Financial wellbeing platform, Claro Wellbeing, and expert in global pay solutions, CloudPay, have announced a new partnership to provide financial wellbeing and education via the CloudPay NOW app.

Claro Wellbeing, the financial education and wellbeing provider, which offers financial coaching, e-learning courses and webinars, is providing engaging financial content to CloudPay to give users of the app additional wellbeing support and money-related advice.

The additional wellbeing support for individuals will feed into the CloudPay NOW app, providing users with everything from pay transparency, flexible payment options and wellbeing support all in one place. This includes snappy, short-form videos and comprehensive articles on key financial topics, such as investing, saving and budgeting, that will be delivered regularly to every customer.

Josep Elias, Chief Strategy Officer at CloudPay says: “This new partnership with Claro Wellbeing will provide CloudPay NOW users with additional financial guidance and support at a time when budgets are increasingly being stretched. Our Pay On-demand solution – which is available on the CloudPay NOW app – is the only one of its kind to provide a truly global reach, ensuring that users for any business have a consistent experience no matter where in the world they work.

“With the rising costs-of-living continuing to impact household budgets, we remain focused on providing additional support to workers worldwide. While our Pay on-Demand solution gives our customers the ability to better control the flow of their pay, the additional input from Claro Wellbeing will allow users to access regular, new financial wellbeing content that is relevant to the latest developments in the global economy. I’m excited to see this partnership develop and grow.”

Galina Barengo, head of partnerships and chief of staff at Claro Wellbeing, says: “We’re really excited to partner with CloudPay and provide its customers with our expert-created content. Our goal is to work with companies, like CloudPay, that prioritise their customers’ financial literacy and improve their overall experience by providing carefully curated financial educational content.

‘By licensing our content, firms can boost customer engagement and improve end users’ understanding of financial products. Research shows an undeniable link between financial literacy and uptake of financial products, such as savings, investments and pensions.

Ms Barengo adds: ‘At Claro Wellbeing, we are committed to making a positive impact on the financial wellbeing of individuals, and we strongly encourage other financial firms to join us in this mission by prioritising financial education and literacy of their customers. Together, we can empower consumers to take control of their finances and achieve better financial outcomes.”

Employees using the CloudPay NOW app simply have to click on the ‘wellbeing’ icon and then ‘Financial’ to view and engage with Claro’s financial wellbeing content.

Global branded payments provider Blackhawk Network (BHN) is expanding its relationship with European branded payments company Recharge.com to distribute gift cards digitally through BHN’s vast network in the US and Canada. The announcement builds on Recharge.com and BHN’s existing collaboration in Europe, boosting digital gift card options for consumers in North America.

In the US and Canada, BHN will now offer leading egift and virtual prepaid card brands in Recharge.com’s digital marketplace. These will include merchant-specific gift cards, open loop (gift cards that can be used anywhere the network is accepted), and BHN’s versatile multi-store egifts.

“Gift and prepaid cards have become staples in the lives of consumers around the world, connecting shoppers with their favorite brands and allowing them to celebrate meaningful occasions with those they care about,” said Steve Dekker, BHN managing director, Americas. “In an increasingly globalized world, enabling cross-border gifting and money movement is more important than ever. Additionally, preference for egifts and purchasing online is on the rise. Based on consumer research and our own sales data, there was double-digit growth in egift and ecommerce sales of gift cards in the most recent holiday season. We’re proud to grow our relationship with Recharge.com, which is innovating global delivery of digital gift and prepaid cards around the world.”

Recharge.com is a leading provider of branded prepaid cards, enabling consumers to purchase digital gift and prepaid cards in more than 180 countries and 14 languages. Recharge.com’s innovative global marketplace, a one stop shop for branded prepaid payments, enables consumers to easily give gifts across the globe. Recently referenced by Research and Markets as a leader of the European digital gift card market, Recharge.com is expanding its relationship with BHN to grow market share in North America.

“We are excited to expand our footprint in the US and Canada with BHN, furthering our goal of global coverage and supporting even more customers and merchants,” said Günther Vogelpoel, CEO of Recharge.com. “BHN’s open and closed loop card brand network further enable us to meet increasing demands of customers throughout North America.”

Leading African digital payments provider, DPO Pay, registered under One Payment Tanzania Limited, has received approval from the Bank of Tanzania to operate as a Payment Service Provider (PSP) in the country. The National Payment System Act, 2015 requires all PSPs to undergo a rigorous license application process to provide payment services in Tanzania.

DPO Pay has been operating successfully throughout Africa since 2006 and was recently acquired by Network International a leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. The payments provider has worked closely with regulators across the continent to obtain new licenses as requirements vary in each country to ensure secure and uninterrupted services for its merchants and partners.

DPO Pay has gained significant recognition and trust among prestigious business in various industries including hotels and resorts in Arusha, Dar es salaam and Zanzibar, where it has extensive experience in the travel and tourism sector. In addition, the company has established itself as the preferred payment solution for major merchants in the region, including industries such as Airlines, Hotels, online retailers and logistic companies. With a firm focus on expanding its network, DPO Pay continues to seek collaboration with top-tier businesses and brands, and cater to the diverse needs of merchants across various industries.

Managing Director of DPO Pay, Judy Waruiru commented: "We are pleased to receive this approval from the Bank of Tanzania, which highlights our steadfast commitment to compliance and regulatory standards. This milestone further demonstrates our dedication to driving financial inclusion and economic growth in Tanzania, empowering businesses of all sizes to thrive in the digital era. We will continue to prioritise the security of transactions, adhering to stringent data protection protocols and industry best practices”.

The company's robust security systems ensure that merchants and consumers can transact with confidence, safeguarding their sensitive information and maintaining the highest standards of integrity. With the recently updated DPO Pay Mobile app, merchants are able to collect and receive payments anywhere and anytime.

DPO Pay provides efficient payment solutions enabling businesses and individuals across the continent to accept both local and international payment options. It has developed integrated payments technology to support businesses of all sizes in over 20 countries and accept payments securely and swiftly in multiple currencies and through diverse payment methods including cards, mobile money, bank transfers, USSD, and EFT.

Veriff, a global identity verification provider,  today announced it has achieved certification against the UK government's Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (UKDIATF),  a government initiative aimed at establishing a secure and trustworthy digital identity ecosystem in the region as a part of its digital transformation efforts.  With this certification, Veriff customers can verify the identities of UK-based users more confidently, while complying with UK government-approved rules.

Introduced last year, UKDIATF provides guidance and requirements for identity and authentication service providers to ensure that they meet certain technical and security standards, as well as principles for protecting users' privacy and data. The Home Office in the UK recommends companies use certified identity service providers (IDSPs) that meet the trust framework standards for Right to Work, Right to Rent and Disclosure and Barring Service's (DBS) checks.

"I'd like to congratulate Veriff for this achievement and welcome you to being part of the UKDIATF community. I am looking forward to seeing continuous progress with your digital transformation efforts in the UK," said Tony Allen, Executive Director at ACCS.

UKDIATF ensures that the companies that are part of this digital identity ecosystem, like Veriff, are held accountable and consistently meet high-security standards under strict governance while improving the efficiency and user experience of remote IDV and reducing the risk of fraud for businesses.

"This certification gives our global customers additional assurance that our internal processes meet generally accepted best practices. Even though UKDIATF is specifically designed for the UK market, certification requirements such as data privacy, risk management, and others - are in line with global industry standards," said Indrek Heinloo, COO of Veriff. "Certifications like these are a true testament to our continued commitment to building trust and stopping fraud simply and effectively. Being a part of the UKDIATF community gives our existing and new customers even more confidence in our technology, security, and processes."

The verification process is simple yet thorough for UK users. If an individual wants to rent accommodation or work in the UK, the "Right to Rent" or "Right to Work" checks are required. As part of the verification process, a user takes a photo of their ID and a selfie. Their identity and document authenticity are then checked.  Finally, checks against the CIFAS database, Credit history, Electoral roll, and Politically Exposed Person (PEP) registry are run. If a user passes all these checks, their session is approved.

Global fintech Gresham Technologies plc (Gresham) has appointed Geneva Loader as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), reporting to Gresham’s CEO, Ian Manocha.

Prior to joining Gresham, Geneva held prominent roles at several prestigious organisations including Bain & Company, WPP and Omnicom Media Group, where she spearheaded marketing technology agendas, built several startup fintech brands, and scaled global marketing initiatives. Her strategic acumen and proven track record in building high-performing marketing teams makes her a perfect fit for Gresham's ambitious growth plans.

As the new CMO, Geneva will be responsible for leading all aspects of Gresham's marketing efforts, including brand development, customer acquisition and retention, digital marketing, product positioning, and market research. She will work closely with the executive team to execute a fresh marketing agenda delivering on Gresham’s mission to lead the global reconciliation and control market in financial services.

Geneva Loader said: “Financial institutions are increasingly seeking dependable and innovative partners to navigate the challenges of data complexity, machine learning, and the ongoing digitisation of finance.

Gresham continues to leverage its deep market expertise and authority to support customers through these data transformation projects and build capabilities for the future.

I am excited to be joining such a passionate and trusted team as we continue to solve complex data challenges and build a dynamic roadmap that will help drive our customers’ businesses forward.”

Gresham CEO Ian Manocha added: "I am delighted to welcome Geneva to our team. Her wealth of expertise and growth mindset will undoubtedly take our marketing efforts to new heights. With her leadership, we are confident in our ability to strengthen our brand presence, drive customer engagement, and achieve sustainable growth in our competitive landscape."

Geneva with be based in Gresham’s London office.

DC Advisory, an international investment bank committed to making a difference, today welcomes FinTech expert, Mark Litz as Managing Director, joining the Technology & Software team in London. 

Litz joins with over 20 years’ M&A, private equity and strategic transaction experience, specialising in M&A transactions, private placements, IPOs and strategic investments. Litz was previously EMEA Head of FinTech IB at Citigroup, where he advised a broad range of clients including Banking Circle, Handelsbanken, Klarna, Network International, Nexi, OakNorth, PPRO, Trustly, Wise, and Worldline, as well as financial sponsors such as Advent, Bain, EQT, General Atlantic, Helios, Nordic Capital and Warburg Pincus. Prior to that he held positions at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein and Bear Stearns. 

Litz will work closely with Andy Claymore, who operates in the Financial Services sector (and most recently advised Moneyhub on its funding round), and the wider global Technology & Software practice, covering a broad range of 18 sub-sectors, with a team comprising over 70 bankers and 20 Man ageing Directors. The firm is set to continue investing in this space in the coming months. 

Richard Madden, CEO, DC Advisory UK, said: “FinTech is having a profound and meaningful impact on our clients, creating an environment for innovation and significant investment. Mark brings proven leadership and a successful track record in this dynamic sector, further strengthening the firm’s deep knowledge, advisory expertise and coverage. We know Mark’s arrival will help us make a difference to our clients – new and existing. Welcome, Mark!” 

Mark Litz, Managing Director, DC Advisory UK, commented: “I am excited to draw on the strength and breadth of DC Advisory’s global platform to advise clients in one of the largest and fastest-growing sectors of the global economy. DC Advisory has built an excellent reputation in Technology & Software investment banking, I look forward to joining this entrepreneurial and agile platform and providing the right advice to support clients through every stage of their life cycle.” 

This marks the 26th senior hire* for the international firm in the past 24 months, as DC Advisory, along with shareholder Daiwa Securities Group Inc., continues to invest in the acquisition of top talent to de liver more sectors and products to its clients. 

Flutterwave, Africa's leading payments technology company, has launched Tuition, a new payment product, to allow African users to conveniently pay various fees to educational institutions within Africa and overseas using their local currencies. The educational institutions available on Tuition include high schools, universities, colleges and some global edutech platforms.

Tuition is designed to solve the challenges in paying school fees for students studying abroad and at home and aims to ensure payments ease when making the transactions. The new service enables students, parents, guardians and sponsors to pay school fees to over 40 institutions in the UK, with plans to add more institutions in more countries in Africa and beyond.

It has been reported that African payments to overseas schools have been hindered by a myriad of challenges. From the high cost of transactions, limited access to banking services, lack of transparency, security concerns, and currency exchange rates, Africans have faced difficulties in ensuring that their funds are disbursed within the shortest times possible to overseas financial institutions.

The new product will leverage Flutterwave's world-class payments technology solution to make school fee payments more convenient, secure, and reliable. Parents, guardians, and sponsors can now pay directly to learning institutions in the UK and easily track their transactions by checking the status and history on the Tuition web app.

Olugbenga "GB" Agboola, Flutterwave CEO, commented on Tuition by saying,

"We are excited to launch Tuition to support the dreams of African students across all levels who want to study anywhere without worrying about how to meet the deadline for their school fees payment. With Tuition, we are providing a safer, reliable, and affordable means for African students to pursue their dreams and seamlessly get financial support from parents, guardians, and sponsors."

Speaking on the new product launch, Stella Elele, Product Manager of Tuition by Flutterwave, said: "We are always looking for new ways to make payment challenges in Africa hassle-free, and we are confident that Tuition will be a game changer for parents who want to support their children's education. We are excited to offer this solution to parents in Nigeria, with plans to eventually roll out the service to other African countries. We want to provide the best possible service and support for our customers."

The product is currently available in Nigeria for UK school fees payments and will soon be rolled out to other African countries in the coming months. Flutterwave also plans to add more schools in Africa, the UK, US, Canada, France and Germany as it grows access to the product.

Nutanix, a leader in a private cloud, hybrid, and multicloud computing, today announced Forestry & Land Scotland (FLS) has upgraded its datacentre infrastructure to a hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI), selecting the Nutanix Cloud Platform to support a workload of 300 virtual machines. FLS opted for Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2) on Microsoft Azure, a hybrid cloud solution that functions as a single cloud, allowing users to manage apps and infrastructure in their private cloud and Azure. With Nutanix NC2, FLS has been able to migrate the whole datacentre to Microsoft Azure without the time, effort and expense of re-engineering applications for native deployment

Founded in 2018 as part of the Scottish devolution process, FLS manages over 1.5 million acres of national forests and land. That’s close to 9% of the Scottish land mass with FLS having a wide remit to promote and manage, not just forestry but tourism, leisure, nature conservation and other related activities across the area. To meet the short-term IT needs of a newly devolved Scottish government agency whilst, at the same time, supporting its move to the public cloud in line with a cloud-first government policy, FLS was required to rapidly revamp its legacy on-premises datacentre.

“We initially saw NC2 as a kind of stopgap,” said Nick Mahlitz, Senior Digital Infrastructure Manager, FLS, “that would allow us to pick up our on-premise Nutanix datacentre and run it on Microsoft Azure while we went about re-engineering applications to run on that platform natively. However, it soon became clear that NC2 could be a lot more than a halfway house. In fact it could deliver many, if not all, of the benefits of public cloud without the time, effort and extra expenditure required for full native migration.”

FLS was already using Microsoft Azure to provide for disaster recovery of its on-premise datacentre, so, naturally, the organisation first looked at re-engineering for native operation of its applications on that platform. FLS soon realised that NC2 for Azure would be a better, quicker and more cost-effective approach, enabling it to stretch its existing environment seamlessly into the cloud and migrate workflows at its own pace without having to transform or re-engineer the code in any way. The migration to the Nutanix Cloud Platform offered immediate benefits in terms of both performance and on-demand scalability. It also resulted in a significantly smaller datacentre footprint in terms of both physical space and power and cooling requirements - yet another key benefit of value to this environmentally focused organisation. 

As with the original datacentre project Mahlitz and the team were faced with a lot of unknowns when it came to coming to this conclusion, but here, too, Nutanix was able to help. In particular, by arranging a proof of concept trial of Nutanix NC2 on Microsoft Azure involving actual FLS production workloads.

Nexi, the European PayTech, and German e-commerce provider Shopware, have agreed to expand their collaboration, establishing a platinum partnership in Europe. Nexi continues to invest in strategic partnerships with the largest eCommerce platforms to shape and define the future of payments in Europe, in line with its ambition to drive the transition to a cashless Europe by making digital payments simpler, faster and safer for everyone.

The partnership with Shopware represents another step forward in Nexi’s ambition to build a compelling pan-European Partner Program, complementing its extensive ecosystem of local partners. Nexi is supporting Shopware in consolidating its market position in the DACH region, while expanding its presence in Italy and Southern Europe.

The partnership will allow Nexi to better serve B2B merchant’s needs and specific verticals such as Pharma, Retail and Furniture, helping them unlock new business opportunities. Furthermore, the partnership enables an omni-commerce suite, beyond pure ecommerce.

“We are delighted to partner with Shopware, a recognized leader in innovation, with strong capabilities enhancing B2B e-commerce. From a strong starting point in Germany, Shopware is rapidly expanding across Europe. Our payment capabilities and local presence will help Shopware further scale its business and leverage a wide offering of local payment methods,” says Omar Haque, Head of Group E-commerce at Nexi.

The integration of Nexi gateways with Shopware solutions creates mutual benefits for both partners, enabling a more seamless system integration and enriching a faster and seamless activation process for merchants.

“Shopware has a strong commitment to shake things up in the ecommerce industry. Our primary aim is to develop cutting-edge solutions for our customers, giving businesses the tools, they need to excel in the fast-paced world of e-commerce. B2B commerce has especially gained enormous importance for us during the past years and our partnership with Nexi allows us to provide an even more attractive solution for B2B merchants,” says Shopware Co-CEO Stefan Hamann.