Hong Kong's Arbor raises $178.5m for second VC fund

AVCJ understands that the fundraising process remains open. The close, confirmed in a filing, is said to establish the fund as the largest dedicated fintech investment vehicle in Asia and one of the largest funds of any kind raised by a female-owned GP globally.  

LPs have not been confirmed, although the International Finance Corporation (IFC) had previously indicated it would invest $15 million.

Fund II will make early-stage investments in disruptive fintech companies across Asia and the US, with a focus on financial services, big data, and digital commerce. Its predecessor closed at $125 million after five months on the market with a similar remit and a $10 million commitment from IFC.

Arbor was founded by Melissa Guzy (pictured) and Wei Hopeman in 2013 with a view to helping Asian and US fintech start-ups expand into global markets. In addition to international networking, value-add efforts typically include mentoring and talent recruitment assistance. Arbor maintains additional offices in Shanghai, Tokyo, and Tel Aviv.

Previous investment includes Paidy, a Japanese card-less payment and instant credit service provider, and QuanCheng, a Chinese software company focused on B2B expense management. Last year, Arbor joined a $16 million Series B round for Abra, a US payments company test marketing blockchain-based services in the Philippines.

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn  
• Google plus  
• Save this article  
• Send to  

• Topics
• Greater China
• Fundraising
• Financials
• Technology
• Venture
• Hong Kong (China)
• Arbor Ventures
• Financial Services
• USA
• TMT