Demand for finance from the UK’s 5.5m small and medium-sized businesses1 is on the rise at the same time as banks are reducing their lending appetite, according to iwoca’s latest SME Expert Index. 

SME Bank, the neobank startup that offers banking and financial services specifically for small- and medium-sized enterprises, is announcing today the addition of SEPA Instant Credit Transfers as well as becoming a member of SWIFT – a vast messaging network used by banks and other financial institutions around the world.

EFA is pleased to announce that Pia Kumlin has joined EFA’s Nordic office, based in Stockholm, as Country Head. 

Starting on the 1st of February 2023, she will lead the existing team with the objective of  strengthening client relationships and further develop not only Sweden but the entire Nordic market. 

Nordigen, an open banking provider and a GoCardless company, has signed accounting software firm NoCFO to provide entrepreneurs and small businesses a more intelligent way to manage their books and run their business.

From rising costs to continued economic uncertainty, 2023 has the makings of a turbulent year for businesses. But while the next 12 months will undoubtedly be challenging, there are also exciting opportunities ahead. In this post, we’ll look at the key 2023 business trends that should be at the top of every CFO’s mind.

And while nothing about the future is certain (especially not this year), it’s possible to divine a likely course of events. So let’s nail our colours to the mast, and make some predictions about how these trends will play out. 

Digital lending platform mPokket plans to expand its team strength by March 2023 across all verticals, as part of its mission to empower India’s youth and maintain its growth trajectory. The total number of employees at the Kolkata-based company stands at  2700 including employees at it’s Bangalore office.

Lentra, a leading digital lending cloud platform has announced its entry into South East Asian economies of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam to cater to their growing digital lending needs. With this expansion, Lentra aims to reach $100M in annual recurring revenue (ARR) by March 2024. The move follows the company’s latest fundraise of USD 60 million in a Series B round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, Susquehanna International Group (SIG), and Citi Ventures.

Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment (FACE) is an industry body of fintech lenders working towards building a consumer-first ecosystem for digital lending that is responsible and responsive to consumers’ needs. FACE wholeheartedly supports the Central Government's actions and the policy intent to ban predatory lending apps with dubious antecedents.

Wise, the global technology company building the best way to move money around the world, has today released new research showing that banks took £3.6bn in often hidden FX fees from small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in 2022 alone. 

Paris Blockchain Week, jointly with Partisia Blockchain, today announces a Paris Blockchain Week first: Paris Blockchain Week Awards - inaugural edition.  The Awards will recognise the most notable individuals, projects, and organisations across this innovative sector at Europe’s largest gathering of thought leaders, innovators, and experts from around the world convening to discuss and advance the state of blockchain and web3 technologies.