Banks set to escape tax raid from Rachel Reeves after lobbying Banking Rachel Reeves is expected to avoid a cash grab on Britain’s banking titans in her forthcoming autumn Budget after the industry flagged concerns around international competitiveness. The Chancellor is understood to be hesitant on targeting the banks for a cash raid after a string of warnings from top industry chiefs on the impact on economic [...]
Hyperlayer lands £30m to help legacy lenders take on fintechs Fintech London-based fintech Hyperlayer has secured £30m in fresh funding to support its mission to help established banks compete with digital first rivals. The firm’s tech is designed to work alongside existing banking infrastructure, which it says allows the legacy businesses to launch new products without complexity. Ex-Morgan Stanley International chief Rob Rooney, who found Hyperlayer [...]
Close Brothers looks to ‘accelerate’ after ‘messy’ year Banking Close Brothers is hoping to switch gears and “accelerate” after the motor finance scandal had the bank stuck in a rut. The specialist lender’s share price has swerved between a low of 185.00 and peak of 555.00 over the last 12 months. The car misselling saga has been the driving force of stock woes, sending [...]
London fintech eyes IPO as Klarna’s listing puts pressure on the City September 15, 2025 UK card reader firm SumUp is weighing a stock market listing that could value it at up to $15bn (£11.04bn) – a move that could deliver a rare win for the London Stock Exchange, though the firm is also considering New York amid doubts over the City’s appeal. The London-based fintech, which makes card readers [...]
Klarna could trigger a fintech IPO boom but can London benefit? September 11, 2025 Klarna’s hot debut on the New York Stock Exchange has opened the doors for a flood of fintech listings but analysts are raising concerns whether the London market can enjoy this new stream. The Swedish fintech unicorn’s stock popped 15 per cent from its IPO price of $40. Shares closed at $45.82 after raising $222m. [...]
One time passcodes fuel rise in digital wallet fraud August 28, 2025 Warnings have emerged over the security of digital wallets, following a report by consumer group Which? found widespread use of easily compromised one-time passcodes (OTPs) by some banks, leaving customers increasingly open to fraud. The investigation, which surveyed fifteen high-street and digital banks, found that the majority are still relying on SMS OTPs to verify [...]
UK fintech Starling’s profit tumbles as regulatory failings linger May 28, 2025 UK fintech veteran Starling recorded a drop in annual profit for the financial year as it battled with a more competitive fintech landscape and mounting costs. The neobank recorded £223m in pre-tax profit, which was down from £301m the previous year. This came as operating costs ramped up to £403m, from £332m, helping offset modest [...]
OakNorth: Shareholders to be handed £40m as US expansion boosts profit March 6, 2025 Profit at challenger bank OakNorth has surged thanks to its expansion into the USA, it has been revealed. The London-headquartered digital bank has reported a pre-tax profit of £214.8m for 2024, up from the £187.3m it posted for the previous 12 months. Over the year, OakNorth provided more than £2.1bn in gross new lending to [...]
Chase tops UK banking charts February 19, 2025 According to an Ipsos poll, Chase UK is the top-rated consumer bank in Britain. It joins digital banks Monzo and Starling, which have long topped the charts. Kuba Fast, Chase’s UK CEO, said: “These results are a testament to the fantastic people we have and our commitment to putting customers at the heart of everything [...]