Sydney fintech Waddle just secured a $50 million debt funding round
Online cash flow lender Waddle has secured a $50 million debt funding facility, as it revealed it almost doubled its lending volume in the last financial year. The software is integrated into popular small business accounting packages like Xero, Intuit and MYOB to be able to look at which invoices are overdue for its customer. Based on this information, money is instantly lent out at the click of a button. The Sydney startup saw a 84% spike in lending volume for the 2017 financial year, which exceeded the initially expected mark of $30 million. Waddle co-founder Simon Creighton said the genre was previously “plagued” with complexities like factor pricing, contracts […]
Fortress backs $120m capital raising by MoneyMe
Global credit investor Fortress Investment Group will invest $100 million in debt capital to support MoneyMe’s consumer lending growth as the fintech considers an initial public offering in early 2019. Fortress’s investment is part of a $120 million asset-backed securitisation deal, which also includes a $20 million bond, issued by Evans & Partners, which was oversubscribed. MoneyMe, which has made $150 million in personal loans to 70,000 customers in the past four years, is both cash flow positive and profitable, very rare for an Australian fintech. Established in 2013, its net loan book is growing at $1 million each week, as it targets the credit card portfolios of the major […]
Dubai and Australia sign fintech agreement
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) entered into an agreement that sets out a framework for cooperation on financial technology (FinTech) innovation. The agreement demonstrates a commitment by both Authorities to provide a regulatory framework that promotes innovation in financial services and regulatory compliance in their respective markets. The signing took place between Mr Ian Johnston, Chief Executive of the DFSA, and Mr John Price, Commissioner of ASIC, in Melbourne. Under the terms of the agreement, the Authorities will share information on developments in innovation in each market. The agreement also introduces a referral mechanism that enables the Authorities to refer innovative […]
ANZ tech chief heralds its Apple advantage in bank tech revolution
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group’s top technology executive has claimed its decision to move ahead of its big four rivals with Apple Pay has led to big advantages in both customer and skilled staff acquisition as it seeks to position itself as a bank that operates like a tech giant. Speaking with The Australian Financial Review after addressing a Trans Tasman Business Circle lunch event in Sydney on Friday, ANZ’s group technology executive Gerard Florian said he was surprised that no other of the big four banks had sacrificed a slice of payment revenue to sign on with Apple Pay, and that ANZ was delighted it took the plunge […]
Bitcoin surges past $US9,000 to new record
Bitcoin surged past $US9,000 for the first time, just six days after topping $US8,000 and taking its year-to-date rise to more than 850 per cent. The price of the largest cryptocurrency by market value is soaring as it gains greater mainstream attention despite warnings of an asset bubble. Everyone from Wall Street executives to venture capitalists has been weighing in with their thoughts on the digital currency, with some more skeptical than others. Bitcoin climbed as high as a record $US9,518 before paring gains, according to composite pricing available on Bloomberg. In another move towards mainstream investing, CME Group Inc. has said it plans to start offering futures contracts for […]
Tic:Toc to undercut broker distribution in white label play
Mortgage brokers are facing a double threat from online lender Tic:Toc, which is seeing a surge in demand from consumers and interest from banks and non-bank lenders looking for cheaper distribution. Tic:Toc promotes its quick turnaround times and convenience. The group only offers its own branded mortgages, which it says can be approved within 22 minutes through a completely online process. The fintech started lending four months ago and has received approximately $330 million of applications in that time, with conversions hovering around 17 per cent this month. “The new competitive battleground in mortgages is speed, and that is best delivered through an end-to-end digital fulfillment process like ours,” Tic:Toc […]
Fintechs are the fastest growing startup in Australia
Financial tech-innovators, or fintechs as they’ve become known, are dominating the Australian startup sector with Sydney their hub of choice, a new report shows. And true to the nature of the startup industry, it is disruption in the traditional banking sector that is fuelling the growth of fintechs – as finance-savvy professionals exit the established institutions and put their skills to use in new ventures. The 2017 Startup Muster Report, released on Wednesday, shows fintech startups were the fastest-growing type of business in the startup sector. Fintech Australia chief executive officer Danielle Szetho says she isn’t surprised by result following recent moves by the federal government to open up the […]
Fintech is not a threat: FPA
Financial planners overlooking fintech are missing out on benefits that can ultimately lead to higher client engagement and satisfaction levels, latest research from the Financial Planning Association of Australia shows. Released at the 2017 FPA Professionals Congress in Hobart this morning, the whitepaper maps fintech to the financial planning process and highlights that increased revenue, operational efficiencies and reduced client costs as some of the advantages advisers and planners can gain if they embrace fintech solutions. It maps out the financial planning process in six key steps and pinpoints where new technology can best add value in the process, particularly in the areas of compliance and regulatory requirements. According to […]
