Mendix, a Siemens business and established leader in the low-code market, today announced the appointment of Raymond Kok as CEO, effective February 12, 2024. Ray joins Mendix from Siemens Digital Industries Software, where he was a Senior Vice President for the platform development of Siemens Xcelerator. 

Over his 22-year tenure at Siemens, Ray played key leadership roles, supporting the Software-as-a-Service transition, leading the Industrial IoT platform business and its integration with digital manufacturing, and establishing unified services for Siemens Xcelerator. Ray is stepping into the role of Mendix CEO following the decision by Tim Srock to step down.

Ray’s enthusiasm for the low-code platform goes back years. At Siemens, he was one of the earliest adopters of the technology in general and Mendix specifically. He was an integral part of the initial conversations between the two organisations that eventually led Siemens Digital Industries Software to acquire Mendix in 2018. 

“The founding principle of Mendix – the concept of bridging the gap between business, software engineering, and IT – is as critical an issue as it was almost 20 years ago when Mendix was founded. Enabling the business and IT to collaborate in the same platform throughout the development lifecycle is a huge part of what sets Mendix apart. The digitalization of any enterprise requires agility, speed, and access to best-in-class technology across all participating departments in an organisation and Mendix is definitely a key component to this as the leader in enterprise low-code,” said Ray.  

There’s one key element to building software in Mendix that Ray sees as particularly powerful – productivity.

“Productivity may not be a headline-worthy buzzword, but it is critical. Empowering people to be more productive is the foundation of digitalization at any company. Productivity means people aren’t bogged down by low-value repetitive work and arcane decision-making. It means they aren’t solving the same problems over and over. In a productive enterprise, where business and IT are working collaboratively, there is room for creative thinking, there is time for innovation, there is room to reach towards – and accomplish – ambitious digital innovation goals. Building software in Mendix increases productivity across any enterprise and puts the focus on innovation.”

As a low-code early adopter, Ray is excited to see how its use is maturing: organisations recognize not just the standalone capabilities of Mendix’s powerful enterprise low-code platform but also its potential to be the beating heart of the enterprise, underpinning and bringing all technologies, applications, and data silos together. Mendix has demonstrated its value across multiple industries - both in the industrial and non-industrial space. Customers in highly regulated industries like financial services and the public sector have found particular success with Mendix due in part to its best-in-class governance capabilities. 

Ray’s extensive experience will be key to solidifying Mendix’s position as the low-code platform for solving complex enterprise software development challenges. He will also drive tight integration of Mendix with the rest of Siemens’ software portfolio, smoother integrations and connectivity to the other technologies in the Siemens Xcelerator platform and enable customers to further benefit from the power of this synergy. Customers already benefit from the cohesion and strength of the Mendix ecosystem - which includes integrations with a growing selection of AWS services and industry-specific ISV-built adaptable solutions.

Ray will work to nurture the unique spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship that sets Mendix aside from the competition.

“Now that I’m a part of the team, I can proudly say that we call it Mendix Blue: being brave and making bold decisions, having no limits as we strive for innovation beyond traditional processes, exploring and cherishing the differences we have, and holding ourselves to high standards. That is the spirit of Mendix, and I’m committed to championing and growing it together with our exceptionally talented people across the globe”. 

In closing, Ray said, “the Mendix workforce is continually improving on the low-code platform for building impactful digital solutions. Our customers use that platform to make better software, faster - turning their ideas into outcomes. I have always thought the vision Mendix holds for enterprise software is something vital - something singular. I’m looking forward to seeing, and being a part of, how that vision evolves and expands.”

While Ray is a citizen of the Netherlands, he has been living in the US for 20 years and is currently based in Orange County, California with his family. With Mendix’s C-suite team strategically based across the US, UK, and Europe, Ray is confident the company is entering a new, exciting phase of its global reach and growth. 

Tradeshift, the B2B e-commerce and fintech platform, today announces that Iain Balchin has joined the company on a permanent basis as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Iain brings over 25 years of experience as a senior financial executive across various sectors, including fintech, financial services, and wealth management. Iain will also join Tradeshift CEO James Stirk on the company’s board of directors. 

Iain has a notable record in helping scaling fintech businesses reach the next level. As interim CFO at crypto payment platform Ramp Network, he successfully led a $70 million Series B fundraising during a challenging market period. His track record also includes CFO positions at payments optimization platform Ixaris (acquired), neobank WiZink, and WorldRemit, where he spearheaded finance division restructuring to position the company for future investment.

Iain joins Tradeshift from Dublin-listed energy storage company Corre Energy, where he led a successful equity raise to enable further development of major renewables projects. Before this, he held Group CFO positions at AIM-listed publishing business XL Media and wealth management firm Ascot Global, which he took from listing to eventual sale. Iain has also worked in senior finance roles with St James Place Wealth Management, Lloyds Banking Group, BNP Paribas, AIG, Standard Chartered and Credit Suisse.

'Tradeshift has incredible foundations for growth,' said Iain. 'With over a million businesses using Tradeshift for transactions globally, there are substantial opportunities to expand monetisation across the Tradeshift network through embedded financial services and marketplace commerce capabilities. I'm eager to contribute to a great team at the onset of a promising new chapter in Tradeshift's journey.' 

Iain will be a key member of a new-look executive leadership team assembled since James Stirk’s appointment as CEO in September. Jim Modak, a seasoned software industry leader who has raised over $1.2bn in equity capital during a 40-year career, has joined Tradeshift as Chief of Strategy & GTM. Tradeshift co-founder Gert Sylvest will lead product development across Tradeshift’s complete solutions portfolio.

“Iain’s experience in scaling disruptive businesses will be invaluable in helping us achieve sustainable growth, scale, and profitability,” said James Stirk, CEO at Tradeshift. “Following our recent announcement of the joint venture with HSBC, we have a significant opportunity to embed revenue-generating value into every transaction across the Tradeshift network. I have every confidence that the team we have in place today is the one that will help us reach our full potential.”

Admiral, a leading financial services company in the UK and part of the Admiral Group, has selected Google Cloud as a strategic cloud partner. Under the terms of the agreement, Admiral's core insurance operations, including insurance policy administration and digital systems, will now be powered by Google Cloud. The company will also use Google Cloud technologies to develop new digital products and services, such as making further improvements to its customer-facing mobile app.

The collaboration will enable Admiral to accelerate time-to-market for new products and services by deploying containerized cloud applications and adopting new software development practices. Admiral will continue to improve operational efficiency using Google Cloud's data analytics capabilities, and better serve its customers with Google Cloud's AI and machine learning services.

The partnership with Google Cloud covers four core areas:

• Data and AI: Admiral will continue to leverage Google Cloud's data analytics, machine learning and generative AI capabilities to strategically enable data-driven decision-making across the organization.
   
• Digital experiences: Using its centralized view of data, Admiral will deliver more personalized and seamless digital experiences to its customers, including personalized offers and tailored services. Admiral will also use Google Cloud to bolster its digital channels, including its website, mobile app, and contact center.
   
• Operations: Admiral is now hosting its core policy management and billing platforms on Google Cloud, helping the company rapidly scale its technologies to meet customer demand and improve its time-to-market for new features.
   
• Skills: As part of the partnership, Admiral will work with Google Cloud to upskill its employees in cloud computing and data analytics skills. This will ensure that Admiral will continue to take advantage of the latest cloud technologies and deliver innovative products and services to its customers. Additionally, Admiral will continue to support external initiatives such as Code First Girls in collaboration with Google Cloud.

"With our customers at the heart of everything we do, Admiral is delighted to join forces with Google Cloud to help us achieve our strategic goals," said Admiral CIO Alan Patefield-Smith. "Google Cloud's cutting-edge tech and expertise allows us to accelerate our digital transformation journey and helps us to deliver forward-thinking customer experiences."

"Admiral is an innovative insurer that has delivered many firsts to the market. We are proud to support its continued commitment to giving its customers the very best products and services across its insurance portfolio," said Helen Kelisky, MD, Google Cloud, UKI. "We look forward to strengthening our existing relationship with Admiral to help it accelerate its change strategy and deliver even better experiences."

Trustly, a global leader in innovative payment solutions has made two appointments to its leadership team as it gears up for further European expansion. Annika Poutiainen will be joining as Chief Legal Officer, while Georg Kaltenbrunner will start in March as Group Chief Risk & Compliance Officer. Both roles will be central to supporting the strong and sustainable future growth of Trustly, which has already undergone significant expansion in 2023, most recently with the acquisitions of SlimPay and Ecospend.

Annika Poutiainen, Chief Legal Officer

Annika has wide-ranging experience in regulatory environments and financial companies. She has held the positions of Executive Chair of the Council for Swedish Financial Reporting Supervision, Head of Market Surveillance Nordics at Nasdaq, and Head of Unit, Prospectuses, Exchanges, and Clearing Houses at the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority. She has been a board member at several companies in the financial services and payment industries and is currently serving as a board member at telecommunications and mobile money services company Airtel Africa plc. She holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from the University of Helsinki and an LLM degree in Banking and Finance Law from King’s College, London.

Annika comments: “I am excited to join Trustly, the innovative account-to-account payment leader with a strong human-centric approach where rules and regulation are seen as crucial enablers and contributors to the company’s success. I am proud to be part of this journey and look forward to working for the continued success of the company.”

Georg Kaltenbrunner, Group Chief Risk & Compliance Officer

Georg will join Trustly in March and will oversee compliance and risk on a group level. Before this, he held the position of Group Chief Risk Officer at the Luminor Group, where he was also a member of Luminor Group’s Management Board. He has also held positions including Group Chief Operational Risk Officer for Nordea Group, Member of the Board of Directors of Nordea Funds Ltd, and Partner at McKinsey & Company. He holds a PhD in Finance from the London Business School and an MSc in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics.

Georg comments: “I am thrilled to be joining the success story that is Trustly, where I will be working with the team to build a strong and scalable Risk Management and Compliance platform. This is a crucial step in ensuring Trustly’s business resilience and supporting our long-term ambitions.”

Johan Tjärnberg, Group CEO at Trustly, comments:

“We would like to extend a warm welcome to Annika and Georg, who are a really strong addition to the Trustly leadership team. They join the company at a dynamic and exciting time, and I am confident their respective teams will flourish under their guidance.”

UK-based FinTech, Akoni Hub, embedded sustainability provider ekko, and Bank of London and The Middle East (BLME) have announced the launch of their Planet Saver savings product. Savers will be able to apply for the product using Akoni Hub (part of the Stubben Edge Group).

In partnering with ekko, Akoni Hub and BLME are enabling people with their ‘world-first’ Planet Saver account, a product for savers who want to put the world first when making decisions about their financial futures and allowing them to create a positive environmental impact. Through these accounts, both businesses and individuals can invest and grow their savings at the current market rate, while contributing 1% to a range of environmental impact projects, such as reforestation, animal conservation, and preventing plastic from entering our oceans.

The ‘Planet Saver’ Fixed Term Deposit Account gives savers the opportunity to earn competitive rates on their savings, whilst contributing £1 in every £100 saved to environmental or conservation projects. Initially launched with 3-month and 12-month fixed term deposits, at maturity, savers will receive their capital and share of profit, while supporting a range of sustainable causes in the ekko portfolio. This includes global positive-impact projects such as Tusk, Conservation International, Prevented Ocean Plastic and Gold Standard.

Chris Kenning, Group CEO of Stubben Edge said, “The ’Planet Saver’ account puts power in the hands of savers – the power to make their savings work harder for them while also working smarter for the planet. In a world where finance and conservation are often viewed as mutually exclusive, ‘Planet Saver’ proves that financial services providers, conservation and environmental projects and consumers can come together to provide real-world solutions to the urgent problems faced by societies across the globe.”

Oli Cook, CEO and co-founder of ekko said “We are delighted to be enabling what we believe to be a ‘world-first’ in the ‘Planet Saver Account’, bringing a new way to support conservation efforts to the market in a seamless and efficient way with Stubben Edge, Akoni, and BLME. Through this new product, we will be able to make a real difference to the projects we support, making a real impact across the world. This is just another example of how ekko can embed sustainability into everyday products, and this partnership shows a real commitment from the industry to deliver climate positive impact.”

Andrew Ball, CEO of BLME said, “Planet Saver allows customers to open a savings account which delivers both competitive rates and a positive environmental impact. By partnering with Ekko and Akoni Hub to launch Planet Saver, BLME is helping savers contribute to a range of sustainable causes, including reforestation, wildlife conservation, and the reduction of plastic pollution.”

Dan Bucknell, Executive Director at Tusk commented: “If conservation is to succeed in the long-term, we need to have innovation, new sources of income, and the ability to put benefits to the planet at the heart of our spending habits. This Planet Saver account with ekko, BLME, Stubben Edge, and Akoni Hub provides all three, and Tusk is very excited to be partnering with them and to have the opportunity to convert consumer spending and donations into significant benefit for the people and wildlife of Africa.”

TotallyMoney has announced the launch of an exclusive, industry-first feature, which provides credit card applicants with pre-approval, and up to four guarantees:

• One in five UK adults was declined for credit last year. So customers can avoid credit card rejection, TotallySure offers are pre-approved, meaning that subject to final checks, applicants will be accepted.

• Regulation requires lenders to only provide 51% of credit applications with the Representative APR shown — meaning millions of customers could be downloaded onto a more expensive product. TotallySure offers can come with guaranteed APRs, credit limits, balance transfer offer durations, and purchase offer durations — so customers get the exact offer they applied for.

• In addition to improving transparency, and driving better customer outcomes, TotallySure can help lenders find more suitable borrowers, reduce costs, and improve trust and brand loyalty.

TotallySure is now live. This brand-new feature means customers can apply with confidence and be sure they’ll get the exact offer advertised.

Advertised credit offers aren’t what they might seem

In just 12 months, more than 9 million adults had their credit applications rejected — and one in 20 were declined three times or more*. Each application can leave a hard search on a customer's credit file — and multiple in a short space of time can act as a red flag to lenders, potentially leading to continued rejection and worsening offers.

Meanwhile, regulation means banks only need to give 51% of customers the advertised Representative APR, meaning almost half could receive something very different from what they applied for. However, only one in five people (19%) think that lenders make this clear.

To investigate the extent of downselling, TotallyMoney commissioned Moneycomms‡ to conduct research into 18 of the UK’s biggest balance transfer credit card providers and found:

• A third (6/18) don’t provide pre-application product summary boxes

• Half (9/18) don’t show the full range of APRs the customer could be downsold on

• Barclaycard’s headline balance transfer deal advertises an APR of 24.9%, and an offer duration of 29 months. However, customers could end up with 31.9% and 14 months.

• Meanwhile, HSBC’s leading offer advertises 24.9% APR, and a balance transfer period of 27 months — but applicants could be given 29.9% APR and 14 months.

Additional TotallyMoney research found that just 40% of customers are aware they might receive a different APR to the one advertised, and less than half realized they could be given a different credit limit to the one they applied for.

To give customers confidence in being accepted for a product, and so they know they’ll get exactly what they’re applying for — TotallyMoney launched TotallySure.

An industry that puts customers first

TotallySure is a market-leading feature, and the first to show customers if they’ll be pre-approved, and guaranteed to receive the advertised APR, credit limit, balance transfer offer duration, and purchase offer duration.

- Pre-approval: Applying for credit can leave a hard search on your credit file — and too many can hurt your ability to borrow. Pre-approval means that subject to final checks, applicants will be accepted — helping reduce hard searches and improve certainty.

- Guaranteed APR: Knowing how much a lender will charge you to borrow is essential to managing your money. And while ‘representative APRs' mean almost half of customers could receive a worse offer, TotallySure guarantees the interest rate, and the cost to borrow.

- Guaranteed credit limit: If you’re taking out a card to consolidate debt, or make a purchase, knowing how much money you’ll have access to is essential — and is why TotallySure offers come with guaranteed credit limits.

- Guaranteed balance transfer offer duration: Balance transfer headline offers lead on the 0% duration — but downselling means these can often be cut short. TotallySure offers mean customers get what’s advertised, and nothing less.

- Guaranteed 0% purchase duration: When spreading the cost of a big-ticket purchase, it’s essential you know how long the interest-free period will last, and being downsold could have a considerable impact on your finances. Which is why TotallySure removes any surprises and locks in the purchase duration.

TotallySure sets a new standard of care, improving transparency, and creating better customer outcomes. This new feature also benefits lenders by driving more eligible customers and reducing the costs of failed applications, while eliminating uncertainty and improving trust.

Alastair Douglas, CEO of TotallyMoney comments:

“Now more than ever, people need to be able to take total control of their finances — and a big part of that is knowing where they stand when applying for credit. That includes knowing the level of interest you’ll be paying, the credit limit you’ll receive, and how long a 0% interest-free period you’ll get.

“But for too long, regulation has allowed the banks to treat credit card applications as if they were a lottery — and to make things even more concerning, many people aren’t even aware they’re gambling with their finances. Lenders need to be upfront with customers about how products and services work while ensuring they’re easily comparable. The key to that is making sure that what people see is what they’ll get.

“Which is why we launched TotallySure. To help raise industry standards and improve transparency, TotallySure offers are now recognized by our proprietary product ranking algorithm — Match Factor. As such, cards with the TotallySure badge will receive an upvote on our tables, making them more prominent to our customers, while helping lenders find more suitable borrowers, reduce costs, and improve trust and brand loyalty."

Fordefi, a financial technology company, today announced a $10 million seed-extension round. Fordefi’s goal is to continue fueling web3 adoption as they launch their wallet-as-a-service (WaaS) offering that enables exchanges, fintechs, and web3 businesses to offer their users a secure, user-owned wallet, directly within their applications. Fordefi has attained significant market share with its self-custody multi-party computation (MPC) wallet for institutions, having acquired notable industry-leading clients and securing over $3 billion in on-chain transaction volume to date. This round extension was led by Electric Capital with participation from both new and existing investors. 

“Fordefi changes the game for safe institutional access to DeFi and crypto by providing novel tools around MPC, user policies, and transaction simulation,” commented Curtis Spencer, Co-founder and General Partner at Electric Capital. “Their new Wallet as a Service offering extends their industry leading technology to any business wanting their customers to have the best mix of security and user experience to get on-chain.” 

Fordefi Launches New Wallet-as-a-Service (WaaS) Offering

Fordefi is excited to introduce the addition of their newest WaaS offering that enables exchanges, fintechs, web3 companies, and traditional brands to embed end-user wallets directly into their applications and offer their customers a secure wallet experience. As public interest in digital assets continues to grow, the challenge of ensuring secure self-custody demands a combination of robust accessibility and in-depth education. Fordefi aims to solve these problems by expanding on its existing, industry-leading wallet and security infrastructure, to support retail platforms and the mass adoption of web3 wallets. Retail platforms can now access a battle-tested, comprehensive wallet infrastructure that combines an MPC SDK, which allows building secure end-user controlled wallets, and a rich Wallet API, which provides the data and tools to build an intuitive wallet experience. Fordefi’s WaaS platform was built in close collaboration with leading crypto-native design partners whose goals are to provide new pathways for the mass adoption of digital assets.  

"Our mission at Fordefi has always been to facilitate secure management of digital assets,” said JoshSchwartz, CEO and Cofounder of Fordefi. “We’re proud to continue building on this mission and provide both web3 and web2 businesses with a crucial tool to enable safe crypto adoption for all participants. We are committed to strengthening the Web3 ecosystem and ensuring its accessibility while maintaining a strong focus on security and transparency."

Fordefi’s MPC Wallet Achieves Market Success

Fordefi’s core offering, their institutional MPC wallet platform, has experienced unrivaled success in a competitive market, with recent customer acquisitions including Pantera Capital, Keyrock, Flare Network, and DeFiance Capital. Fordefi’s key differentiator is its native multi-chain connectivity to decentralized applications on Ethereum and EVM blockchains, in addition to being the first MPC wallet to build support for Cosmos application blockchains (appchains) and Solana decentralized applications (dApps). Alongside Fordefi’s success in expanding its client portfolio and securing billions of dollars in transactions, the company has taken significant strides to cultivate ecosystem partnerships that enable and drive the secure adoption of DeFi for institutions. 

Money20/20, the world’s leading fintech show and the place where money does business, announces that over 120 speakers are confirmed and will be taking the stage at Money20/20 ASIA, held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok on April 23-25th.

Money20/20 ASIA’s three themes—Integration, Virtualisation, and Eastward Expansion—explore the future of finance, celebrating innovation in Southeast Asia. With four incredible stages and speakers from 15 APAC countries, the show invites exploration of trends, success stories, and investment strategies.

Money20/20 ASIA brings together a diverse lineup from global and regional banks like JP Morgan, HSBC, and Standard Chartered, as well as local institutions such as Kasikorn Bank and RCBC Philippines. Experts from key players in the global and Asian payment sector, such as Visa, Stripe, Nium, TenPay, PhonePe, Dana Indonesia, and tech giants like IBM, Google, and AWS, will also share their insights. The show is further enriched by fintech unicorns like GCash, Bolttech, Fireblocks, and regulatory leaders such as the Bank of Thailand and HKMA of Hong Kong SAR.

“Home to the largest emerging markets, all eyes are on Asia which has been identified to be the largest financial ecosystem in the world by 2030. Money20/20 ASIA is a central hub for the APAC fintech community, functioning as a nexus for major announcements and significant investment opportunities. From Japan to New Zealand, our diverse speakers bring valuable insights and unveil the industry's latest trends. Notably, Money20/20 has a proven track record of discovering and nurturing promising startups, offering a springboard to greater recognition and opportunities. Whether you're looking to network, strike deals, or gain inspiration, Money20/20 Asia connects you with the brightest minds in Asian fintech.," said Ian Fong, Money20/20’s Asia Content Director.

Some of the keynote speakers include Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz, Jazz Telco and Jazz Cash; Charles Li, Founder and Chairman of Micro Connect, Hong Kong's latest lending unicorn backed by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing and property tycoon Adrian Cheng; Daranee Saeju, Assistant Governor, Payments Systems Policy & Financial Consumer Protection Group from Bank of Thailand and Chetna Sinha, Founder and Chairperson of Mann Deshi Mahila Bank.

Mann Deshi Mahila Bank is India's first bank for and by rural women. In 2022, Chetna Sinha was also awarded the Nari Shakti Paskar, India’s highest civilian award for women.

"I am honored to stand on the vibrant stage of Money20/20 ASIA, where innovation and financial inclusivity converge. I will be sharing the extraordinary journey of Mann Deshi Bank, a pioneer in redefining banking and uplifting lives in rural India. Join me as I explore the dynamic intersection of innovation and inclusivity, unlocking the boundless potential of rural women. Money20/20 Asia isn't just a platform for everything fintech; it's also a catalyst for lifting and transforming communities,” said Chetna Sinha, Founder and Chairperson, Mann Deshi Bank.

Masakazu Osawa, Managing Executive Officer & Chief Executive for Asia Pacific for MUFG Bank, Ltd. is also one of our keynote speakers. MUFG is Japan’s largest bank and one of the largest banks in the world.

"Asia, home to 4.7 billion people, represents 60% of the world's population, sustaining a steady GDP around 5%, outpacing other regions. With over 300 unicorns in APAC showing rapid growth, Money20/20 provides a unique platform for networking with Asia's most prominent business influencers. As one of Asia's largest financial institutions, MUFG recognizes the need for evolving business models. We've invested over $15 billion USD in the last decade, focusing on commercial banking and consumer finance. At Money20/20 ASIA, I'll discuss how MUFG identifies and collaborates with promising startups to enhance our products and services, ensuring better service to our clients and society. Excited to connect with innovative minds and share insights on fostering growth,” said Masakazu Osawa, Managing Executive Officer, Chief Executive for Asia Pacific at MUFG Bank.

An overview of some of the Money20/20 ASIA speakers can be found here.

The Money20/20 ASIA agenda will be updated until the event starts. The most up-to-date version can be found here.

Dave Inc., one of the nation's leading neobanks, today announced it has become the newest member of the American Fintech Council (AFC), the premier industry association representing responsible fintech companies and innovative banks. Dave joins a diverse group of AFC members to progress fintech innovation, focusing on creating inclusive digital banking services and products for consumers not well-served by incumbent banks.

"Our members are setting the standard for the responsible use of innovation to increase competition in financial services that improve access for families long forgotten by traditional financial institutions," said Phil Goldfeder, CEO of the American Fintech Council. "Dave is leading by example and democratizing financial services by creating fair, transparent, and equitable services. Their team will add an important voice to our growing chorus of members focused on inclusion and responsible innovation for the future of finance."

"Dave is proud to join an association that prioritizes financial inclusion and responsible banking as more Americans turn to digital banks for seamless experiences, financial education, and innovative products," said Jason Wilk, CEO and founder of Dave. "Fintech was born out of the realization that traditional banking was not keeping pace with the needs of the American consumer. By uniting our efforts with the AFC's growing network of innovators, we envision a positive future for accessible financial solutions in fintech."

As a member of the AFC, Dave plans to be an essential voice in support of regulators' development of transparent and consistent frameworks for the fintech industry, as digital banking gains momentum. Dave looks forward to advancing the dialogue on access to banking and short-term credit, inclusive finance, and regulatory compliance. Since 2016, Dave has been a leader in providing short-term liquidity to consumers to cover expenses between paychecks. Dave enables a comprehensive and accessible banking experience regardless of a person's income, on its mission to level the financial playing field.

AFC collaborates with policymakers and regulators to develop unified and consistent approaches to regulation. They encourage the development of a modern regulatory framework that creates access to financial services without compromising on compliance or consumer protection. AFC consistently advocates on issues that are crucial to developing a more inclusive financial services industry, including improved data sharing and the development of an open banking ecosystem, as well as the expansion of innovation efforts that allow consumers to live their best financial lives.

NCR Atleos Corporation, a leader in expanding financial access for financial institutions, retailers, and consumers, today announced that American Express has selected Atleos’ Allpoint ATM Network to expand surcharge-free access in the United States to its Business and Consumer Checking customers later this year.

By leveraging the Allpoint network, American Express will enable its Business and Consumer Checking customers to access more than 40,000 surcharge-free ATMs in the U.S. located in trusted retail locations where they live, work, shop, and travel. The American Express brand will be featured prominently during each ATM transaction, providing American Express customers with assurance they will receive the service they expect. The Allpoint Network is the world’s largest independently owned retail ATM network.

“Our network powers digital banking leaders such as American Express with the physical endpoints their customers expect and demand,” explained Diego Navarrete, executive vice president, Global Sales for Atleos. “We look forward to serving more digitally native customers at our Allpoint ATMs.”