Metro Bank shares dip after SME lending pivot sees profit balloon Banking Metro Bank has swung back into profit as the firm’s pivot into small business lending led to a bump in revenue. The FTSE 250 lender returned to profitability with a pre-tax profit of just north of £98m – a 15-year high and major clawback from losses of £14m last year. The swing came as Metro [...]
Allica Bank joins fintech unicorn club after £100m injection Fintech Small business lender Allica Bank will join the illustrious club of British fintech unicorns after securing a fresh funding round. The challenger bank is said to have netted $155m (£111m) in a Series D fundraise, which will take the firm’s valuation to $1.2bn and over the billion pound mark to declare unicorn status. The round [...]
UK fintech Zempler Bank snapped up for less than half previous valuation Fintech London-based fintech Zempler Bank has been snapped up by Nigeria’s biggest bank in a deal that has slashed the firm’s valuation, City AM can reveal. The small business lender – formerly known as Cashplus – has been acquired by The Access Bank UK with a price tag of around £3.45p per share. The sale represents [...]
Business health check: the five-point plan to sharpen 2026 performance January 20, 2026 Businesses thrive on certainty, something that is frequently in short supply. That’s why now is a good time to check your business has the tools to withstand whatever the next 12 months might send your way. Prepare for what you know about – and what you don’t. Planning for the year requires getting comfortable with [...]