Financials
Korea’s Viva Republica raises $40m
Singapore’s GIC Private and Sequoia Capital China have invested a combined $40 million in Korean financial technology company Viva Republica.
CapitalG leads $21.8m round for India's Aye Finance
CapitalG, the investment arm of Google's parent company Alphabet, has led a INR1.5 billion ($21.8 million) Series C round for Aye Finance, an Indian microfinance institution (MFI) focused on small businesses.
Oman India fund invests $23m in Annapurna Microfinance
The Oman India Joint Investment Fund (OIJIF), an India-focused GP sponsored by the governments of India and Oman, has invested INR 1.6 billion ($23 million) in microlender Annapurna Microfinance (AMPL).
China's Ant Financial closes $14b Series C round
Ant Financial, Alibaba Group’s financial services affiliate, has raised $14 billion in Series C funding from investors including GIC Private, Warburg Pincus, The Carlyle Group, Silver Lake, and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).
Australia's Prospa delays trading after $112m IPO
Prospa, an Australian financial technology company backed by a number of local VCs, has raised A$146.5 million ($112 million) in a domestic IPO. Trading of the stock has been postponed, however, amid a regulatory review.
China fintech player Pintec gets $103m round
Hong Kong-based VC firm Mandra Capital and Sina Corporation have led a $103 million funding round for Chinese financial technology platform Pintec.
Apis targets $400m for emerging markets growth fund
Apis Partners is targeting $400 million for its second middle-market growth fund focused on financial services and technology investments in emerging markets, with a $500 million hard cap.
Warburg Pincus invests $106m in IndiaFirst Life
Warburg Pincus has agreed to acquire a 26% interest in IndiaFirst Life Insurance from UK-based Legal & General Group for INR7.1 billion ($106 million).
Temasek, PayPal invest $125m in India’s Pine Labs
Temasek Holdings and PayPal have invested $125 million in Pine Labs, an Indian financial technology company backed by Actis Capital, Sequoia Capital India and Madison India Capital.
Japan's Gumi raises $30m for blockchain VC fund
Gumi, a Japanese mobile game publisher backed by a number of VCs, has secured $30 million for a venture capital fund that will invest in blockchain and cryptocurrency start-ups.
Actis to launch $220m India NBFC
Actis Capital has launched an Indian non-banking finance company (NBFC) in which it will invest up to $220 million over the next five years.
East Ventures joins $32m ICO for Swiss bitcoin app
East Ventures, a VC firm focused on Japan and Southeast Asia, has joined a $32 million initial coin offering (ICO) for Switzerland-based bitcoin wallet operator BRD.
Amazon leads $12m round for India's VC-backed Acko
Amazon has led a $12 million funding round for Acko, an Indian online insurance broker that is backed by the likes of SAIF Partners and Accel Partners.
Hong Kong's Arbor raises $178.5m for second VC fund
Hong Kong-based Arbor Ventures has received $178.5 million in commitments for its second financial technology-focused venture capital fund. The targeted corpus is $220 million.
Indonesia's Alpha JWC to back PayPal incubator start-ups
Indonesia-based Alpha JWC Ventures has agreed to invest up to $5 million in PayPal’s financial technology start-up incubation program for Southeast Asia.
Malaysia’s Jirnexu receives $11m Series B
Malaysia-based financial technology start-up Jirnexu has received an $11 million Series B funding round led by Japan’s SBI Group.
Australia's Westpac invests $37m in Reinventure
Australia’s Westpac Banking Corp has committed A$50 million ($37 million) to the third fund of its venture capital unit Reinventure.
Vietnam consumer: Trading up
Vietnam’s consumer economy is attracting a wider range of investors as deal sizes inflate and new openings emerge in a winding value chain. Private equity is positioned to exploit several vantage points
India's True North to buy stake in Federal Bank NBFC
True North has agreed to buy a 26% stake in Fedbank Financial Services (Fedfina), a non-banking financial company (NBFC) controlled by India’s Federal Bank.
Chinese rural-focused financing platform gets $47m
Shenma Finance, an online platform that provides vehicle financing to China’s rural population, has received RMB300 million ($47.2 million) in Series C funding led by domestic financial technology player Tongbanjie Group, China Growth Capital, and Hina...
India’s Unitus reaches $15m first close on second impact fund
Indian VC firm Unitus Ventures (formerly Unitus Seed Fund) has reached a first close of INR1 billion ($15 million) for its second early-stage impact investment fund.
TPG, Carlyle lead $1.9b round for Baidu's financial services unit
TPG Capital and The Carlyle Group have led a $1.9 billion funding round for Chinese search giant Baidu’s financial services unit, which is being spun out as Du Xiao Man.
PE-backed Vietnamese lender completes $992m IPO
Vietnam Technological & Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Techcombank, TCB), a private-sector lender backed by Warburg Pincus, has raised VND21 trillion ($922 million) in the country’s biggest IPO to date.
Deal focus: Opportunities at the end
TR Capital takes secondary stakes in Indian eyewear chain Lenskart and microfinance specialist Arohan Financial Services
