requirement will result in the freezing of PalmPay accounts, the company warned.

This stringent measure underscores PalmPay’s commitment to aligning with national regulatory standards and fostering a compliant fintech ecosystem.

Meanwhile, the Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria, representing POS operators, has indicated plans to challenge the mandatory CAC registration in court, questioning its legality and potential impact on their operations.

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