Financials
India mass market: Bharat dreams
A labyrinth of logistical, cultural, competition, and business modelling challenges is curbing private equity appetite for India’s quickly modernising proletariat
Japan's Nomura launches blockchain VC unit
Japan’s Nomura Holdings has launched a business called Laser Venture Capital that will invest in companies in the blockchain and digital assets space.
India insurance start-up Zopper raises $75m
Indian private equity firm Creaegis has led a USD 75m Series C round for local insurance technology provider Zopper.
Indonesian crypto exchange Reku raises $11m
Indonesia’s AC Ventures has led a USD 11m Series A round for Reku, a local crypto exchange that claims to offer the lowest fees in the market.
Indonesia’s Fazz raises $100m Series C
Indonesia’s Fazz, a financial services provider for Southeast Asia micro businesses, has raised a USD 100m Series C round featuring Tiger Global, DST Global, and B Capital Group.
Affirma leads $217m investment in Korean digital insurer
Affirma Capital has led a KRW 300bn (USD 217m) funding round – at a valuation of KRW 1trn – for Carrot General Insurance, a South Korea-based digital insurer.
Deal focus: Jai Kisan taps India rural resurgence
The founders of technology-enabled credit platform Jai Kisan went against the grain by forgoing urban customers and targeting India’s rural poor. A USD 50m Series B is an indicator of its progress
Singapore, Thailand blockchain remittance player gets $50m
Singapore and Thailand-based Lightnet, a blockchain-enabled payments and remittance services provider, has raised USD 50m from US-based LDA Capital.
Rise Fund, Norwest lead $110m Series D for India's EarlySalary
TPG’s Rise Fund and Norwest Venture Partners have led a USD 110m Series D round for EarlySalary, which claims to be India’s largest consumer lending financial technology start-up.
NZ Super, ACC exit Kiwibank via $1.3b NZ government buyout
New Zealand Superannuation Fund (NZ Super) and Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) have exited state-owned Kiwibank at an implied valuation of NZD 2.1bn (USD 1.3bn).
India rural fintech player Jai Kisan raises $50m
India’s Jai Kisan, a financial technology start-up focused on digital banking in rural areas, has raised USD 50m in Series B funding from a group including DG Daiwa Ventures and Blume Ventures.
Tiger Global leads Series B for India savings platform Jar
Tiger Global Management has led a USD 22.6m Series B round for ChangeJar Technologies, operator of India-based savings and investment app Jar, at a valuation of more than USD 300m.
Blackstone set for exit from New Zealand's Partners Life
The Blackstone Group will exit its majority stake in New Zealand-based insurer Partners Life following the announcement of a full acquisition of the company by Japan’s Dai-ichi Life Holdings at a valuation of approximately NZD 1bn (USD 645m).
ADIA commits $83m to India's Aditya Birla Health Insurance
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has agreed to invest INR 6.6bn (USD 83.5m) in India’s Aditya Birla Health Insurance (ADBHI) for a 10% stake.
Singapore crypto risk platform extends Series A to $24m
Singapore’s Merkle Science, a predictive crypto analytics platform, has raised USD 24m in Series A funding led by K3 Ventures, Darrow Holdings, and Beco Capital.
India fintech app Dezerv raises $21m Series A
Accel has led a USD 21m Series A round for Indian retail investment services app Deserv with support from existing investors Elevation Capital and Matrix Partners India.
Thailand's SCB 10X appoints Mukaya Panich as CEO
SCB 10X, the VC arm of Thailand’s Siam Commercial Bank, has appointed Mukaya Panich, its chief investment and venture officer, as CEO.
Proparco commits $25m to India's Northern Arc
French development finance institution Proparco has invested USD 25m in debt in India’s Northern Arc Capital, a microfinance and small business lender with several private equity backers.
Sarmaycar, Shorooq back Pakistan fintech player OneLoad
OneLoad, a Pakistan-based digital financial services platform established by local IT player Systems Limited and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has raised USD 11m in funding.
Deal focus: Creador goes early in digital banking
Only six digital banks are licensed to operate in the Philippines. Enthused by the prospect of helping build one of these select few from the ground up, Creador moved fast to back UnoAsia
Creador backs Philippines digital bank
Creador has made a rare early-stage investment, leading a pre-Series A round of USD 11m for UnoAsia, operator of Uno Digital Bank, one of only six licensed digital banks in the Philippines.
Carlyle, Advent commit $1.1b to India's Yes Bank
The Carlyle Group and Advent International have together invested USD 1.1bn in India’s Yes Bank, acquiring equity shares and warrants that could enable them to own up to 20% of the lender.
Korea's Viva Republica raises USD 225m
Viva Republica, operator of the Korean money transfer app Toss, has raised KRW 296bn (USD 225.5m) in series G funding from an investor group that includes Altos Ventures, Goodwater Capital, Greyhound Capital, and Kleiner Perkins.
Australia's mx51 secures $22.5m Series B
Mx51, an Australia-based payments technology platform that emerged as a partnership with Westpac, has raised AUD 32.5m (USD 22.4m) in Series B funding.
