The eighth Hong Kong-Switzerland Financial Dialogue took place in Bern, Switzerland, on 29 January. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF) under the Federal Department of Finance of Switzerland co‑organised the event. The Dialogue aims to support cooperation in financial services between Hong Kong and Switzerland. It also provides a forum for exchanging views on key issues in the global financial system. The meeting was chaired by Darryl Chan, Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMA. Christoph König, Deputy State Secretary of the SIF, also chaired the session. Representatives from the Swiss National Bank,…

Nu has received conditional approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish a de novo national bank, Nubank, N.A. The approval is part of Nu’s strategy to expand its operations and product offerings in the US. Once fully authorised, the bank charter will enable Nu to offer deposit accounts, credit cards, and lending services. It will also allow the company to provide digital asset custody under a federal framework. “This approval isn’t just an expansion of our operation; it’s an opportunity to prove our thesis that a digital-first, customer-centric model is the future of…

Deutsche Bank’s offices in Frankfurt and Berlin have been raided by officials as part of a money laundering inquiry. According to the BBC, the Office of the Federal Prosecutor said it was investigating “unknown individuals and employees” at Germany’s largest bank. The probe involves the Federal Criminal Police Office. The prosecutor said Deutsche Bank had previously conducted business with foreign companies that investigators suspect were used for money laundering. A Deutsche Bank spokesperson confirmed that searches had taken place at its premises. “No further information can be provided regarding the background of the business relationships, the transactions processed through Deutsche…

Die Hochschule Luzern (HSLU) hat zum zweiten Mal den Kantonalen Innovations- und Kreativitätsindex (KIKI) erstellt, neu zusammen mit dem Eidgenössischen Institut für Geistiges Eigentum. Erstmals können Grossregionen miteinander verglichen werden, und jeder Kanton wird in einem übersichtlichen Profil einzeln dargestellt. Die Schweiz belegt bei internationalen Kreativitäts- und Innovationsrankings regelmässig Spitzenplätze. Doch wie sieht es innerhalb des Landes bei den einzelnen Kantonen aus? Der Kantonale Innovations- und Kreativitätsindex (KIKI) liefert in einem umfassenden Ranking Antworten auf diese Frage und kann unter www.kiki-icic.ch heruntergeladen werden. Breit abgestützte Methodik Der KIKI orientiert sich am Global Innovation Index (GII) und besteht aus unterschiedlichen Indikatoren,…

Nordic challenger bank Lunar has announced a €46 million capital increase to expand its business banking, develop its lending offerings, and support growth across the Nordics. The funding round, led by a combination of existing and new investors, will support Lunar’s expansion into Norway and Finland, alongside scaling its business banking and lending operations. Lunar aims to grow while pursuing profitability in 2026. “The new capital allows us to continue scaling what already works for consumer and business banking while increasing our footprint across the Nordics. We’ve already come a long way, but we are focused on unlocking a significantly…

Bitget has appointed Oliver Stauber as CEO of Bitget EU. The company also confirmed plans to establish its European headquarters in Vienna, Austria. This move is part of preparations to operate under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR). The regulation aims to standardise governance, user protection, and operational resilience across the sector. Stauber brings extensive regulatory, legal, and executive experience in digital assets and financial services. He was previously Managing Director and CEO of KuCoin EU in Vienna. He also held senior roles including Chief Legal Officer at Bitpanda. There, he oversaw legal, regulatory, and compliance functions, as…

OKX has launched the OKX Card in Europe, enabling users to pay with stablecoins at any merchant that accepts Mastercard. Unlike traditional crypto cards that require preloading or conversions, the OKX Card converts stablecoins at the point of purchase and offers instant crypto rewards of up to 20% on eligible transactions. The card operates on onchain self-custody, meaning stablecoins remain in the user’s wallet until the moment of payment. Users can spend via mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, in-store or online, with zero transaction or foreign exchange fees, and a market spread of 0.4% when converting…

Revolut has officially ended its Beta phase in Mexico, launching full banking operations through Revolut Bank S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple. This is its first bank outside Europe and brings Revolut’s presence to 40 countries. The bank obtained a Mexican banking license independently and capitalised its operations with over US$100 million, more than double the regulatory minimum. This gives a Capital Adequacy Ratio of 447.2% at launch. Revolut Bank has received strong initial credit ratings. HR Ratings assigned long-term ratings of HR AAA and short-term ratings of HR+1. S&P National Ratings gave long-term issuer ratings of ‘mxA+’ and short-term ratings…

FiveT Fintech has appointed Mathias Brenner and Tobias Haeckermann as Growth Partners. The pair co-founded Sherpany, a meeting management platform that grew to serve over 450 enterprise clients, including Raiffeisen, Zurich Insurance, and Julius Baer, before its acquisition by Datasite in 2024. In their new roles, Brenner and Haeckermann will work directly with FiveT Fintech’s portfolio companies, primarily B2B software businesses serving financial services, to support growth, refine go-to-market strategies, and scale operations. The appointments coincide with the firm’s second fund, which targets Series A and later-stage companies developing software for financial services and related enterprise sectors. FiveT Fintech’s approach…

Checkout.com has partnered with Freenow by Lyft, the European taxi app, to manage digital payments across nine European markets. Freenow operates in over 180 cities in Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Greece, Austria, and Ireland, offering taxis, private hire vehicles, e-scooters, e-bikes, e-mopeds, carsharing, and public transport through a single app. Freenow selected Checkout.com for its acquiring technology, ease of integration, and expertise in local payment systems. The partnership covers payment processing across all Freenow’s European markets and provides access to AI-driven transaction insights. These analytics help identify authorisation patterns, optimise payment performance, and improve reliability for millions…

Global X ETFs Europe, a provider of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), has announced the appointment of Gea Blumberg as Head of Business Development and Co-Head of Global X ETFs Europe. She will work alongside George Taylor, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Head of Global X ETFs Europe. Blumberg and Taylor will jointly shape the company’s strategic direction, with a focus on addressing the needs of both existing and prospective clients. In her role, Blumberg will oversee client-facing teams across sales, marketing, communications and investment strategy. She will be based in Germany. Global X ETFs Europe reported significant growth over the past year,…

NCR Atleos has appointed Rohan Pal as Chief Information Officer (CIO). Pal has more than 25 years of experience in technology leadership and digital transformation, with a background in IT modernisation, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure and digital product development. His appointment comes as Atleos continues to focus on service delivery, automation and growth. Before joining Atleos, Pal was Chief Technology Officer at WillScot, where he led changes to the company’s technology strategy, including the use of AI to improve operations. He previously served as Chief Transformation Officer at ServiceNow, advising customers and boards on digital transformation initiatives. Earlier in his career,…

McLaren Racing has entered a multi-year partnership with Hedera Foundation to use the Hedera public network for decentralised applications. Hedera will be an Official Partner of both the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team and the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team. The collaboration will connect racing operations with Web3 infrastructure, providing fans with digital experiences and officially licensed activations. McLaren Racing’s first initiative on Hedera will be a digital collectibles programme, with free-to-claim items released during F1 Grand Prix weekends. Arrow McLaren IndyCar digital collectibles will also return for the 2026 season, including experiences, prizes, and incentives for fans. Hedera branding will…

The Canton of St. Gallen has launched a new online portal, Startup-Guide, to simplify and digitalise company formation and related processes. Business founders can now complete company registrations and commercial register updates entirely online. Free tools and advisory services are also available to support planning. The portal provides resources for developing and reviewing business models and preparing business plans. It includes templates, examples, and practical guidance. Users can also access information on the cantonal startup ecosystem and relevant events. At the centre of Startup-Guide is a digital formation service. Founders can complete all key steps of company registration online. The service…

The partnership between Yuh and BSC Young Boys (YB) will be expanded from the 2026/27 season, with Yuh becoming the main shirt sponsor of YB’s first men’s team in domestic competitions. In international competitions, the shirt sponsorship will be carried by Yuh’s parent company, Swissquote. The move builds on the existing relationship between the two organisations. Since May 2025, Yuh has been a premium partner of the YB women’s team. “We are pleased to expand our existing partnership with YB,” said Jan De Schepper, CEO of Yuh. “YB stands for ambition, continuity and a strong connection with its supporters, values…

UBS is planning to make cryptocurrency investing available to some private banking clients, a move that would mark a notable shift into digital assets for one of the world’s largest wealth managers. The Swiss banking group, which oversaw about US$4.7 trillion in wealth assets as of Sept 30, is in the process of selecting partners for a potential crypto offering, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. Discussions have been ongoing for several months, and UBS has not yet made a final decision. UBS is expected to initially allow select private banking clients in Switzerland to buy and sell Bitcoin…

Nu has entered a multi-year partnership with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, becoming an Official Team Partner ahead of the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship season. The partnership offers Nu a platform to reach a global audience of over 827 million Formula One fans, with particular focus on Latin America, the US and other strategic markets. It aligns with Nu’s long-term growth strategy, supporting engagement in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, countries with strong F1 followings. Founded in 2013, Nu serves over 127 million customers worldwide, challenging traditional banking with a digital-first approach and AI-driven technology. Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team,…

With more than 1,600 fintech companies, among which some of the sector’s most successful and valuable ventures, London is one of the largest and most prominent fintech hubs globally. This burgeoning fintech ecosystem has made the city a premier destination for fintech events, attracting industry leaders from around the world to explore opportunities and address emerging challenges. Among the many conferences scheduled in the coming months, the following 14 stand out as the most significant gatherings in the first half of 2026. These events are expected to bring together top decision-makers, regulators, and innovators to shape the future of the…

Die Wahl des richtigen CFD-Brokers im Jahr 2026 ist alles andere als einfach. Volatile globale Märkte, sich wandelnde regulatorische Rahmenbedingungen und steigende Anforderungen seitens der Trader an Ausführungsgeschwindigkeit und Kostenstruktur stellen hohe Ansprüche an moderne Tradingplattformen. Broker müssen heute mehr liefern als Marketingversprechen – gefragt sind funktionale Technologien, transparente Gebührenmodelle und ein breites, flexibel nutzbares Produktangebot. Luxren Capital positioniert sich in diesem Umfeld als kostenorientierter Multi-Asset-CFD-Broker, der sowohl Privatanleger als auch erfahrene Trader anspricht. Der Fokus liegt dabei auf kommissionsfreiem Handel, einer breiten Auswahl an handelbaren CFDs und einer klar strukturierten Handelsumgebung. Dieses ausführliche Luxren Capital Review 2026 analysiert Regulierung,…

Tinaba with Banca Profilo has announced the launch of digital payments in the Chinese mainland. This move extends its strategic partnership with Ant International’s Alipay+. The new service enables Tinaba users to pay at over 80 million merchants across China. Customers can complete these transactions by simply scanning a QR code directly within the app. Through the Pay Worldwide with Alipay+ feature, travellers can conduct transactions in Euros with transparent exchange rates. This eliminates the need to install local applications or open a Chinese bank account. Such a feature proves vital in the Chinese mainland, where digital payments dominate, and…