Fintech Across the Pond

Fintech Across the Pond provides insights and analysis on the fintech industry, focusing on developments in the US, UK, and Europe. It covers a range of topics including payments, regulatory changes, funding rounds, financial wellbeing, digital banking, and innovations like blockchain and open banking, catering to a readership of investors, entrepreneurs, and fintech enthusiasts.

Payments and Checkout Solutions Fintech Industry Trends and Predictions Financial Wellbeing and Employee Finances Sustainability in Fintech Innovations in Savings and Banking Open Banking Digital Receipts and User Experience One-Click Checkout Technology Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Housing Finance and Property Valuation Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Services Cashless Events and Transactions Regulatory Sandboxes and Fintech Ecosystem Cryptocurrency Transactions Automated Financial Management Voice-Activated Payments Fintech's Role in Social Issues Investment and Funding in Fintech Banking and Payments Initiatives Consumer Behavior in Finance

The hottest Substack posts of Fintech Across the Pond

And their main takeaways

Open Banking +

19 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
💰 Finance Fintech Payments APIs
  1. Open banking lacks a scalable commercial model, hindering broader adoption.
  2. SPAA aims to address the commercial gap in open banking by introducing premium APIs.
  3. SPAA enables new payment features and access to enhanced data assets for better functionality.

Orchestration is everywhere

117 implied HN points • 08 Dec 22
  1. Orchestration is becoming widespread in various industries beyond just payments.
  2. Orchestrators offer more than data aggregation by adding an intelligent layer for custom workflows and automations.
  3. The shift towards orchestration is driven by the need for more flexibility, precision, and automation in decision making across businesses.

The battle for the checkout

255 implied HN points • 04 Feb 21
  1. The battle for the checkout space in e-commerce is fierce due to its high value and potential for acquiring data.
  2. The shift to e-commerce has accelerated, with online retail experiencing significant growth and marketplace dominance.
  3. Understanding technical terms like payment gateways, PSPs, and Jobs To Be Done framework is crucial for success in the online checkout battle.

Climate Fintech: Handprint vs Footprint

39 implied HN points • 21 Oct 21
  1. The global push towards sustainability is driven by initiatives like the Paris Agreement and the EU's ambitious climate policies.
  2. Consumer and investor concerns about climate change are fueling the growth of ESG investing and climate fintech solutions.
  3. Climate fintech funding is growing rapidly, with key areas of investment including data providers, carbon offsetting, banking services, financing, investing, and blockchain solutions.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Eco Wants to Cut Out the Middlemen - What Will Happen If They Succeed?

39 implied HN points • 23 Sep 21
  1. Eco aims to cut out middlemen in financial services to provide higher interest rates and cashback to users.
  2. Eco operates as a user-oriented finance platform allowing spending, sending, and saving like a bank, but with innovative features.
  3. Questions remain about Eco's deposit guarantees, funding sources for high cashback rates, independence from payment partners, interest rates on USDC, and future intentions with Eco points.

Goldman Sachs - masstige or miss?

39 implied HN points • 11 Jan 21
  1. Goldman Sachs faces a challenge in maintaining its upmarket branding while launching mass-market products
  2. 2021 predictions in fintech include a focus on embedded finance, rise of global fintech infrastructure companies, and impact of increased data availability
  3. Recent news highlights funding rounds, challenger banking updates, fintech infrastructure developments, payments trends, and regulatory updates

FATP Special - 99 problems and my employee’s finances are one.

39 implied HN points • 25 Nov 20
  1. Employers should care about their employees' financial wellbeing to improve productivity and reduce turnover.
  2. Having a financial safety net, including savings and retirement income, is vital for improving financial wellbeing.
  3. Financial stress among employees can lead to lower productivity, increased absenteeism, and psychological issues, impacting both employees and employers.

SotW 🇺🇸 🚀: Yotta - A new way to save

19 implied HN points • 11 Mar 21
  1. Yotta utilizes behavioral psychology to encourage saving rather than spending on lottery tickets.
  2. Yotta founders have finance backgrounds and aim to improve financial resilience especially for low-income individuals.
  3. Yotta's innovative savings product combines gamification, social elements, and prize-linked savings to attract and engage users.

Is trust the achilles heel of DeFi?

19 implied HN points • 22 Feb 21
  1. Financial institutions operate in a high-trust environment due to repeated games and game theory.
  2. Trust-based systems in traditional finance differ from the irreversible nature of transactions on the blockchain.
  3. Recovery of payment errors in blockchain transactions may be challenging due to the irrevocable nature and anonymity of crypto wallets.

SotW: Flux - bringing receipts into the digital era

19 implied HN points • 28 Jan 21
  1. Flux provides a digital receipt solution and rewards for consumers, insights for retailers, and engagement for banks.
  2. The digitalization of receipts reduces costs for merchants and benefits the environment.
  3. Flux aims to onboard more banks and merchants to create a network effect and improve customer experience.

Is the new home you are thinking of buying overpriced? Ask Proportunity.

19 implied HN points • 14 Jan 21
  1. Proportunity offers a home equity loan to help homebuyers with deposit constraints access better properties and cheaper mortgages.
  2. The company uses proprietary machine learning technology to analyze property prices and provide more accurate valuations to borrowers.
  3. Proportunity primarily targets first-time homebuyers struggling with large deposits and high house prices, particularly in areas like London.

FATP Special Edition - Users are goal oriented not detail oriented.

19 implied HN points • 08 Oct 20
  1. Users of personal financial management tools are more focused on achieving their goals, rather than getting lost in financial details.
  2. Self-driving money can automate financial activities, making personal financial management more accessible and user-friendly.
  3. A platform like Union could revolutionize personal finance by focusing on user goals, automating actions, and providing financial education.

Do you have a growth mindset?

19 implied HN points • 20 Jul 20
  1. Having a growth mindset is key for success in any field.
  2. Fintech industry is seeing developments like new IPOs, acquisitions, and partnerships.
  3. Embedded finance, alternative credit providers, and API platforms are significant trends in fintech.

Fintech Christmas come early

0 implied HN points • 07 Dec 20
  1. The fintech industry is experiencing exciting developments and growth, including new funding rounds and strategic partnerships.
  2. Stripe is expanding its services to include banking-as-a-service and lending, potentially impacting the industry with its innovative approach.
  3. Kredit is disrupting the credit repair industry by offering a free automated credit repair and building solution to help consumers improve their credit profiles.

BNPL Confusion

0 implied HN points • 30 Nov 20
  1. 23% of BNPL users surveyed in the UK were 65+
  2. More than half of 18-34 year olds using BNPL missed a payment
  3. 62% of users say BNPL is making them spend more

Cash free Super Bowl.

0 implied HN points • 23 Nov 20
  1. The NFL and Visa announced that the Super Bowl will be cashless due to Covid concerns.
  2. More large-scale events might adopt cashless approaches, reducing wait times for purchases.
  3. Startups need to show efficient spending of investor dollars for maximum value rather than rely solely on bootstrapping.

Fintechs benefit from playing in a sandbox

0 implied HN points • 16 Nov 20
  1. Fintechs benefit from regulatory sandboxes, leading to higher funding opportunities
  2. European VCs have matched or outperformed US VCs over 1, 3, and 5 years, showing a strong fintech ecosystem
  3. Variable Recurring Payments and Sweeping in the UK could be innovative accelerants for payment fintechs

The future of lending is here.

0 implied HN points • 02 Nov 20
  1. The future of lending is shifting towards Asia
  2. Entrepreneurs should also evaluate investors when seeking funding
  3. Significant investments and acquisitions are happening in the fintech sector

HODL PayPal.

0 implied HN points • 26 Oct 20
  1. PayPal is allowing its users to buy and transact with cryptocurrencies
  2. FDIC study shows average credit scores in the US increased, impacting lenders
  3. CEO of PayPal made significant changes to improve employees' financial well-being

Automated finances come one step closer.

0 implied HN points • 14 Sep 20
  1. Automated financial management is advancing with new services like Wealthfront's Autopilot.
  2. Companies like M1 Finance are seeing rapid growth in assets under management.
  3. Innovations in fintech, such as Yotta Savings, are gamifying savings to encourage people to save.

"Alexa, pay my gas"

0 implied HN points • 08 Sep 20
  1. Amazon introduced a new Alexa command for payments at gas stations in the US
  2. Challenger banks are facing challenges in reaching profitability due to the current economic climate
  3. Various fintech companies are making moves in the payment sector with new solutions and expansions

Fintech's collaborate to fight racial inequality.

0 implied HN points • 24 Aug 20
  1. Fintech companies are collaborating to address racial inequality in the industry.
  2. Railsbank is acquiring the UK arm of Wirecard to enhance its services.
  3. Only 25% of UK fintechs feel well-supported by the government during the pandemic.

Do you have payments in your veins?

0 implied HN points • 10 Aug 20
  1. Challenger banks like Monzo and Starling are showing growth and profitability in the fintech space.
  2. Companies like FinGo are innovating with vein-mapping technology for secure payments.
  3. Regulatory measures, such as fines and capital requirements, are shaping the landscape for fintech companies.

UK 169 vs 107 San Francisco

0 implied HN points • 19 Oct 20
  1. UK fintechs had more deals in 2020 than San Francisco, but SF attracted more total investment
  2. US fintechs like Clair, M1 Finance, Extend, Argyle, and Alpaca raised significant funding in recent rounds
  3. Challenger banks like N26, Revolut, ThoughtMachine, and Starling Bank are making moves in the fintech space

"Don’t outsource your soul"

0 implied HN points • 12 Oct 20
  1. JP Morgan CEO warns against outsourcing key company values like heart and soul.
  2. Fintech industry continues to see significant funding deals and partnerships.
  3. Shifts in banking landscape include mergers, digital banking advancements, and regulatory challenges.

How long is a long enough runway?

0 implied HN points • 10 Jul 20
  1. Innovate Finance found that 70% of small UK fintechs have less than six months runway.
  2. SoFi applied for a national bank charter to expand their financial product range.
  3. European banks are uniting to create a new European Payments Initiative to compete with Visa and Mastercard.

Happy 4th!

0 implied HN points • 03 Jul 20
  1. The Declaration of Independence wasn't actually signed on 4th July, but most signatures were done in August.
  2. TechNation highlighted 15 fintech startups to watch this year, including KodyPay, Collectiv, and LoyalBe.
  3. German BaaS startup solarisBank raised $67.5m in a Series C round, showing growth and validation for the sector.

Are we rational?

0 implied HN points • 19 Jun 20
  1. Rational consumers choose based on perfect information
  2. Recent news: Wirecard scandal, American Express in China, UK Supreme Court ruling on fees
  3. Fintech direction: Banks may shift to backend, diversity important in VC

Welcome to Fintech Across The Pond

0 implied HN points • 08 Jun 20
  1. Fintech Across The Pond offers a weekly roundup of fintech news from US, UK, and Europe.
  2. The newsletter covers latest funding rounds and provides analysis on news in the fintech space.
  3. Subscribers receive the newsletter every Monday with content for investors, entrepreneurs, and fintech enthusiasts.

Inaugural post - Fintech Friday

0 implied HN points • 12 Jun 20
  1. US banks have high overdraft charges affecting a small group of account holders
  2. Recent growth in Transferwise's multi-currency accounts milestone
  3. Coconut, a UK fintech, offers accounting tools for gig economy workers

Earn crypto as you drive

0 implied HN points • 29 Mar 21
  1. Fiat is offering cryptocurrency rewards for driving their electric Fiat 500, promoting eco-friendly behavior.
  2. Kiri Technologies has developed a crypto rewards platform, KiriCoin, focusing on sustainability and rewarding green behavior.
  3. Crypto-based rewards platforms like Lolli are gaining popularity, but may not offer significant benefits for merchants in terms of loyalty unless they drive net new spend.

Democratisation reaches the VC industry

0 implied HN points • 15 Mar 21
  1. Access to venture capital is mostly limited to institutional investors, unlike startups where platforms like Angellist have opened up investing to the broader public.
  2. Passion Capital is pioneering mainstream crowdfunded venture funds in the UK, allowing retail investors to access their latest fund through Seedrs platform.
  3. The fintech industry is showing maturity with an increase in mega-round investments, such as Elucidate and Zego raising significant funding rounds.

An alternative to traditional student debt.

0 implied HN points • 14 Dec 20
  1. Stride Funding offers Income Share Agreements as an alternative to traditional student loans to help students pay based on income.
  2. Venture capitalists are actively investing in fintech companies like Tink, Upvest, and Unit, showing a growing interest in the financial technology sector.
  3. The fintech industry is seeing a range of developments, from funding rounds to advancements in payment methods and challenger banking initiatives.

Employers can now step up to help employees

0 implied HN points • 01 Feb 21
  1. Employers are increasingly providing financial services to support their employees.
  2. Significant investments and funding activities are happening in the fintech space across the US and Europe.
  3. Companies are innovating in the fintech infrastructure, payments sector, and regulatory compliance to meet evolving market needs.

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Which revenue stream is next to go?

0 implied HN points • 25 Jan 21
  1. Banks are facing threats to traditional revenue streams and need to innovate to make up for it.
  2. Fintech companies are targeting different banking revenue streams like net interest margins, trade finance, and checking account fees.
  3. As revenue streams are challenged, banks must adapt by finding new ways to generate income.

Team Monzo or Team Starling?

0 implied HN points • 09 Nov 20
  1. The fintech industry is seeing increased funding and activity, with challenger banks like Monzo and Starling gaining attention.
  2. Regulators are becoming more vigilant about fintech operations, especially in light of issues like fraud and mismanagement.
  3. Companies in the payments sector, like Square and PayPal, are reporting strong earnings and making strategic moves to integrate services.

How is your financial health?

0 implied HN points • 05 Oct 20
  1. Recent news includes funding rounds for fintech companies like BitPanda and Rally Road
  2. Embedded finance expanding with companies like Gusto offering new financial services
  3. Challenger banking and traditional banks both facing challenges in customer service and branch closures

Why do businesses need crypto?

0 implied HN points • 15 Oct 21
  1. Businesses need crypto for global payments solutions
  2. Crypto can revolutionize B2B2C transactions by being cost-efficient and boosting customer engagement
  3. Various industries such as healthcare, e-commerce, gig platforms, and banks can benefit from cryptocurrency solutions

Surfing the right wave.

0 implied HN points • 17 Aug 20
  1. The importance for a startup to pick the right problem to go after
  2. Exciting developments in the challenger banking space with new products, earnings, and restructuring
  3. Innovations in the fintech industry including new products, deals, and advancements in payments