Year of the unicorn: 24 companies have surpassed $1bn valuation this year already February 5, 2021 There has been somewhat of a stampede of companies reaching unicorn status since the start of the year following a strong year for the tech sector. Some 24 companies have already reached $1bn valuation since the start of the year with a particularly strong showing from e-commerce and fintech companies, according to research by Tipalti. [...]
Regulator grants challenger lender Cashplus a full banking licence February 3, 2021 Digital challenger bank Cashplus has become the latest London-based fintech to secure a full UK banking licence. Following the Prudential Regulation Authority’s approval, Cashplus is the UK’s newest licensed bank despite being founded in 2005 and serving more than 1.6m small business customers. Like its digital peers, Cashplus offers current accounts for UK SMEs, currently [...]
Paykey launches trading functionality to compete with ‘wild west’ app market February 2, 2021 The Gamestop frenzy last week not only showed the power of retail investors but the popularity and risks associated with free trading apps. Robinhood, which promises no user fees, faced backlash from investors after sharp swings in the value of stocks meant it was forced to restrict trading. It has sparked debate over whether these [...]
Exclusive: Friendship app Yubo to expand workforce 10-fold this year, says CEO January 28, 2021 In a year that saw UK schools close their doors and social gatherings move to video platforms, Gen Z ‘friendship’ platform Yubo saw live streams increase by 550 per cent, with streamers spending an average of two hours per day on the app. Since its launch in 2015, the platform that connects people based on shared interests has [...]
Swedish payments app Trustly plots IPO amid flurry of tech listings January 22, 2021 Swedish payments firm Trustly is reportedly planning a public listing this year worth up to 9bn, amid a flurry of tech IPOs. Trustly’s private equity backer Nordic Capital is working with Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Carnegie on the IPO which is due in the second quarter, according to Reuters. Nordic Capital bought a 70 [...]
Transferwise picks banks ahead of blockbuster IPO January 21, 2021 Transferwise has reportedly picked two of Wall Street’s biggest banks to lead its London listing this year. The payments unicorn has hired Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley as joint global coordinators for its IPO later this year, Sky News reported. Transferwise secured a $5bn valuation following a secondary share sale last summer, cementing its place [...]
Monzo founder steps down saying pandemic took its toll January 21, 2021 Monzo founder-turned-president Tom Blomfield is stepping down from the digital bank, saying the pandemic has taken a toll on his mental health. In an interview with Techcrunch Blomfield said he had stopped enjoying his role a long time ago as Monzo moved from startup to scaleup. “I stopped enjoying my role probably about two years [...]
Fintech firms top list of best London startups to work for January 19, 2021 Fintech firms dominate the list of best startups to work for in London as investment in the sector picks up and expands aggressively. Some 50 startups and scaleups appear on Otta’s Rocket List, which has been curated by Tech Nation and a handful of VC firms including Atomico and Seedcamp. The experts considered a firm’s [...]
What next for social media regulation in the post-Trump world? January 19, 2021 Two weeks on from the storming of the US Capitol the social media excision of the 45th US President is so extensive, the holder of the most powerful office in the world is presently unable to log in to Pinterest to create a mood board for his impending house move. His exclusion has drawn condemnation from [...]
Exclusive: UK tech still needs the EU, says TechUK boss January 18, 2021 As thousands of businesses breathe a sigh of relief now the Brexit deal has been agreed, one leading tech figure thinks the EU remains important for the UK. Julian David, chief executive of TechUK, spoke to City A.M. about his thoughts on the Brexit deal for the tech sector and the future for the industry [...]