Today, investment platform Lightyear announces the highly anticipated launch of Spanish stocks. Lightyear has connected with Madrid and Barcelona stock exchanges to offer Spanish investors the chance to buy into the IBEX 35, where 35 of Spain’s biggest companies are listed.  

Recent data shows that investment in funds has quadrupled in the last decade, but worryingly, few Spanish people invest. The fintech aims to change this with transparent and low-cost access to international markets and its recent introduction of BlackRock MMFs.

Lightyear has connected with the Madrid and Barcelona Stock Exchanges via the IBEX35 to give Spanish investors low-cost access to 35 local stocks. New listed instruments include the likes of Caixabank, Banco Santander, Melia hotels and Repsol. While stocks on the IBEX 35 are some of Spain’s biggest exports and local favourites, a number of them are also globally recognised brands; Telefonica is a parent company for Movistar and O2, two of Europe's biggest network providers for mobile phones, and Inditex (Spain’s largest stock by market cap) owns 8 global home and clothing brands including Zara, Bershka and Massimo Dutti.

Álvaro Quesada Vargas, Head of Growth at Lightyear, says: “We’re seeing more and more Spanish investors fighting inflation by moving idle cash from banks and investing in financial instruments such as stocks and funds to diversify their portfolios. However, still too few Spaniards invest, not least because of the fragmented offers by current brokers in the market, for example with time-limited and capped interest offers. We aim to change that. Lightyear is bringing Spanish investors low-cost, transparent access to their local market, alongside global stocks and funds – and finally with fair interest rates on uninvested cash.”

finova Payment and Mortgage Services today announces the addition of Bath Building Society to its lender panel, further expanding the diverse range of products available to its club members.

finova Payment and Mortgage Services is a trusted partner to over 450 brokers, who will now benefit from access to Bath Building Society’s suite of products, including buy-to-let and holiday-let mortgages, as well as rent-a-room mortgages. Bath Building Society joins over 85 lenders on finova’s panel, including products from standard mortgages to specialist and niche lending solutions.

Bath Building Society’s buy-to-let and holiday-let products are available to borrowers of all ages and offer top-slicing where a property’s rental income doesn’t sufficiently cover mortgage repayments. The lender also offers regulated buy-to-let mortgages for landlords looking to purchase multi-unit blocks.

Bath Building Society’s manual underwriting team thoroughly assesses all mortgage applications, and those with no historic credit issues can be considered for a mortgage up to 95% LTV.  The building society’s rent-a-room mortgage has a maximum LTV of 85% for single or joint applicants and purchases as well as remortgages.

This exciting new launch is the second partnership for finova Payment and Mortgage Services since Natalie McNamara took over as Head of Relationships in September.

Natalie McNamara, Head of Relationships for finova Payment & Mortgage Services, said: 

“The addition of Bath Building Society has strengthened our mortgage panel even further. At a time when many landlords are struggling with affordability, we’re delighted to be partnering with Bath Building Society to support our members through today’s challenging economic climate.

“Bath Building Society’s flexible products will expand the range of options available to our brokers, helping to ensure they get the best possible outcome for their client, and we look forward to a long, productive working relationship with the whole team.”

Ben Hutchings, Head of Mortgage Sales at Bath Building Society, added:

“At Bath Building Society, we choose our partners carefully and are delighted to give finova’s brokers access to our products to help them offer tailored and high-quality products to customers.

“We design our products with a flexible approach in mind, and our manual underwriting process enables us to do this. In uncertain economic times, every client has a unique set of borrowing needs, and we hope that finova’s brokers can continue to address these requirements with the added benefit of our comprehensive buy-to-let, holiday let and rent a room solutions.”

Andaria, a UK and EU-regulated fintech business that aims to make digital financial services accessible, simple, and transparent, has launched its Embedded Finance solution to help non-financial businesses integrate payments services into new and existing platforms.

Andaria’s new offering will enable partners to enhance their platforms with a wider range of financial products and services, thereby unlocking new revenue streams while delivering exceptional value to their customers. The solution will help improve customer engagement by creating a cohesive, user-friendly financial ecosystem experience within partner platforms, while still allowing them to maintain their core business focus.

Backed by cutting-edge technology and AI enhancements, Andaria’s new solution ensures security, compliance, and a seamless user experience to make financial interactions more inclusive, convenient, and rewarding for partners and their customers.

Additionally, through Andaria’s recent partnership with Discover, partners can build loyalty amongst end users by offering branded debit cards that are compatible with Google Pay and Apple Pay, thereby providing access to a wider network of payment solutions.

Nirav Patel, CEO of Andaria, said: "We are setting a new standard for the financial services industry with our new embedded finance solution by offering our clients the opportunity to achieve lower transaction costs, improve operational efficiency, and improve customer engagement.” 

“The beta testing phase, which we carried out earlier in the year, led to a projected growth in revenue and an increase in customer engagement for our partners, which helped to reaffirm our commitment to driving success and delivering value."

Andaria’s integration into an Embedded Finance solution marks the company’s next phase of growth and commitment to providing solutions, giving partners a competitive edge by placing them at the forefront of the tech innovation curve.

Know-it users will receive live credit management updates via the app so they are always kept in the know. The app will notify users for things such as changes to a customer’s credit report, alerts to potential customer risks including liquidations or insolvencies, and updates on their commercial debt recovery cases on the go.

Know-it is a cloud-based credit management platform that streamlines the complete credit control process, enabling users to credit check and monitor, chase for payment, collect overdue unpaid invoices, and more, working with the likes of Creditsafe, Companies House, The Gazette, Unsecured Creditor Claims, Darcey Quigley & Co, Xero, Sage, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent.

The arrival of Know-it has come at a critical time for businesses. Soaring company insolvencies, hiked interest rates and inflation are all contributing to the dramatic increase in businesses not having invoices paid on time, with the average SME having £68,413 owed to them in unpaid invoices.

Know-it CEO & Founder Lynne Darcey Quigley says “We are currently in the midst of a late payment crisis engulfing British SMEs.

We’re seeing double-digit growth in the number of businesses going insolvent on a monthly basis, with some recent figures showing 40% more businesses failing compared to last year.

As businesses continue to be squeezed with higher interest rates and inflation not falling as expected businesses must do everything they can to protect their cashflow.”

The Know-it platform was built to make credit control accessible for businesses of all sizes. Know-it automates all critical elements of credit control, freeing up more time for businesses and allowing them to easily implement credit management into their existing processes.

Lynne Darcey Quigley adds “Our mission is to democratize credit control so more smaller businesses are armed with the necessary tools and data for robust credit management so they can make more informed credit decisions, reduce debtor days, and boost cashflow during this challenging time.

Developing the mobile app will help keep business owners and credit controllers in the loop regarding their credit control so they can make decisions and take action quicker.”

Tara Massoudi, Revolut General Manager of Premium Products, commented: "We always listen to our customers and innovate our products to exceed their expectations. We’re launching a unique offering, which will bring together a carefully selected bundle of lifestyle subscription services included with your Revolut Plan. One account that unlocks subscriptions bringing customers more value and convenience. As part of enhancing our paid plans, additional exciting benefits will come to Ultra customers in due course, too.”

The payabl. Group, one of Europe’s leading PayTechs, today announced it has partnered with GonnaOrder, the global online ordering platform for the hospitality industry. The partnership sees payabl. providing payment services to GonnaOrder, as well as launching a referral scheme in which GonnaOrder is able to refer its merchants to utilise payabl.’s services directly.

Operating across 15 countries globally, including the UK, France, The Netherlands and the US, GonnaOrder provides a seamless digital menu and ordering solution for the hospitality industry, enabling customers to order and pay using their smartphones.

With 0% commission and no setup fees, GonnaOrder is easy to launch thanks to its self-onboarding capabilities and a fully customisable model that suits the individual needs of merchants.

The capability for flexibility and customisation was a key reason GonnaOrder selected payabl. as its payments solutions provider, as the PayTech provides a reliable, collaborative service, including tech support and regular communication, tailored to the merchant's individual needs.

payabl.’s holistic payment offering including popular solutions such as card payments with Visa and Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay, as well as niche, local payment methods such as iDEAL, Bancontact, Sofort and Trustly, allowing merchants to select their preferred payment methods, was another key selling point.

In addition to providing payment services, payabl. and GonnaOrder have also begun working together on a referral scheme, whereby GonnaOrder refers its merchants directly to payabl. The nature of this partnership is continually evolving.

Nikolett Palinkas, SVP of Client Relations at payabl. said: “Our main priority is always meeting our merchants' needs - supporting them on their growth journeys and more importantly, catering to their unique requirements, utilising our full stack payments offering, from POS terminals to card acquiring and Local Payment methods’. We’re thrilled to be working with GonnaOrder, as the business shares this core principle of putting the needs of its customers first, catering to their individual requirements and creating a tailored experience. We’re looking forward to seeing this partnership evolving in the near future.”  

Nikolaos Magoulas, CEO and Co-Founder at GonnaOrderat GonnaOrder said “Our collaboration with payabl. has been extremely valuable for GonnaOrder. Their expertise in the payments tech scene has fueled our growth in many ways. Working with payabl.’s team of professionals has been rewarding and it has elevated our capabilities, setting the stage for a prosperous (and very scalable) future ahead”.

RTGS.global, the next generation settlement company revolutionising cross-border payments, has today announced landmark pilot agreements with three more banks as demand grows for its cutting-edge settlement service. 

Alif Bank and Bank Arvand in Tajikistan, and Universal Capital Bank in Montenegro, are the latest progressive institutions that will run pilots with RTGS.global. Through its network, the banks will realise significant liquidity benefits and streamline traditionally cumbersome cross-border settlement processes.

These latest agreements closely follow pilots with MDO Humo in Tajikistan and Credo Bank in Georgia, which RTGS.global announced earlier this year, signalling a commitment to improving cross-border payments and settlements in the Central Asia and Central & Eastern Europe regions. 

RTGS.global’s solution is generating considerable interest from early adopters in rapidly-developing markets such as Central Asia. Furthermore, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) sees 39% of the world’s cross-border payment traffic go through the region, making it a geography ripe for innovative settlement services. 

“It’s a pleasure to be working closely with another group of progressive banks committed to overcoming the historic and emerging challenges associated with payments and liquidity management”, commented RTGS.global’s CEO, Jarrad Hubble. “Currently, it’s quicker to fly money around the world than it is to move it cross-border, which highlights the growing demand for frictionless cross-border payments and settlements as banks in rapidly-developing markets seek to keep pace with the evolving digital economy.”

Meanwhile, RTGS.global has attracted interest from the industry’s largest tier one multinational banks, which have formed a global Banks Working Group with the FMI to collaborate in leveraging its network and expertise to advance cross-border payments and enhance the global banking ecosystem. The Banks Working Group already comprises almost 20 market-leading banks from across the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions, and has hosted three meetings, with the most recent taking place at Sibos and the fourth scheduled to take place in London on 15th November.

“As a business, we have made significant progress this year”, adds Hubble. “On the back of these new partnerships we are excited to push-on with the next phase of our growth and to continue to fix issues across the global financial system, serving both established and emerging markets.”

Era, an AI-powered wealth management platform making wealth management more accessible, today announced its launch and $3.1 million Seed led by Northzone with participation from Protagonist and Designer Fund. Era uses artificial intelligence to personalize wealth management advice and automate financial tasks, ultimately bridging the gulf between financial access and ambition and making wealth management more accessible.

Era was founded by technology veterans, CEO Alex Norcliffe, and COO Lindsay Brady, who come from modest backgrounds but went on to lead initiatives at the intersection of tech, design, and money at Stripe, Square, Apple, and Google.

“Our mission at Era is personal for me: Growing up, my financial education started and stopped with balancing a checkbook,” Brady said. “Once I got a job where I started receiving equity, I spent a lot of time trying to understand what that meant. We built Era to improve people’s financial outcomes — no matter where they’re at in their journey.”

Era's AI recommendations are powered by market news and macroeconomic data, so users can be confident that they are getting the most up-to-date and informed advice. While many people find it challenging to manage their finances, build wealth, and live a better life due to a lack of financial expertise or literacy, AI is making it all easier and more streamlined. A survey conducted by One Poll for National Debt Relief found that 40% of Gen Z feel they have the tools they need to get started with good financial habits but have trouble putting them to use. Another study found that Gen Z averages the lowest in answering financial questions correctly compared to older generations; meanwhile, a Bankrate poll showed Millennials are the most likely to have more credit card debt than savings. Nevertheless, the youngest generations are the most eager to increase their financial literacy after the economic uncertainty created by COVID-19. With Gen Z poised to play a driving role in our economy in the next 5-10 years, they must have a strong financial foundation.

“We’re excited to partner with Lindsay and Alex and see through what Era is building in a space we’ve long desired to disrupt. Americans, especially Millennials and Gen-Z, are more stressed than ever about their finances. Era is responding to an urgent need to bring personalized wealth management to many, enabled by a step change in the consumer experience unlocked by AI,” adds Wendy Xiao, a Partner at Northzone.

Era aims to level the playing field in financial advisory services, providing expert-level advice and education to all, regardless of income level. By pairing expertise from human advisors alongside advanced AI, Era provides tailored financial advice for users at scale. The platform also puts AI to use automating mundane financial tasks like estimating taxes and moving money between accounts–taking the pain out of daily financial management while helping users plan for the future. To do this, Era pulls in relevant market news and macroeconomic data to improve its recommendations, allowing users to understand daily information about how topics like company earnings, the jobs report, and government policies affect their money and portfolios.

Era’s recommendations range from advice on the best ways to pay off credit card debt to rebalancing investment portfolios. Users will not only be given the tools to better understand their finances but to take direct action on their existing accounts through easy, chat-based prompts—bypassing clunky, intimidating, and often time-intensive banking interfaces entirely.

“Finance shouldn't be a maze that only a few can navigate. At Era, we're reshaping the financial landscape to make expert advice attainable for everyone, irrespective of their existing knowledge or funds in their bank account. We want to empower anyone to manage their money like experts, without needing to be one themselves,” says Alex Norcliffe, Era's technical co-founder and CEO.

Step, the leading mobile banking platform on a mission to improve the financial future of the next generation, announced the launch of Step Black Visa Signature® – a revolutionary rewards card that builds credit, not debt. After amassing a waitlist of over 100,000 people, Step Black is now available to the public, offering up to 8% cashback on purchases and over $500 in annual perks.

Step Black reimagines the traditional rewards card, combining the credit-building capabilities and control of secured cards with premium benefits typically reserved for people with exceptional credit. Most notably, there is no credit check required to get the 17g metal card.

“So many young adults face barriers when it comes to accessing top-tier rewards programs, whether due to lack of established credit or concerns about incurring excessive debt,” said Founder & CEO CJ MacDonald. “Step Black celebrates responsible spending in a way that no other rewards card does. It elevates the everyday, builds credit, and ultimately paves the way to a more promising financial future.”

Step Black isn’t just a rewards card; it is a complete banking platform that offers:

• Up to 8% cash back on card purchases
• Credit building and credit score monitoring
• 5% on FDIC-insured savings balances up to $1M
• On-demand borrowing
• Early access to paychecks
• Investing with as little as $1
• Priority customer support

“I’ve been using Step for years and love the financial benefits it offers, but I couldn’t be more excited to have a rewards card that perfectly aligns with my lifestyle,” said Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf, professional Fortnite player and investor. “This card speaks directly to me and my community, rewarding us for purchases across gaming and beyond. Whether you’re a gamer, foodie, enjoy traveling, or like to shop, the Step Black Card has something for everyone. And the fact that you don’t need to have a certain credit score is truly game-changing for people my age that can’t qualify for cards that typically offer these benefits.”

Members also get access to over $500 in annual lifestyle and travel perks, like:

• Access to thousands of top-rated boutique fitness studios and gyms
• The best-priced tickets to live events – concerts, comedy shows, sports games
• Bonuses and special experiences when dining out at top restaurants
• Unbeatable shopping deals on premium apparel and trending accessories
• Discounts on unlimited data, talk, text, and wireless plan subscriptions
• Exclusive Visa Signature presale access and one free ticket per show to Sofar Sounds shows, guest status at Visa Signature Luxury Hotel properties, and rotating merchant offers

“Visa is proud to build on our partnership with Step and introduce Step Black Visa Signature, an innovative premium card built for the next generation of customers,” said Patrick Williams, Head of Global Fintech Partnerships, Visa. “It’s a testament to our joint commitment to making young adults’ financial journeys as seamless as possible, ensuring every step customers take towards reaching their fullest financial potential is marked with memorable experiences and best-in-class benefits.”

Benzinga has announced Wealth Access, the leading customer data insights platform, as a finalist in the Best New Product category for the Benzinga Global Fintech Awards program. The Benzinga Fintech Awards showcase companies and executives from areas such as investing, technology, leadership, financial literacy, and more.

The Benzinga Global Fintech Awards program honors new, creative, innovative and outstanding people, platforms and companies in the fintech industry across more than 40 categories. By participating in the competition, companies and executives are reviewed by Benzinga's expert panel of judges. The evaluation criteria are focused on the concepts of innovation and accessibility and industry impact. Those with the highest-ranked scores are honored as Benzinga's 2023 Fintech Deal Day Award winners.

“Wealth Access works tirelessly to empower bankers and advisors who are looking to maximize customer engagements and unlock their customer’s complete financial relationship,” said David Benskin, founder and CEO of Wealth Access. “We are grateful for Benzinga’s recognition of our ability to drive true change and produce remarkable insights for both FI leaders and their customers, enabling both to unlock their full potential.”

The winners will be announced at Benzinga's 9th annual Fintech Deal Day & Awards, a full day of dealmaking, networking, and recognition in the financial technology space, on November 13 at Convene at 225 Liberty Street.