Antler Elevate, Antler’s US$285 million Series A+ fund, has reaffirmed its commitment to investing in AI-native startups that are redefining application-layer software. A As AI continues to revolutionise the sector, Antler Elevate believes that AI-native companies will develop software that is ten times more efficient than existing solutions, and at an unprecedented pace. Advancements in AI have moved beyond automating basic, rules-based tasks. AI now processes vast amounts of structured and unstructured data, offering insights, generating recommendations, and executing complex tasks with increasing autonomy. This transformation allows AI-native startups to deliver significantly more capable software and a vastly improved user…
Author: Fintechnews Switzerland
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Experian, a global data and technology company headquartered in Ireland, has partnered with Mifundo, a fintech company based in Estonia, to improve cross-border credit assessments within the European Union. Mifundo has developed the Verified & Passportable Financial Identity, a technology that enables individuals to securely transfer their credit data across borders. The company positions itself as the sole provider of cross-border credit data in Europe, allowing financial institutions to assess the creditworthiness of foreign nationals or clients living abroad. Credit assessments play a key role in lenders’ decisions when evaluating loan applications. This process is particularly challenging for individuals relocating…
TWINT is introducing a range of new features designed to provide additional value and greater flexibility for both merchants and the more than five million users across the country. With a newly developed business app and expanded payment options, TWINT continues to evolve, reinforcing its commitment to a seamless, secure, and independent digital payment experience. Over 80 per cent of Swiss merchants now accept TWINT, offering customers the convenience of paying via payment terminals at cash registers, online shops, or TWINT QR code stickers at market stalls and farm shops. By integrating TWINT into their payment processes, Swiss retailers benefit…
Der Schweizer FinTech-Sektor zeigt Sättigungstendenzen. Trotz stabiler Unternehmensanzahl sind Finanzierungsaktivitäten weiter rückläufig. Wachstumspotenziale eröffnen sich vor allem im internationalen B2B-Bereich. Zu diesem Schluss kommt die neuste IFZ FinTech Studie 2025 der Hochschule Luzern. In der Schweiz stagniert der Markt der Finanztechnologien (FinTech). Per Ende 2024 verzeichnete die Schweiz 483 FinTech-Unternehmen – exakt gleich viele wie im Vorjahr (siehe Abbildung 1). Während neue hinzukamen, verliessen ebenso viele Unternehmen durch Liquidationen, Fusionen oder Neuausrichtungen den Markt. Diese Balance deutet auf eine mögliche Marktsättigung hin, wie dies auch in der traditionellen Finanzindustrie, dem Hauptabnehmer von FinTech-Lösungen, zu beobachten ist. Anders in Liechtenstein: Dort…
Less than four years after its launch, Yuh has reached profitability. The Swiss finance app, a joint venture between PostFinance, a state-owned retail bank based in Bern, and Swissquote, an online banking and trading group based in Gland, now has over 300,000 users and manages customer assets totalling 3 billion CHF. As of December 2024, Yuh reported its first profit of 1,700,000 CHF. Compared to the previous year, the number of accounts grew by 48%, while customer assets doubled. Markus Schwab, CEO of Yuh, stated: “We originally planned to break even by 2025 – a sign that a well-thought-out strategy,…
The Zurich Cantanol Bank (ZKB) has collaborated with UBS, headquartered in Zurich, to exchange instructions for the subscription and redemption of fund units via blockchain for the first time. In this process, ZKB transmitted orders for the subscription of UBS fund units to UBS using the blockchain solution from FundsDLT, a subsidiary of Deutsche Börse AG, based in Frankfurt, Germany. UBS then relayed information about the transaction’s progress and success back to ZKB via blockchain. “The use of blockchain will enable us to offer our clients even more efficient processing in the future,” says Peter Hubli, Head of Digital Asset…
The EY Startup Barometer Switzerland 2025 reveals that for the second consecutive year, Swiss startup investments have declined. In 2024, a total of 513 funding rounds were recorded, marking a 6.7% decrease compared to the 550 rounds in 2023. The total investment volume also fell by 15% to 2.3 billion Swiss Francs, down from 2.71 billion Swiss Francs in the previous year. Despite this decline, the Swiss startup ecosystem remains resilient. “The Swiss startup scene has had to endure a decline in funding rounds and volume for the second consecutive year. However, this decrease is flattening significantly and is not…
The Canton of St. Gallen has signed a three-year partnership with the organisers of the startup fair Start Summit. This will cost the canton CHF 290,000 annually. Together with institutions from the region, it will be present at the fair, taking place from 20 to 21 March in the Olma Halls. “The canton and the participating institutions are using Start Summit to position St. Gallen as an attractive hub for startups and innovation,” the State Chancellery of the Canton of St. Gallen announced. Thanks to the partnership, the canton will secure a prominent presence at the fair and receive increased…
The Tenity Zurich Fintech Accelerator Program has officially launched in Zurich, welcoming 11 promising startups chosen from a highly competitive pool of over 200+ applications. This exclusive program is tailored for visionary founders looking to advance their cutting-edge fintech solutions and scale their businesses with the support of Tenity’s extensive global network of mentors, investors, and industry partners. Brigitta Gyoerfi, Head of Operations at Tenity Switzerland, commented: “This cohort is tackling some of the most pressing challenges in fintech, from AI-driven automation in legal and compliance to tokenisation of real-world assets and stablecoin-based B2B payments. The competition was fierce, and…
Over the past years, France has emerged as a major fintech hub, with the number of companies operating in the sector soaring more than tenfold from just 100 in 2012 to 1,145 in 2024, according to a new report by KPMG France and France Fintech. Among these venture, 14 have reached billion-dollar valuations, accounting for nearly half of all French unicorn startups. This surge reflects the rapid expansion of France’s fintech sector, and its growing influence within the French startup ecosystem. France’s booming fintech sector is also demonstrated by its expanding workforce. By 2024, the sector employed 54,000 people, including…
ClearBank, a London-based clearing and embedded banking provider, has appointed Mark Fairless as its new Chief Executive Officer. Fairless, who has served as ClearBank’s Chief Financial Officer and Group Board member since January 2023, succeeds co-founder Charles McManus. McManus will remain involved in the company’s strategy as a non-executive member of the Group Board. Fairless has played a key role in implementing ClearBank’s long-term strategy and driving operational improvements. Before joining ClearBank, he was CFO of the M&G Heritage Business and previously held senior roles at Santander UK and Barclays Investment Bank. Mark Fairless commented: “I’m thrilled to lead ClearBank…
Citigroup mistakenly credited a client’s account with US$81 trillion instead of the intended US$280 due to an input error, raising concerns about the bank’s operational controls. The error, which occurred in April last year, was initially overlooked by both a payments employee and a second official responsible for verifying the transaction before processing. It was only identified 90 minutes later when a third employee noticed an issue with the bank’s account balances. The transaction was subsequently reversed within a few hours. According to the Financial Times, Citi disclosed the “near miss” to the Federal Reserve and the Office of the…
J. Safra Sarasin Group has signed an agreement to acquire approximately 70% of Saxo Bank, previously held by Geely Financials Denmark A/S, a subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. Ltd (China), and Mandatum Group (Finland). J. Safra Sarasin, a Swiss private banking group based in Basel, aims to expand its financial services through this acquisition. Saxo Bank, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, will continue to operate as an independent entity. Its founder and CEO, Kim Fournais, will retain around 28% ownership and remain in his role. J. Safra Sarasin intends to integrate Saxo Bank’s digital investment and trading platform with…
Flowdesk, a France-based digital asset trading and technology firm, has secured US$102 million in funding, with support from HV Capital and debt financing from funds and accounts managed by BlackRock. The investment will support Flowdesk’s expansion in OTC derivatives, the launch of a crypto credit desk, and enhanced compliance efforts ahead of MiCA regulations. Founded in 2020, Flowdesk has become a key liquidity provider in the cryptocurrency sector through its Market-Making as a Service model. The company operates in both spot and derivatives markets across over 140 centralised and decentralised exchanges. Following its global expansion in 2023, Flowdesk reported an…
IDnow, a Munich-based identity verification platform provider, has announced a new strategic investment from Corsair Capital, a US-based investment firm specialising in payments, software, and business services within financial services. Corsair will acquire a majority stake in IDnow from existing shareholders, aiming to expand the company’s growth in Europe and beyond. Founded in 2014, IDnow develops AI-powered identity verification technologies for sectors including financial services, telecommunications, travel, mobility, and gaming. Corsair initially invested in IDnow in 2019, acquiring a minority stake. Since then, IDnow has expanded its technological capabilities, broadened its portfolio of verification solutions, and made two acquisitions that…
Swiss retail banks are losing further ground in global digital rankings, dropping from 18th place in 2020 to 27th last year. With a digital maturity score of 39, they fall below the global average (41) and lag significantly behind the leading digital banks (60+), none of which are Swiss. While real-time notifications, AI-driven savings tools, and digital insurance have long been standard internationally, many Swiss banks still lack these services. The latest global digitalisation report by Deloitte underscores the risks: banks that fail to modernise will lose customers to more agile digital competitors—many of which are international players. Swiss Banks…
Despite a decline in funding, Germany’s fintech sector demonstrated resilience and innovation in 2024, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), embedded finance, and strategic industry partnerships, according to a new report by Contextual Solutions, a Berlin-based strategy, expansion and product consultancy. Fintech partnerships surge in Germany In 2024, partnerships between banks and fintech startups flourished, focusing on embedded finance, cryptocurrency, and credit services. Banking giant Deutsche Bank played a pivotal role in this trend, announcing a flurry of collaborations. In August, the bank teamed up with Upvest to provide the Berlin-headquartered fintech startup with access to its banking infrastructure.…
Papaya Global, a US-based workforce payroll and payments platform, has partnered with Sumsub, a UK-based provider of verification and compliance solutions. Sumsub will provide AI-powered automated tools to enhance Papaya Global’s verification processes and fraud prevention while ensuring regulatory compliance. “When you enable global workforce payments, as we do at Papaya, thorough compliance and security is a top priority,” said Amit Levi, SVP Product at Papaya Global. “With Sumsub, we can take our compliance engine to the next level and deliver at scale, supporting our clients and their employees.” Andrew Sever, CEO and Co-Founder of Sumsub, said, “Partnering with Papaya…
Quantexa, a London-based tech company specialising in Decision Intelligence (DI) solutions, has secured a US$175 million Series F investment. The funding round, led by Teachers’ Venture Growth (TVG), values the company at US$2.6 billion. TVG is part of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, a CAD 255 billion international investor based in Canada. Existing investors, including British Patient Capital, also participated. As part of the investment, Ara Yeromian, Managing Director at TVG, will join Quantexa’s board, which includes representatives from Warburg Pincus, Dawn Capital, BNY, Evolution Equity Partners, AlbionVC, and HSBC. The funding will support Quantexa’s platform innovation, expansion in North…
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has opened bankruptcy proceedings against the fintech startup SWISS4.0 SA due to serious liquidity issues and concerns over over-indebtedness. FINMA has appointed Valfor Avocats Sàrl as the bankruptcy liquidator. FINMA had been closely monitoring SWISS4.0 SA and had previously imposed measures to improve its financial position. However, the company and its management were unable to implement sufficient corrective actions within the required timeframe. Given the ongoing financial distress, FINMA was compelled to declare the startup bankrupt on 4 March 2025. SWISS4.0 SA was a micro-startup with approximately 250 customers. In November 2022, FINMA…